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Gallagher Chiefs fans can sort their season early with tickets having gone on sale today for all seven home games in New Zealand.

The 2017 season promises to be full of action and excitement for Chiefs fans, with consecutive New Zealand derbies against the Blues and the Hurricanes to kick off the home season at FMG Stadium Waikato before a raft of international talent visits our shores including the Bulls, Sunwolves, Reds, Waratahs and Brumbies.

The Battle of the Bombays with the Blues will be a fiery encounter between two teams full of flair and skill. Last season’s battle was an epic one, with the Gallagher Chiefs taking the victory 29-23 in front of a bumper home crowd of 20,990.

This fixture will be followed by a repeat of the 2016 semi-final, when the defending champions the Hurricanes come to visit Hamilton. With both teams desperate to make an impressive start to their campaigns, this match will be thrilling and a sure spectacle for all rugby fans.

The atmosphere will be electric at both of these New Zealand derbies, so secure the best seats for you and your friends early, so you don’t have to worry about it closer to the time!

Tickets for all seven Gallagher Chiefs home games in NZ can be purchased by clicking here – see you at the games!

Alternatively, you can purchase a 2017 Gallagher Chiefs membership which includes admission to all six round robin home games at FMG Stadium Waikato as well as heaps of other benefits including a free and exclusive Chiefs duffel bag! To purchase a Chiefs membership, click here.

Note: We expect to have tickets for our game against the Crusaders in Suva, Fiji to go on sale shortly. We will let you know as soon as they do.

The coming together of two innovative, high performing New Zealand brands marks the beginning of an exciting partnership, with Harcourts signing on as a Major Sponsor of the Gallagher Chiefs. A Harcourts consortium consisting of Franchises in South Auckland, Waikato, King Country, Taranaki and Fiji, is excited to blend their love of rugby with business opportunity.  

Established in 1888, real estate powerhouse Harcourts continues to lead the way as the largest brand in the New Zealand and Fiji markets. Their passion for buying and selling real estate that fulfils people's needs, dreams and aspirations has seen Harcourts grow exponentially. Starting many years ago in New Zealand, Harcourts has now grown internationally with a presence in 10 countries including a significant presence in Australia and South Africa.

The same competitive spirit and insatiable work ethic that Harcourts brings to real estate, is brought to the rugby field by the Gallagher Chiefs. Being a consistent and relentless competitor in Investec Super Rugby has solidified the Chiefs as a high profile brand in Southern Hemisphere rugby.

With the Gallagher Chiefs competing in New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and Fiji, it made perfect sense for the Harcourts consortium to get involved and maximise this great branding opportunity in their key markets.

Harcourts Hamilton Director/General Manager Brian King said: “Harcourts Businesses in Hamilton, Waikato Townships, Taranaki, King Country, South Auckland, New Zealand and Fiji are proud to be a new Major Sponsor of the Chiefs. We have had a lot of involvement with the Chiefs in the past and we felt that the synergies between our two international brands is a perfect fit. The partnership will allow us to achieve our goals of maximising brand exposure and continuing to drive our community initiatives and help to highlight the many Charities and Community Organisations we are all involved in. We are all excited to see our Brand being used as part of the on field graphics for all Home games and having our Brand on the Teams game day playing uniforms.
“As an organisation, Harcourts are leaders and innovators in our industry. As a leading Super Rugby Club, the Chiefs possess this same ambitious drive, always looking for the competitive edge on the rugby field as we do in the field of Real Estate.”

Chiefs CEO Andrew Flexman said the Club was delighted to welcome new Major Sponsor Harcourts.

“It is always a thrill for us to enter commercial partnerships with truly iconic brands domestically and internationally and Harcourts is certainly one of those. I have no doubt this partnership will be a mutually beneficial and lasting one given the importance both organisations place on meaningful community connections, peak performance and ultimately winning. I would like to acknowledge Harcourts for their commitment to rugby in our region,” said Flexman.

There is just three weeks to go until the Gallagher Chiefs open their 2017 Investec Super Rugby campaign on 24 February against the Pulse Energy Highlanders in Dunedin. Their first home game quickly follows with the Gallagher Chiefs hosting the Blues on Friday 3 March at FMG Stadium Waikato. For tickets and more information please see www.chiefs.co.nz.

The Gallagher Chiefs squad to compete in the first ever Brisbane Global Rugby Tens has been unveiled today. A versatile and exciting squad of 26 has been named for two action-packed days of rugby tens kicking off on Saturday the 11th of February at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane.

Gallagher Chiefs Assistant Coach Andrew Strawbridge said: “We are really looking forward to being part of this shortened format of the game and the challenges it provides around physicality and manipulation of space. The tactical challenges of Tens will test us all."

In addition to the historic Brisbane Global Rugby Tens, the Gallagher Chiefs will play a preseason fixture against the Bulls on Thursday 9 February. The preseason match is being played at Ballymore Stadium in Brisbane, with kick off scheduled for 6:30pm.

Tickets for the Brisbane Global Rugby Tens and the Gallagher Chiefs preseason match against the Bulls are available from premier.ticketek.com.au

The Gallagher Chiefs Brisbane Tens Squad is:

FORWARDS:

Siegfried Fisi’ihoi
Liam Polwart
Atu Moli
Sam Caird
Fin Hoeata
Liam Messam
Sosefo Kautai
Taleni Seu
Mitchell Brown
Luke Jacobson
Lachlan Boshier
Hika Elliot
Mitchell Graham

BACKS:
Brad Weber
Joe Ravouvou
Finlay Christie
Tim Nanai-Williams
Sheldon Tovio
Sevu Reece
Jonathan Taumateine
Shaun Stevenson
Solomon Alaimalo
Alex Nankivell
Dwayne Sweeney
Luteru Laulala
Latu Vaeno

Gallagher Chiefs co-captain Aaron Cruden has announced today he will be departing New Zealand

ON BEHALF OF CHIEFS RUGBY CLUB AND HAMILTON CITY COUNCIL

Members of the Chiefs Rugby Club have visited the Hamilton City Council this afternoon to meet with representatives and apologise in person for distress caused from comments made by players participating in a Chiefs training on Wednesday at Steele Park.

The two female parking wardens were present at the meeting along with Acting CEO Kelvyn Eglinton and other representatives from Hamilton City Council. During the amicable meeting the incident was discussed at length.

An apology was offered by player representatives on behalf of the Chiefs and was accepted by the Parking Wardens and their management.

The Chiefs accept full responsibility for the unacceptable language used at Steele Park on Wednesday and are deeply embarrassed at the ramifications caused by using this language amongst their peer group. The Chiefs sincerely apologise for the impact it has on those who support the organisation including sponsors, fans and the wider rugby community.

Having the opportunity to meet and discuss the issue openly clarified Wednesday’s incident from the perspective of both parties and the explanation provided by the Chiefs was accepted.

The incident was made public by a member of the community who approached media and not by the parking wardens themselves.

The issue has been dealt with to the satisfaction of both the Hamilton City Council and the Chiefs Rugby Club.

No further comment will be provided.  

The Gallagher Chiefs Summer Roadie kicks off on Thursday 19th January with an action packed itinerary.

The team were at a training yesterday at a public park where some team members had parked vehicles that received parking tickets.

Colin Cooper will lead the Gallagher Chiefs into a new era in 2018, the Chiefs and New Zealand Rugby
announced today.

Forty-seven Chiefs region under 17s rugby talent gained an exceptional insight into what it takes to become professional rugby players at the annual Chiefs Region Under 17 Development Day held in Hamilton on Sunday.  

The Gallagher Chiefs have been handed the honour of playing in the first ever Brisbane Global Rugby Tens match at Suncorp Stadium on February 11.

Dave Rennie’s side will launch the tournament on the stroke of midday on Saturday February 11 with a Pool A clash against the Melbourne Rebels.

“There’ll certainly be no waiting around wondering what it is going to be like,” says Gallagher Chiefs fullback Damian McKenzie. “We’ll get the chance to crack straight into it which is awesome.”

All eyes will be on the Gallagher Chiefs and Rebels as 13 of the game’s best club teams plus the Samoan national team come together for the world’s premier club rugby tournament at Suncorp Stadium.

“We’re rapt to be first out of the blocks,” Gallagher Chiefs coach Dave Rennie said. “The Tens is a new and exciting concept for our squad so we’ll have to learn and adapt quickly.  With so many world class players on show and all that space, it will be a great spectacle.”

Featuring a similar structure to the 15-a-side game but with more space on field for players to showcase their skills, Tens rugby is the perfect format for what will be a hugely entertaining launch of the Super Rugby season in Brisbane for at least the next four years.

Prior to the Brisbane Global Rugby Tens, the Chiefs will play the Bulls in a pre-season match in Ballymore Brisbane on Thursday, 9 February. 

All fans who purchase a 2017 Chiefs membership before 23 December are in the draw to win an amazing Brisbane Global Rugby Tens prize package valued at $4500, as well as tickets to the pre season game against the Bulls. To find out more click here. 

Download the full schedule here

Gallagher Chiefs players Brodie Retallick, Sam Cane, Anton Lienert-Brown and Aaron Cruden have all been named in the All Blacks matchday 23 to take on Ireland at Aviva Stadium, Dublin, on Saturday 19 November (Kick-off: 5.30PM GMT, 6.30AM Sunday 20 November NZT) 

The Gallagher Chiefs have been drawn in Pool A for the Brisbane Global Rugby Tens and will match up against the NSW Waratahs, Melbourne Rebels and the Panasonic Wild Knights.