Super 14 making lots of points to win fans
Roar Guru By Alan Nicolea, 21 Feb 2010 Alan Nicolea is a Roar Guru
- Tagged:
- Lions, Rugby Union, Super Rugby, waikato chiefs
Whilst there is a chance many Rugby purists will look back on the Lions-Chiefs match as arguably the worst defensive performance from either team in Super 14 history, one can’t deny the enjoyment of watching two sides finally backing themselves to score tries and give the fans value for money.
The Waikato Chiefs eventually ran out winners 72-65 in the highest scoring game Super Rugby has ever witnessed.
Only Stephen Donald’s perfect night with the boot proved the difference in a match which saw both the Chiefs and the Lions score nine tries each in a scintillating display of attacking Rugby.
Although Lions and Chiefs fans must have had their hearts in their mouths for the majority of the contest, neutral supporters really should have had a blast watching the two teams trade blows on a constant basis.
After a solid two try opening from the Chiefs, the Lions responded swiftly with three consecutive five pointers to really set the offensive tone of the match.
Despite attaining the lead, the Lions were made to look pedestrian as the Chiefs scored six unanswered tries to build up a commanding 65-25 lead.
Winger Sitiveni Sivivatu’s try in the 60th minute was the best five pointer on the night, made possible by the Chiefs blend of cohesive decoy running, support play and passing.
To the Lions credit however, the South African team answered back in devastating fashion, scoring four unanswered tries of their own to eventually fall short by just seven points.
Chiefs comeback centre Richard Kahui and Lions player Wandile Mjekevu each finished up with hat-tricks next to their name.
While the avalanche of points conceded is a cause for concern for both sides, there is little doubting the Chiefs and Lions have played their part in the Super 14′s entertaining start to the season.
Back in Australia, the Queensland Reds played some terrific running Rugby to beat the Canterbury Crusaders for the first time since 1999.
The four tries to two victory was a reflection of the Reds eagerness to run the ball and throw caution to the wind against a Crusaders team that has had the wood on the Queenslanders for the past eleven years.
The sparkling performance from Reds half Quade Cooper ensured the home side’s miserable run against the New Zealand powerhouse came to an end in emphatic fashion.
Cooper scored two tries, kicked five penalty goals and two conversions to finish up with a record breaking haul of 31 points.
The 21 year old’s first try of the night was testament to the Reds clinical exchange of passing in the middle of the park, with Morgan Turinui, Peter Hynes and Will Genia all playing vital roles.
Whilst both the Crusaders and Lions will be feeling worse for wear after their performances, the opening two rounds of the Super 14 suggests Rugby is the real winner.
The avalanche of tries scored thus far in the competition is a great step ahead in the code’s bid to win not only win back fans, but gain new ones.
Judging from the opening two weeks, it seems Rugby is slowly reaffirming its status as the game played in heaven.
Recommend this story.
The Turkey 10
The Turkey 10 teams have now been selected, as Wild Turkey Bourbon's sport sponsorship kicks into the next exciting phase.
Choose which side you're going to support and get in the running to win $2,500!
Simply visit Wild Turkey Australia on Facebook for your chance to win.
Find out more.
- Explore:
- Lions, Rugby Union, Super Rugby, waikato chiefs
February 21st 2010 @ 3:36pm
matt said | February 21st 2010 @ 3:36pm | Report comment
I thought the Brumbies Bulls match was a good one. The points blow out was in the last 20 mins, but you can´t deny that the new rules favouring attacking sides. It has helped teams build pressure via phase play. It also seems to have seen off the mindless kick-a-thons, because this year, teams are more confident of keeping the pill. This leads to more attack and more tries. Nothing wrong with that in my book.
February 21st 2010 @ 3:59pm
Lee said | February 21st 2010 @ 3:59pm | Report comment
Funny how the bulls are doing well when a lot of punters were writing them prior to the season due to their apparent boring game plan last season.
If these interpretations are adopted by the north( doubtful if there are many more blow outs like cheifs game) expect to see players like brussouw, and mccaw gone by the next world cup in favour of big guys who can blow out better. Big strong counter ruckers will become the normal number 7 ie Dannie roussouw
The interpretations will be great when teams sort out their defence and learn to deal with the attackers possession.
February 21st 2010 @ 5:57pm
ohtani's jacket said | February 21st 2010 @ 5:57pm | Report comment
It’s far too early to tell whether the new interpretations will change openside play. For all we know people could be crying out for a new set of interpretations by season’s end. Besides, there’s more to openside play than fetching. An openside only steals the ball once or twice a game. Tackling is a far more important part of what an openside does.
February 21st 2010 @ 7:52pm
penguin said | February 21st 2010 @ 7:52pm | Report comment
From watching the Bulls Brumbies game I have to say that I did not like the strict new policing of the breakdown laws.
First it is leading to far too many penalties although one can only hope that will improve once the players get used to it. Second however, it seemed that once a team has possession it is practically impossible for the defence to turn the ball over legally. The only way the attacking team is going to lose possession is by kicking it away, dropping the ball or getting isolated. This is likely not to lead to open running rugby or risk-taking – teams will be playing it close, not throwing the ball around, and going through endless indefensible phases.
I have always disliked basketball because of the too-frequent scoring and the apparent impotence of the defence – I do not want to see the same in rugby.
February 21st 2010 @ 7:59pm
Sam said | February 21st 2010 @ 7:59pm | Report comment
I think we will see more counter-rucking, rather than the type of turnovers we have seen the last few years. Teams will adjust, and adapt pretty quickly. They always do.
February 21st 2010 @ 8:56pm
Brissie Kid said | February 21st 2010 @ 8:56pm | Report comment
Isn’t there a reluctance on the part of administrators and referees to allow real rucking? If they stick to that, or make it worse by penalising, then we have unlimited tackle rugby league. The only contest will be in the air at short kick-offs and in line-outs.
February 21st 2010 @ 9:33pm
penguin said | February 21st 2010 @ 9:33pm | Report comment
The rugby league analogy occurred to me as well. It was also noticeable how severely small errors were punished. A knock-on means that your team loses a probable score, and the other team scores instead. ( I know that it has often been possible to attribute a score to a specific opposition error, but it now seems to occur more frequently and more directly.) The coaches’ answer will have to be to take fewer risks.
February 22nd 2010 @ 3:51pm
max power said | February 22nd 2010 @ 3:51pm | Report comment
Completely agree on the counter-rucking Sam. The contest at the ruck has been more intense so far this year as teams realise that counter-rucking is their best chance of causing a turn over. The new interpretations should suit the South African sides the best with their big, combative forward packs who can blow through the oppositions ruck. I think we will see the defending teams try and keep the ball-carrier off the ground so that they don’t have to release the player and therefore can continue to contest the ball.
February 21st 2010 @ 10:39pm
ohtani's jacket said | February 21st 2010 @ 10:39pm | Report comment
I think you’re exaggerating somewhat. If the team in possession kept the ball until they scored then we’d see more scorelines the size of the Chiefs/Lions game. The Super 14 has always had mismatches and lopsided victories. This weekend was no different to years gone by. There were turnovers at the rucks and mauls in all the games I’ve watched so far, but to me the biggest difference is that it’s difficult for teams to defend their goal line area if they have to roll away immediately. Whether a quick score is better than a dozen attempts at driving over the line, I’m not sure, but it’s not as easy to slow the ball down on your goaline as it has been in the past few years. A lot of the tries I saw this weekend saw gaping holes in the backline defence when they were stretched on their goal line. In that respect, I think it’s easier to score once you get in position to do so, but by the same token the Hurricanes were able to fend off the Force a couple of times inside their own 22. For now, the biggest positive is that the kicking from hand has decreased.
February 21st 2010 @ 10:46pm
Sam Taulelei said | February 21st 2010 @ 10:46pm | Report comment
Another aspect I’ve noticed is that with the consistent application of the breakdown rulings, the pick and go drives are far more effective when forwards can pop and offload in the tackle. The Hurricanes were good exponents of this at times, particularly Andrew Hore. NZ teams usually rank highly in the number of offloads from forwards as well as SA teams. Aussies teams haven’t always offloaded as much in the tackle in comparison but it won’t take them long to recognise the benefits in popping the pass to maintain continuity and penetrate the defensive line
February 21st 2010 @ 10:54pm
ohtani's jacket said | February 21st 2010 @ 10:54pm | Report comment
Yeah, linking between the backs and the forwards is going to be increasingly important as the season progresses.
February 21st 2010 @ 9:39pm
Kenny said | February 21st 2010 @ 9:39pm | Report comment
And yet the Waratahs are still playing boring loser rugby.
Hickey should be sacked. Time for Phil Waugh to maybe step aside too, let a new captain take over.
February 21st 2010 @ 10:02pm
Midfielder said | February 21st 2010 @ 10:02pm | Report comment
Interesting and maybe a one off… and yes totally different ends of the season
But the Nix drew about double the crowd of their Wellington cousin… and tonight I am told on of the NZ free to air stations purchased the rights and replayed this afternoon’s win by the Nix … early indications are it rated tho the roof…
No serious thread to RU in any way … but maybe a big surprise to the the RL folk…
February 21st 2010 @ 10:52pm
ohtani's jacket said | February 21st 2010 @ 10:52pm | Report comment
Judging by the reaction so far, it seems like it’s difficult to please all of the people all of the time. Either there’s too many penalties and not enough tries or too many tries and too few turnovers. Rugby has been in favour of the defence for a good many years now, so it’s somewhat refreshing to have interpretations which favour the attacking sides, but I figure that it will balance out over time. The important thing to remember is that games like Queensland vs. the Crusaders don’t happen every week and a lot of the rugby is bound to be subpar no matter how it’s reffed. If we’re being honest, this is true of any sport. Only occasionally does sport rise to levels of greatness. Most of the time it’s mediocre, which is why winning and losing has always been more important than a good game. Rugby needs to make compromises in some areas if it’s to provide a reasonable level of entertainment and if that means making it easier to score then I guess that’s the way the game is heading. One of the worst things about rugby is that a promising attacking movement can break down and wind up as a shot at goal. If that happens less often, then perhaps the game will be more satisfying. We’ll have to wait and see.
February 22nd 2010 @ 4:51am
Eamonn Flanagan said | February 22nd 2010 @ 4:51am | Report comment
Alan, “Rugby might be the game played in heaven” aren’t most people dead up there, maybe that’s why it does so well…anyway for the rest of us who live in the hear and now, football is the game played on earth.
And Go the Brumbies. We’re gonna win the thing this year for sure in Fortress Canberra or should that be heaven:)
February 22nd 2010 @ 6:39am
dave said | February 22nd 2010 @ 6:39am | Report comment
The game played in heaven is only an Australian thrase. Isn’t it ? I don’t remember NZ ever using that.
February 22nd 2010 @ 7:03am
True Tah said | February 22nd 2010 @ 7:03am | Report comment
I thought it was Welsh saying?
February 22nd 2010 @ 10:09am
tubby said | February 22nd 2010 @ 10:09am | Report comment
the lions-chiefs game cannot be put down to the rule changes – there wasn’t enough decent tackling going on to make what happens at tht breakdown significant. it was a debacle though
cheetahs-sharks awas more entertaining, with the less-faniced team holding on for the win.
new rules will suit the bulls perfectly – they have a powerful pack for couter rucking, even when their main pilferer (potgieter) is fit they may not put him back in the starting line up