The Blues and Chiefs meet this Saturday in Super Rugby Aotearoa for a dead rubber in the overall standings of the competition.
At the beginning of the tournament, the Blues were riding high. They were deemed genuine title contenders to challenge the Crusaders’ monopoly. The Chiefs could not buy a win and equaled the longest losing streak in their club’s history.
Fast forward to the end of April and it’s the Chiefs who booked their spot in the grand final and the Blues’ season has been left in ruins with no substantive explanation for it once again.
The Blues had everything going for them at the start of the 2021 season. Even during a disrupted season last year, the players showcased just how far the Blues had come from being the perennial whipping boys for far too long.
The loss of identity and style of play within the playing group was now settled and reborn under head coach Leon MacDonald’s stewardship. Or so it seemed.
(Photo by Kai Schwoerer/Getty Images)
It was now the turn of the Chiefs to search for their identity as loss after loss followed and stretched into the 2021 season.
The dark clouds that had engulfed the Blues for so long seemed to have drifted to Chiefs country and settled.
Yet under the watchful eye of Clayton McMillan, the Chiefs rediscovered their identity, having showcased a resounding mental ability to win games in the clutch. The Hurricanes and Highlanders spring to mind.
That mentality reversal is what is most impressive about the job McMillan is doing in Hamilton. Losing becomes a habit, as does winning, and the Chiefs are the only team to truly and consistently stand up to the Crusaders this season and beat them, besides the anomaly of the Highlanders’ big win.
In the darkness, the Chiefs have managed to learn from their mistakes, errors, and poor execution by continuing to dig deep, trust their processes, and most importantly never lose faith in themselves. They were doing all the right things however slowly, but their belief in themselves never wavered.
All it took to start regaining that confidence was a gutsy win against this weekend’s same opponent in a game the Blues lost more than Chiefs won. This was the turning point for both clubs.
(Photo by Fiona Goodall/Getty Images)
The Blues, on the other hand, are returning to their darkness as they seem unable to rectify their poor discipline and decision making. The hype bubble truly burst in their heavy defeat at home against the Crusaders in late March.
However, their true litmus test came against the Chiefs the following weekend. The Blues were looking for a response to re-establish their title credentials and they did everything they could to not win the game, as if conspiring against themselves.
After this loss, the seeds of doubt and darkness began to seep into the back of the minds of the Blues’ players and only grew darker as their campaign fell apart like the Hindenburg.
The Chiefs have conceded they will keep their best players for the grand final next weekend and the Blues will want to finish their own poor campaign with some form of confidence, which could be used for next year’s campaign.
And while the crossover tournament with the Australian Super Rugby clubs will be refreshing later next month and offer a different speed and style of play for fans, you can be sure that the grand final will come down to the Chiefs and Crusaders again.
Francisco Roldan
Guest
I´m from Argentina. I follow in detail the campaigns of all Aotearoa and Crusaders and Blues. I confess that I didn't have Chiefs in my competitive group. But here they are, with a magnificent defense (the best of Aotearoa) and a deficit in attack as a result of the quality of management of the game (the effectiveness in tries when they reach 22 yards is 29.5%). But everything could turn out against Crusaders, simply because it already has: being where they will be next weekend is an opportunity for few.
Mark
Guest
100% correct Not a single Blues back is a SR level player Clarke is overweight, slow and generally a waste of space Ioane is too full of himself and is not a centre Black is one of the worst 1st Fives the Blues have ever had None of the Half backs are any good The rest dont even rate a mention
Mark
Guest
I'm a Blues supporter I wasnt crowing They hadnt won a thing And yes - its beyond embarassing that the richest and biggest is so poor (for so long)
Mark
Guest
I'll give you a Hint on the difference between this year and last year - BB
Harry Jones
Expert
Thanks. When did the Chiefs lose Cane, probably their best player?
Carlin
Roar Rookie
Good article mate. Have to agree that the turning point for both teams was their fixture in Hamilton. The Blues that night did not take their points on offer early on and their forward pack started to show cracks that they were not as strong as they look on paper. The Chiefs were never too far off the mark in their horrible losing streak and they have to be commended for their resilience to bounce back. Their 5 wins all have been nail-biters and shows there is something within this squad when they can win close matches regularly. I wasn't sold on them resting that many players for this Saturday, but they have earned the break. They have been the team that has played 4 games on the trot twice as they had the first round bye. Add in the Super Rugby Final and Trans-Tasman (potentially another final) that could be 12 games on the bounce.
Faith
Roar Rookie
I wonder whether the other teams seem to catch up with Saders and Blues with both slumping in the 2nd round (of course Blues much worse) after figuring out how to play them. Just cut things at source in their set piece play either by making sure the ball never gets to their stars Caleb and Rieko but also reducing errors and set piece that Blues thrive on. And Blues could not find a way even as the Saders seemed to do. Which of the NZ teams has the easiest TT schedule?
ToBeRugby
Guest
Gee it must be hard to live in a city for 39 years with such awful people. That’s a serious chip you’re carrying. Nobody is forcing you to stay I assume.
mzilikazi
Roar Pro
"you can be sure that the grand final will come down to the Chiefs and Crusaders again." Just wondering Brandon ? Is it your own money you are betting there....or someone else's ?
mzilikazi
Roar Pro
Great post there, Ben. Funny how so many of these types you cite can so quickly become invisible. Find that breed in many other countries in the world too. Even the odd soccer supporter like that.
KiwiHaydn
Roar Rookie
In short, a lot. 6 debutants https://www.chiefs.co.nz/news-item/Gallagher-Chiefs-named-to-face-the-Blues-at-Eden-Park?fbclid=IwAR3GMxRFvR88T-LR-eQlb02FyB_eJ_EvLKZ0vQSZU-xRObN6NAuQGVe9v0A
Coker
Roar Rookie
Just about everybody! MacKenzie, Lienert-Brown, Taukei'aho, Vaa'i, Ah Kuoi, Jacobson, and Weber, among others.
Coker
Roar Rookie
That's certainly an old adage, but I'm not too sure it applies here. The simple fact is that many of the Blues, particularly in the backs, are just very average players who are a long way from being champions. In Mackenzie, Lienert-Brown, Jacobson, Vaa'i and Taukei'aho, the Chiefs have more X-factor players than the Blues. Ditto the Crusaders. A reliance on individual brilliance is always a problem when there's not much of it to call on.
Kashmir Pete
Roar Guru
Hi Brandon Do we know who the Chiefs are resting? Cheers KP
KiwiHaydn
Roar Rookie
It’s the old adage of a team of champions (Blues) vs a champion team (Chiefs). Blue rinses, bully boys, a reliance on individual brilliance (Papiili kept them in the game on the weekend), all flash and no substance. Seems not a lot has changed for the Blues in the past 15 years.
Im not confident the Chiefs will make the TT final. A tough travel roster and playing the Aus top 3 will take its toll
Buk
Guest
The Blues on both sides of the Tasman have similar problems: Very high expectations John Doe is not picked due to an abundance of talent already there Moves to Brumbies (Highlanders), turns out a great player, & gets picked for Australia (NZ) Johnny Doe promising junior likewise leaves Current coach/selection team criticised for letting them go Big influence of former Wallaby (All Black) greats having their say, often undermining coach Seeds of doubt sown in players Continuing exodus of top players for more money elsewhere
Rugby Tragic
Roar Rookie
Feel better?
Ben
Guest
Ive lived in Auckland for 39 long years now but still Hurricanes hard. When the Rangitoto Yanks were winning, their supporters here were unbearable. Then suddenly for 15 years i couldnt find a Blues supporter. Then, last year...with a change in fortunes....there they all were again. And again this year, boastful, one eyed (worse than Cantabs), all thumbing their noses at my team and acting like little kids who just won monopoly. Out came the old "when Auckland rugby is strong, " rubbish... Well....the richest franchise in the country with the biggest player base in the country are still nothing more than pretenders.....get back in your box.