The 2015 Investec Super Rugby season continues with four games involving New Zealand sides.
(The Waratahs observe a BYE round)
Super Rugby Round 3 – New Zealand Conference Overview
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Match : The Highlanders v The Reds
Venue : Forsyth-Barr Stadium, Dunedin
Score : 20- 13
You have not enjoyed rugby until you have seen the sunset from within Forsyth-Barr Stadium in Dunedin. The ambient glow is quite magnificient, and is one of many reasons this rugby-mad city now has such quality spectator viewing.
For The Reds fans, they wanted their team to get in and out efficiently though. Eager to wrap it up and their plan would have been to take the game away with them [plausibly] and to open up with, they set the pace of the match.
But even at pace, there was inconsistency to the first half: seldom was it exciting, and seldom did either side take full reward from some half decent breaks. Time and time again barrier like defence stopped attacks short and there were far too much stoppage time in the match. It took half the game to really understand if this Six Nations style match was worth the wait. Penalty and counter-kick simply added to the score in threes, and frankly nobody came here to see that.
A dry ground should have produced tries, but the only comment worthy might be on replacement first-five Marty Banks’ kicking success (3/3) and his booming kicks in play – of course they can make a difference in any game, but only if you can maximise being in the opposite teams 22 metre area but for The Highlanders, they missed out all too often.
The game did come right in a second half, and with more early attacking play, The Reds looked good until it seemed they had fluffed a planned move, only for flanker Jake Schatz to get up from the floor and scoot over the line. Some quicker reactions from the opposite flanker could have prevented that, and such small-print errors are what coaching staff try hard to simulate. Make the players aware of all scenarios, but it is so very hard to replicate that and wise players like Will Genia are difficult to plan for – he saved a try with his patience and defensive qualities.
But the way The Highlanders came back was much better viewing for Jamie Joseph and Tony Brown. Their squad was more clinical, especially in taking advantage of an Adam Thompson high-tackle by quickly recycling the ball that saw them take maximum advantage when Waisake Nahalo barged over, scoring a fine try to put his side 7 points ahead with ten minutes left.
Hard working Fumiaki Tanaka added some punch, and ever reliable Hayden Parker took an important penalty conceeded by Anthony Fainga’a, who committed a silly (and cynical) penalty within striking distance. Parker extended the lead to 10 points and the game seemed out of reach of any satisfaction for the visitors fans.
However, nobody told The Reds and they played to the time limit that meant a penalty kick earned the visitors a single point in Dunedin. Treat this result as even 2 points in their bank. Points that maybe gives a them a half-life when it comes to the Australian conference title. That region is so tight, one or two points will count, but more over The Highlanders had earned four valuable points and are much happier after no further injuries or citations occurred in the match.
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Match 2 : The Force v The Hurricanes
Venue : Nib Stadium, Perth
Score : 13-42
Having mentioned a ‘banana skin’ last week, it was a well documented media topic and while it was oviously an element to be wary of, this side was travelling well so it might have been the home sides management who had been buying bananas in bulk this week.
And they had to be wary, as the difference in each sides attitude was obvious a week earlier- The Force were drenched in a Queensland rain sweep encounter with little to enjoy about that away trip.
Whereas The Hurricanes were certainly a happier unit with their last fortnights efforts. Happy enough to rest captain Conrad Smith, and Dane Coles was put in place as skipper [a decision Victor Vito would be scratching his head about in my mind].
The opening salvo on the field was through an early penalty to The Force, only bettered in the early minutes by a powerful 40 metre run by Julian Savea, completed nicely with an early Cory Jane try. That early responce and attitude difference might have been the key performance indicator that many sides will notice from this match-up. A look of a team with plenty of ideas meeting {Hurricanes} against a host with less options, not playing in the same expressful manner.
More notably, the team in black did more work to set up their players, they chewed up territory and looked threatening at more times. No passive defense here, they were offensive and were the aggressor.
By the 25th minute, they had scored their second try through lock Mark Abbott. His was a try that any 3 or 4 players could have scored, so was the domination by their pack, and with forwards putting their hands up for the hit-ups, the likes of James Broadhurst showed their promise (he has the look of an Ali Williams type lock and is developing a wide wider skills base)
The side looks very complete, Chris Smylie delivering quality ball to Barrett who had the time on his hands to make good decisions. With lethal options in this backline, Savea in prime form and impressive fullback James Marshall looking strong in 15; and later when he shifted into flyhalf. They threw a lot at The Force, running hard and straight, and while they held a halftime score of just 6-15, it felt threatening.
With forwards and backs working in tandem, no surprise to see Vito score soon after the second half began and the game looked to be getting away from The Force. With long periods on defense, they could only use occasional turnover or set-piece play that was all too easily smothered by the visitors. The ball was made available to players, with the introduction of Nehe Milner-Skudder cracking the backline to release Savea in for his 3rd try in successive matches Sweet stuff.
With subs entering the game, it became unbalanced, and a dubious call for offside denied Savea a double. The home sides commendable pressure created an opportunity for The Force late in the piece to score a try from turnover ball. A relief for them surely, but the final Hurricanes try right on the buzzer would have been just another tick-in-the-box of coach Chris Boyle.
To play the whole game is important, as tighter matches in their future will deserve a full 80 minute effort, and to gain a bonus point and not ‘slip on anything’ was the most important KPI for his side.
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Match 3 : The Cheetahs v The Blues
Venue : Toyota Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein
Score : 25-24
Games played in the heartland of South Africa often end in more excitement than most, and this match was one of those. The Cheetahs had already upset The Sharks in round 1, so would have been philisophical about their chances against a Blues side who had a poor beginning to their campaign.
Their fortunes are vastly different – the visiting team have some high expectations, a motivational Coach but with a less than satisfactory recent history while the home side know that they can reach their potential if they take what little chances are afforded them.
These sides faced off with many early exchanges, powerful hits and some effective kicking but no side looked to use their ‘weaponry’ too early. Each backline included stars like Willy le Roux and Charles Piutau and there were moments of class but it wasn’t until The Cheetahs moved the ball out to Cornall Hendricks that he cut inside brilliantly to open the score sheets. Too often forwards are now populating backlines, and that is where a ranging centre like Hendricks can benefit from.
Not to be outdone, The Blues had an equaliser from a piercing maul that commended their packs work, but while that brought them back into the game they didn’t carry the ball at pace. The quicker Cheetahs team looked to move the ball, quick inter-play lead to a smart cross-field kick resulting a second try to Hendricks and the Blues were down 12-7 with ten minutes of the half left.
Hand speed and determination needed to improve, and as is the trend in Rugby, a good counter-attack with good hands [for once] a nice break from Patrick Tuipulotu ended with Charlie Faumuina dotting down. A good burst of the sides potential, the try was converted by West that placed them in the superior position at the close of the first half.
Each side was playing to their strengths, so it wasn’t surprising that le Roux again sparked a scoring movement that will look ‘horrible’ when the Blues watch it again. Four tacklers converged on The Cheetahs halfback, and unbelievably Sarel Pretorius emerged untouched to cross the line. Silly stuff, but the homeside took advantage of such messy play all too often from The Blues.
Fans would be frustrated by that, but to their credit a long period of possession saw The Blues use good phase-play to march up to the home sides line. New centre Piutau provided an overlap that ensured Jerome Kaino could score a try in his 100th cap.
While toasting that try for its initiative, on this occasion substitutes were in fact adding to the match; Jamieson-Park, Saili and Luatua all brang some measurable activity and with a penalty soon to Ihaia West had the scores at 22-24 favouring the visitors. Only minutes remained, but when The Blues attempted a complicated lineout defensive-move, it ended in a soft penalty – not contesting the lineout, players seemed to ‘back away’ from the ruck and the referee’s interpretation meant that Joe Pietersen made it 25-24 with a minute to play.
Very disappointing, and while The Blues did attempt to go the length of the field to score in the dying seconds, John Kirwan would have wanted more play before that. He wants them to use the ball, to work to the strengths to earn a 4th try bonus point. To walk away from the Republic virtually ’empty handed’ is soul destroying and it will take much of his man-management skill to revive the sides fortunes, before a wide gap to the leading pack gets too far ahead of them.
Meanwhile The Cheetahs will be cheered by this, and hope to retain more home wins in 2015.
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Match 4 : The Chiefs v The Crusaders
Venue : Waikato Stadium, Hamilton
Score : 40-16
If not the match of the round, it was a ‘Royal Rumble’ type of game NZ rugby fans enjoy so much and that expectation had many a red & black flags on show in Hamilton. The ongoing summer provided the perfect backdrop, and as the home side had two wins already they were challenged by their coaching staff once again. A number of changes were made and as per normal, coach Dave Rennie expected them to react positively.
For the other side, Todd Blackadders side wanted to inspire some competition too, but is notorious for change ‘for changes sake’. Was it too early to tell? The only thing for sure, was that they would need to be directed well by onfield captain Matt Todd, working as a unit to combat the attacking power of The Chiefs.
These two sides always play well on the big occasion, after two early penalties to Colin Slade, there was a stoppage an un-nerving injury to Brodie Retallick had concern from all rugby fans. Injury to such ian mportant player can unsettle some sides, but his team mates were concentrating on the game and hard work was rewarded when Sonny Bill Williams stretched out close to the line. A good reward for increasing domination and with it occurring when they had a man in the sin bin, that was a real hit for The Crusaders.
And the hits kept coming, with Robbie Fruen leaving the field [suspected broken forearm] and Matt Todd being given the same yellow card for taking a man out in the air, that James Lowe was given 15 minutes earlier. Such ‘tit for tat’ decisions by the referee highlighted the physicality of the game and with a man down, bruising angeled runs from Lowe were aimed right at Slade, hoping to expose the line, The Chiefs capitalised quickly when Augustine Pulu crossed over.
Controlling the match at 12-9, it soon got worse for the visitors when blood started flowing from the All Blacks captain Richie McCaw – he objected to going off, but concussion testing is critical to our nations longterm goals and while he returned all ‘taped up’ he was confronted by his opposite Sam Cane showing sublime skills to spread the ball wide for a welcoming Charlie Ngatai to score. That inflated the halftime score to 22-9, with oneside being inventive. while the other needed more effort on attack.
That effort was immediate, and hats off to recently returned Andy Ellis who had replaced Drummond early. He directed many rucks, Ryan Crotty getting close but the wise head of Ellis celebrated his return with a halfback’s special to squeeze himself over the line. That brilliance should have resulted in a barrage by The Crusaders, but this Chiefs outfit are tough and missed tackles cost the red team badly. Tom Marshall rolled out of tackles to score, and a special counter-attacking try to Tom Marshall in the 69th minute was just reward for some enveloping defense.
As the game drew to an end, The Crusaders had improved from games one and two, but The Chiefs are better prepared – even with subs and a third yellow to McKenzie on fulltime, it still did not allow the southern side to end the match with much reward. Not a fun visit to Hamilton and the gloom in Canterbury will prevail for a fortnight, as the side endures a BYE. One suspects a lot of work is needed to build much needed consistency, but they were outclassed and suffered their heaviest defeat ever from this champion Chiefs side.
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