A successful weekends opening round of Super Rugby has put smiles on many people’s faces. Often high-paced, high-scoring games, it kept fans riveted as they had waited almost seven months for this date to arrive. And while a Rugby World Cup had entertained us, the enjoyment of nine quality Super matches in Round One satisfied all fans from New Zealand (NZ) Australia, South Africa, and in 2016, Argentina and Japan.
NZ Super Rugby Conference: Round One
That increased, fresh challenge was answered this weekend when the Japanese team The Sunwolves debuted at Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium, playing against The Lions of Johannesburg. The Japanese team gained honour with their enterprise but in the end, lost 13-26 while across in South Africa, the new Jaguares side stunned their opposition as a ‘Los Pumas’ packed side upset The Cheetahs 33-34.
Well done to those two sides, look forward to you visiting this region although this article is focused primarily on our own backyard.
RESULTS: Blues 33 Highlanders 31 | Brumbies 54 Hurricanes 10 | Crusaders 21 Chiefs 27
I have written on the opening match of the season {see link} It had fun, excitement and a Super result and interestingly, both sides scored four tries. It was scintillating rugby that kept both Blues and Highlanders fans appeased. The result was so close, with a missed penalty from substitute first-five Hayden Parker being the difference between a loss and a possible draw but across the park, individuals worked hard and the combinations were sharp.
Those four tries a piece was also the difference between one point and two. The new competition bonus point system hurt the 2015 Champions in the result, as you earn a single point for being within seven points (unchanged) but no longer automatically earn a fourth try bonus point. You now must score three more tries than your opposition to earn that key bonus. So the losing side does not gain that bonus anymore but ultimately can stop the winning side from earning their critical fifth point–that meant that the Tana Umaga coached side would be happy with the outcome, but could prove costly for many teams come round 17 when we tally up the points.
Entertaining? This was a great exhibit of the game we play. No Six Nations here, we are at full speed within the first minutes, no give and the first to flinch often suffers. Ben Smith opened the 2016 season, and by Sunday night, the season tally (all teams) is already on target to blitz the 2015 figures. At Eden Park, attack started from any position on the field, and men like Blake Gibson, Melani Nanai and Landers players Shaun Treeby and Teihorangi Walden are capable of that.
Back to the following games of round one, and that was a disappointing one for the Wellington team. Having to cross the Tasman and face a highly fancied Brumbies team, it proved a big ask for The Hurricanes which they sadly could not perform to. Well beaten seven tries to one, it would have hurt that Dane Coles was withdrawn two days before they flew over to Canberra, but coach Chris Boyd will need to address that mental issue, as it is a long season and teams must deal with set-backs better than they did on Friday.
Positives: Nehe Milner-Skudder is a classy player no doubt, proving that when connecting well to spark the Canes sole try. The pack won many rucks, but continuity is not where it should be. They won all metrics besides Clean Breaks (12/3) so apart from Milner-Skudder, just could not evade the final defender.
Negatives: It seems you can’t replace class; Coles was named as skipper but unlike The Blues, it was too upsetting and was not managed effectively. His men all seemed to want to fill the gap, but left gaps where concentration now lapsed. Credit to the Brumbies, who rattled the side and used their hooker Stephen Moore dynamically, he combined fantastically with David Pocock and is becoming a better leader under coach Stephen Larkin.
The Brumbies are smart. Super smart.
It was a stampede in Canberra! @BrumbiesRugby have crushed @Hurricanesrugby in Australia’s capital. #BRUvHUR pic.twitter.com/XqNS70IiWb
— Super Rugby (@SuperRugbyNZ) February 26, 2016
No highlights really from that loss, so NZ fans looked forward to another fine derby match out of Canterbury. The surprise this week being Kieran Read making himself available, when he was supposed to sit out the opening three weeks. With that likely benefit bringing much needed control to the back of the scrum, it seemed to be working as the two sides collided over forty minutes with a fair bit of ‘niggle’ between players like Andy Ellis and Aaron Cruden.
The All Blacks pivot was returning from months away from the game, and certainly had some glorious touches but he was put-off his usual high kicking percentage. That then soon saw Damian McKenzie start a performance that will have his name noted down by Stu Foster and the national side selectors. Impressive in the tight, starting movements more often than not, in returning kicked ball and using his rabbit-like physique to jink his way for a team high 89 metres. He sometimes loses contact with support but made up for it with his adventurous spirit when bringing his side back into contention at the end of the third quarter.
Even as big men like Nemani Nadolo and Sam Whitelock put their bodies on the line, with ten minutes to go it was very close call as to who would finish the better. Encounters like these are rare, but expect it again when The Chiefs host The Crusaders in Fiji later this year–a crowd wide appeal was made by Nadolo and the franchise to raise money for Cyclone damage relief, with good support given from all. #pray4fiji
A nasty injury to Reed Prinsep upset many and halted play for nearly ten minutes because due that he was a substitute for Tim Boys minutes earlier, to the chagrin of Crusaders coaches, commentators and fans alike, the natural selection was deemed outside law 3.10 of the DSLV rules Sanzaar operates. Using all available forward subs already, the outlandish decision was enforced that saw Leon Fukofuka escorted onto the flank and despite huge work from Jordan Taufua; who provided valuable metres whenever asked, in the end it was not enough to stop Sam Cane from putting the ‘full stop’ on the match with a solid rolling maul try.
Shaun Stevenson is a name that has been identified before by Last Word On Sports as one to watch. When you combine that with Cruden, McKenzie, James Lowe and replacement halfback Brad Webber, they are all spectacularly talented. If Dave Rennie cuts these boys loose, with that natural confidence they may each give the best sides anywhere a touch-up. The same goes for the Crusaders backline, with Richie Mo’unga, David Kaetau Havili and Nadolo all too able to counter-attck within a flash; the same goes for Auckland and all sides need to watch their back in 2016. The game is 80 minutes long remember.
POINTS TABLE STANDINGS: Blues 4 | Chiefs 4 | Highlanders 1 | Crusaders 1 | Hurricanes 0
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ROUND TWO FIXTURES: Crusaders v Blues, Christchurch | Chiefs v Lions, Hamilton | Highlanders v Hurricanes, Dunedin
The Crusaders enjoy two home games in a row, and will need to show that they can aim for the top of this challenging conference, but don’t expect The Blues to turn up as they have in recent years. The ‘whipping boy’ of the NZ franchise system in recent years, there is a new driver in charge and Tana Umaga will have ensured his team did not celebrate too hard (after beating The Highlanders) There might not be as much niggle as we saw between The Chiefs and the Christchurch team, but the men from Auckland will want to put old ghosts to bed and extend a good team performance and aim for four points or more.
Hamilton will be ‘party central’ when The Lions make the long trip over to meet The Chiefs at FMG Stadium. Our contributor Mike Pullman will report on this clash, which will not be a walk in the park. Mike will hope his men carry on the good work and remedy the defensive gaps [not many] that opened for The Crusaders. The South Africans will make a huge trip from Japan sown to New Zealand, so fatigue could be a factor but in today’s professional environment, that cannot be an excuse for losing–but many sides will clock up huge air-miles and it must be a concern to team doctors and conditioning programs.
Next week, I travel down to The Highlanders Forsyth-Barr Stadium for the first time, eager to witness a replay of last years Grand Final. Pitting these two sides who had set backs when losing their opening matches must be a case of ‘who can recover fastest?’ and it might come down to a try count. Each team have attacking flair to burn no question, and with good encouragement will find their feet quickly. While the battle in the scrum is pivotal, fans will want to see their heroes running the ball and crossing that white line.
I’ll be cheering along while enjoying the Covered Stadium near-perfect conditions available for this fantastic round two game. Look forward to round two and two more local derby matches.
“Main photo”
