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The Chiefs’ best start to a Super Rugby season continued to rollick along on Saturday night and, scarily for the chasing franchises, it shows no signs of slowing down any time soon.
With the Crusaders dispatched for the second time this season, the Chiefs face the Highlanders (away) and the Reds (home) in the next fortnight. On current form, it’s impossible to imagine anything other than two more victories before they host the Hurricanes in Round 13.
Their 34-24 win over the perennial champions had all the elements; staunch defence under pressure, tactical nous to accumulate points via penalty goals in what was a Test match-like environment, and players with the class (Damian McKenzie and Shaun Stevenson, who else?) to finish the job off when the game needed to be won.
Played in front of a sell-out crowd, this was high quality stuff throughout. The kind of rugby that, for a while at least, renders whining about how Super Rugby has lost its magic, moot. Sure, there was a decent amount of dross dished up over the weekend, but this main course was such a delight, nothing else seemed to matter too much.
The Crusaders were on from the start; Tamaiti Williams gliding through the air like a delicate danseuse, David Havili and Leicester Fainga’anuku imposing, and Dallas McLeod looking for all money like one of those antipodean outside backs – a Hansen, Lowe or Maitland – who discover an Irish or Scottish grandparent, and go on to make a strong impression at Test level.
The Crusaders’ problem however, was that they weren’t accumulating enough points. A Scott Barrett try was rubbed out for what may or may not have been a knock on, and while Richie Mo’unga was astray with two penalty attempts, McKenzie was quietly accumulating four at the other end.
Straight after half-time, the little master took a half-gap for Stevenson to put Retallick over, which really should have prepared the Crusaders for what was to come later.
Perhaps the visitors were blinded by their comeback; playing more directly, through their maul, somehow clawing their way to a 24-22 lead with ten minutes to play.
But a poor exit was compounded by Tom Christie allowing McKenzie too much space, and if Stevenson’s go-ahead try wasn’t enough, bench hooker Tyrone Thompson’s late finish certainly was.
There didn’t seem to be too much panic in the Crusaders’ ranks afterwards; more a feeling that there’ll be another chance to right some wrongs come the grand-final. The Brumbies, Blues and Hurricanes will have more to say about that of course, but they’ll all need to be good; not only to make the final, but to contribute to such a quality match as this one was.
(Photo by Peter Meecham/Getty Images)
Unsurprisingly, the next best match of the weekend featured another two of the top five sides, the Hurricanes defeating the Brumbies 32-27, although there was too much dropped ball for it to be rated as highly as what some in the Stan crew were suggesting.
There was also the matter of the Brumbies’ over reliance on a kick and pressure game to try to feed off the Hurricanes’ mistakes; a ploy which admittedly has worked well for them in the past against the same opposition.
What they didn’t count on however, is that this Hurricanes team is not as skittery as past versions, and weren’t in any mood to oblige. The home side played more rugby, had more runners prepared to graft – notably Asafo Aumua – and handled the loss of two of their locks in their stride.
What the Brumbies had was pace – come in Corey Toole and Nick Frost – but with their squad depth being tested more than in other seasons, too many fumbles and inaccurate passing killed off their chances.
There were fumbles aplenty in Sydney too, mostly from the Waratahs, but in the end their persistence, and the inability of the Highlanders to cut through, saw the Tahs sneak in late, 21-20.
So insipid and error-strewn was a lot of the play, there was a fair case for the winning try-scorer, Mahe Vailanu to be named man-of-the match; if only because he’d been on the field for just one quarter of the match.
That’s not to say there weren’t little moments of brightness; the strength and determination shown by Izaia Perese for his try; Dave Porecki’s heft in assisting Perese; and Michael Hooper’s heads-up 50:22, which paved the way for Lalakai Foketi’s score just before half-time.
Michael Hooper (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)
The Highlanders were their own worst enemy, with Mitch Hunt twice missing touch from penalty kicks. The flickering light of a few weeks ago seems to have gone back on the blink, and unless there is divine intervention from somewhere, there is high potential for them to miss the finals or, at best, be cannon fodder in week one.
In what might be described as ‘difficult’ conditions in Lautoka, the Blues ground their way to a convincing 30-14 win over a frustrated Drua side. A key to playing successful rugby is having a match played on your terms and the Blues masterfully controlled the variables, pacing themselves well and not straying too far from the set piece.
The individual highlight was provided by promising lock Cameron Suafoa, channeling Perese’s effort from the night before, dealing to four defenders on his way to the try-line.
Statistics in rugby can be both a blessing and a curse; an essential quantitative tool for coaches looking to find an edge, or a trigger for meaningless chatter. But here’s an incredible statistic from the Rebels versus Moana Pasifika match that’s worth highlighting.
Rebels lock Trevor Hosea won no fewer than 16 lineouts; 11 of his own and 5 steals off the Moana Pasifika throw. That’s testament to some accurate throwing from Alex Mafi, but add in a number of strong carries and that represents a huge afternoon’s work; notable also for it being Hosea’s first full 80 minutes since 2021.
From 33-5, the Rebels should not have been in the position with a minute to go, where they could have lost, never mind the bonus point that was frittered away. Disappointing for sure, but fairly mitigated by the Rebels, instead of going up a gear entering the final quarter, being forced by injury and a yellow card, to bring back all of their tired, starting front-row.
At least one monkey off their back is the hard-working Monty Ioane finally opening his try-scoring account, courtesy of a surprise late burst by Cabous Eloff.
Another impressive winger is the Force’s Zack Kibirige, who opened their account in Brisbane with an exotic put-down. But despite the Reds’ attack lacking structure and shape, Fraser McReight found enough holes up the middle to give his side a lead that, once established, was never placed under any real threat.
Protecting that 31-17 score-line, the Reds seemed to give up on the idea of a bonus point and let the match fizzle out. If indeed it had ever fizzled in.
Brad Thorn is set to stand down as Queensland Reds coach following the 2023 season. Photo: Getty Images
Themed ‘cultural round’, a number of activities ensured an at times poignant flavour to proceedings at all venues. Best of all were two Sky TV pieces in the intro to the Moana Pasifika match; one featuring Sekope Kepu and another the brothers Lotu and Fine Inisi; well worth checking out.
Not such a winner for Sky was their commentator Taylah Johnson querying the second-half try scored by Fergus Burke in Hamilton, from an in-pass made by Braydon Ennor, as he was in the process of being bundled into touch.
With Johnson being a King Country girl I’m reluctant to go in too hard, but her suggestion that because the tackler Etene Nanai-Seturo was in touch, and Ennor was still connected to him, thus he should also be ruled in touch, should make her a shoe-in for next president of the flat earth society.
Never has the old truism that not knowing the laws of rugby are no impediment to employment as a TV rugby commentator, ever held so literally.
With the Super Rugby season notably short of upset results, Super W showed how it was done yesterday, with the Fijiana Drua stunning the Waratahs women 20-17, in Sydney, to advance to the final.
Despite the Fijiana Drua being reigning champion, there has been a sense throughout this season that the Waratahs and Reds were a cut above. Not so, and with the Reds edging the Brumbies women 23-20, an enticing final awaits next week, in Townsville.
A nod to conclude this weeks’ proceedings for America’s trailer park hero, Jerry Springer, who has passed away, aged 79. Even if you weren’t an avid watcher, it was impossible not to be captivated by some of the goings on in the Springer studio, including “The man who married a horse”, “The Kung Fu Hillbilly”, and “A KKK member and a Jew throw hands”.
It’s a shame Springer didn’t have enough juice left in the tank for a final Australian hurrah. He would have been the perfect host for “The NRL and Rugby Australia bosses who continue to throw childish barbs at each other while pretending not to care.”