Marist students meet some of their heroes from the Crusaders team

Students at Marist Brothers High School today met some of the heroes of the Crusaders team including their very own old boy and former athlete Manasa Mataele.

Mataele who attended Marist in 2014 visited his younger brother today and some of his friends including sprinter, Keasi Naidroka.

The players that accompanied Mataele to Marist today included Setareki Tamanivalu, halfback Bryn Hall, flanker Jordan Taufua and centre Jack Goodhue.

Speaking to the Marist students, Mataele says his mother always reminds him to do his best in everything he does in life.

He encouraged the students to always obey their parents as this will bring them good things in future.

Meanwhile Mataele has been named on the bench for the Crusaders team to face the Chiefs.

Coach Scott Robertson has named a strong lineup which includes Seta Tamanivalu.

Sam Whitelock will captain the side and will be joined by the experienced Ryan Crotty, Richie Mo'unga, Jordan Taufua, Matt Todd, Pete Samu, Luke Romano, Owen Franks, Codie Taylor and Joe Moody.

Whitelock will be going up against All Black partner Brodie Retallick.

Meanwhile the Chiefs have also named their team and have made five changes to the starting fifteen that defeated the Reds 46‑17 in New Plymouth in Round 11.

There’s just one change in the forwards with Nathan Harris making his first start of the year at hooker.

There are four changes to the backs with co‑captain Aaron Cruden returning to start at first five‑eighth.

Anton Lienert‑Brown, who also re‑signed with the Chiefs this week, moves to second five‑eighth from centre.

Sam McNicol is promoted from the bench to start in jersey 13 and Tim Nanai‑Williams has fully recovered from a shoulder injury to start on the right wing.

The Chiefs will host the Crusaders at 7.35pm Friday at the ANZ Stadium in Suva.

Teams:

Chiefs:                                                                                                

1.            Kane Hames (18)
2.            Nathan Harris (24)
3.            Nepo Laulala (7)
4.            Dominic Bird (21)
5.            Brodie Retallick (80)
6.            Mitchell Brown (10)
7.            Sam Cane (co-captain) (89)
8.            Michael Leitch (30)
9.            Tawera Kerr-Barlow (76)
10.          Aaron Cruden (co-captain) (82)
11.          James Lowe (46)
12.          Anton Lienert-Brown (34)
13.          Sam McNicol (16)
14.          Tim Nanai-Williams
15.          Damian McKenzie (43)  

RESERVES:

16.          Hika Elliot (114)
17.          Siegfried Fisi’ihoi (20)
18.          Atu Moli (20)
19.          Taleni Seu (27)
20.          Liam Messam (155)
21.          Jonathan Taumateine (4)
22.          Stephen Donald (98)
23.          Shaun Stevenson (17)

Crusaders:

1.             Joe Moody 
2.             Codie Taylor 
3.             Owen Franks
4.             Luke Romano 
5.             Sam Whitelock (C) 
6.             Pete Samu
7.             Matt Todd (VC)
8.             Jordan Taufua
9.             Bryn Hall 
10.           Richie Mo'unga
11.           George Bridge 
12.           Ryan Crotty (VC)
13.           Jack Goodhue
14.           Seta Tamanivalu
15.           David Havili

RESERVES 
16.           Ben Funnell
17.           Wyatt Crockett
18.           Michael Alaalatoa
19.           Quinten Strange 
20.           Heiden Bedwell-Curtis
21.           Mitchell Drummond
22.           Mitchell Hunt 
23.           Manasa Mataele