Last week this author heralded four victories and a draw from the five NZ Super Rugby sides. This week, as the Blues sat out a bye round there were some brilliant, excellent and resilient games played across three continents.
Undoubtedly, these great results will both promote these four NZ sides up the Australian conference ladder, but it will also be of significant concern to the other Australasian conference sides. “How can we hold off the NZ sides?” has been a question since Super Rugby’s inception with Kiwi sides taking the title on 14 separate occasions. That theory has puzzled many and been countered successfully by four other franchises over 21 years, so it must be a daunting task. If this winning trend continues then the odds are good that the majority of the qualifying sides who might reach the Quarter finals, very well may emanate out of NZ.
Results: Friday 25th March – Hurricanes 42 Southern Kings 20 | Saturday 26th March – Chiefs 53 Force 10 | Rebels 3 Highlanders 27 | Sharks 14 Crusaders 19 | [Blues – BYE]
Playing their first game in Wellington, the Good Friday holiday bolstered attendance for this Hurricanes match, with a lovely moment of reflection on ex-Cane Jerry Collins pre-kickoff well appreciated by all on hand. Their opposition were the Southern Kings who might have been painted as the ‘easy beats’ but their performance over the game would have made them proud. They troubled the Canes, not outplaying them but rightly showing more passion which made this game a real challenge for the Dane Coles led side.
One might judge that they lacked poise and control on this night, less than they portrayed a week earlier. The final score embellished the result [42-20] in a match where head coach Chris Boyd had made pivotal changes, placing Julian Savea on leave to concentrate on his conditioning and unfortunately a knock to James Marshall upset the backline cohesion even further. Savea, the ‘most minuted Cane player’ of 2015, would be big boots to fill and possibly his presence here could have proved a difference. With Victor Vito too missing, it proved difficult when a stubborn side in the Kings were in this match for longer periods than they ought to. While they would not take the lead they upset the rhythm and polish of the adventurous Hurricanes.
The highlight for those attending was in Ardie Savea ‘belting’ his way through three Kings defenders to score under the posts. He has real power and unlike others; including his older brother it seems, he has the form to backup Savea’s loose forward claim for an All Blacks berth. If that form can last, then he will be devastating come the final weeks of the competition. Like Beauden Barrett who crossed for the bonus point try, the ability to peak will be a critical factor in 2016.
NZ Super Rugby two-time champions the Chiefs were up next, and also have a mix of stars and firepower. They began fluently enough and ended up in top gear and flying high. They were led by four-try hero in Charlie Ngatai in both attack and in defence. Ngatai became the third ever Chiefs player to score four tries in a single game and his reward against the Western Force was just-desserts for a man who is quiet in appearance, but devastating when at full speed.
The score and manner in which it was built was most pleasing for Sam Cane. Cleared mid-week of any punishment in his part in an Jaguares match tackle which Cane was cited for, his individual relief to the ‘no case to answer’ ruling would become team adulation when they all began to gel more and more during the match. The initial Force attitude was obvious for all to see, it was effective till after halftime but when Damian McKenzie started to grow in his wide-ranging role. The outcome seemed destined and clever substitutions had never made a quicker impact than Toni Pulu scoring with his first touch of the ball. The warning bells rang like a Huntly railway crossing.
Chief players aggression built-up nicely and Ngatai then began his onslaught. Gaining his very own ‘bonus point’ in the ‘blitzkrieg of scoring’ he worked with others to finish off and also set up his own opportunities but surely his example will be one that reflects how his team gained in confidence. Charlie now sits equal with McKenzie in tries scored, he would be happy with the bruising forward pack and even happier as veteran Stephen Donald managed a brief cameo. For Ngatai, not only will his name appear first on first on possible midfield recruit lists for the June International window, but he will be the toast of Hamilton this week and gave his coach something to smile over.
This week the Chiefs countered a growing injury list (Pauliasi Manu out for the season) and it will be an element where every side celebrates returning players, much more than continual setbacks. Jamie Joseph was emboldened this week with some returning troops, in the form of Patrick Osbourne and Joe Wheeler. He would have been happy to inject some proven experience as his group stayed in Australia instead of making two extra flights. The Highlanders leaked too many points recently, nearly enough to sink their ship last Friday night so this coaching panel would have wanted better attitude and endurance in Melbourne.
They traveled to the Rebels, who might have had the same win-loss record, but in who they had dispatched three out of four times recently. Only suffering a loss to the hosts 38-37 in 2013, there was historical precedent and the Rebels have many admirers. One factor they do not have though is a superb playing surface like in Dunedin. The AAMI Stadium grass soon resembled a rabbits warren, gaping holes appearing and divots were obvious for viewers to see, it must have been disturbing to play on and the game had little to offer pure ‘super rugby fans’.
Leading 13-0 after a single try for Rob Thompson, the most pleasing part of that last forty minutes was the Highlanders patience. The week earlier they ran riot only to become luke-warm against the Waratahs, so the delivery of the performance would be satisfying for all players. The Rebels are not pushovers and a solid win was what the doctor ordered.
Joseph will rue not gaining a bonus point though (dropping key points in the last month alone) as his side could not entirely finish off the match. They were managed well by Lima Sopoaga, who accumulated his 500th Super Rugby point. On the other end of the spectrum, young Jack Wilson secured his first start and his first try while Ryan Tongia grabbed an intercept but it was not a colourful affair and both sides will be neither impressed or entirely deflated.
It is a lost opportunity though and the Chiefs still hold a point advantage on the ladder standings but a couple of wins is still a good return for their 8 days in Australia.
The final match involving NZ Super Rugby teams involved the Sharks and the traveling Crusaders. Traditional foes, it would be a torrid encounter with little given by either team. So ‘your average NZ v South African match’ then but still, there were glimpses of the strengths of the Sharks (forward play, set piece and kicking) and why they were unbeaten while this 2016 Crusader vintage did a find job of equaling those qualities and some.
‘Proven resilience’ was a factor many thought would be lost when the handful of departing players took their combined Intellectual Property away from the franchise but that attribute has been well drilled into this unit. Apart from familiarity, we see the same values and behaviours as earlier vintage sides have displayed when under pressure. Those standards were needed as a tidy Sharks team tried hard to run straight through them. A good response from Kieran Read’s men but there was always a ‘red & black’ player to shut down any clear threat and the Durban side did not hold the ball enough to warrant valid concern.
The Sharks had been the only side after four weeks play who had conceded no tries in their second forty minutes work. A strong record but for all their ability and the game seemed balanced until David Kaetau Havili received a Yellow Card. That should have upset them, but as sure as steel, a quick Nemain Nadolo rebuttal try soon matched their rivals.
You did not see panic in the visitors though, and rugby watchers will have noticed that. They endeavored to accomplish a win, with time soon evading them it was apparent that smarter play benefited them in the end. Read (pictured) was the man to grab the telling try right on the 80th minute. Phew! Close yes, but still they had clear territorial advantage and the Sharks tackled themselves to a standstill 124 to the Saders 45.
But what was poor for everyone to see was the place kicking. Faith might have been placed into Richie Mo’unga, but if a marksman like Marty McKenzie was available this game might have been much simpler to manage and not taken this much energy from the players–with an important game up next week against the Lions.
In winning four games, fans will certainly be happy enough. Never fault a win but certainly gain from it. Some ran in 40 plus points but still needed to maximize their new Bonus Point strategy of winning by three plus tries–the Canes will need to construct results better than they did on Friday. The Crusaders are having to work too hard for their victories [on tour especially] so winning must become a pattern teams are perfecting now, ready for later when it really must be habitual.
POINTS STANDINGS: Chiefs 19 | Highlanders 18 | Hurricanes 15 | Crusaders 14 | Blues 7
Next week, the Blues awaken from their holiday weekend splendor, put down the chocolate and concentrate on performing in front of home fans. The Jaguares touch down on NZ soil and it is within their own power if they can create history. Along with the Highlanders, the Blues play at home while the Crusaders are hosted on a Johannesburg Friday night and will need to pack their kicking boots. If they repeat that last display then no amount of loyalty could fix an unmotivated backline director. If Todd Blackaader does switch his number tens this week, then Ryan Crotty must take command and impress in as much that Charlie Ngatai did.
The Chiefs must take the largest leap of all into Round Five. A trip to Canberra is worth more than the mere points on offer. Gain a maximum here and they a) put a strong explanation point on the board that they are contenders! and, b) ruin a Brumbies sides run at staying up with the leaders. Only a single point separates the top two Kiwi sides, with the Brumbies just two points back. Extend that points advantage [Chiefs] and it means a handy position gain going into your upcoming bye.
The top of the table in the @SuperRugby Australasian Conference standings. 4/5 is an exceptional result for #NZRugby pic.twitter.com/70h2ytIN1q
— #RugbyNewZealand (@RugbyNZ_) March 27, 2016
What is clear is that NZ Super Rugby sides occupy 4/5 positions in this snapshot standings, with a guaranteed home quarter final for the Chiefs. If that metric can read three NZ sides and two quarter finals secured then the pressure really mounts on the likes of the Waratahs and Rebels to fight for a wildcard position in the Australasian conference.
FUTURE FIXTURES: Friday 1st April – Highlanders v Force, Dunedin | Lions v Crusaders, Johannesburg | Saturday 2nd April – Blues v Jaguares, Albany | Brumbies v Chiefs, Canberra | Hurricanes [BYE]
STANDOUT PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Nobody can go past a tally of four tries. Charlie Ngatai helped himself to the hot-crossed buns and feasted over the tryline in a great display. It will bring belief back to the ‘Chiefsmana’ and that is worth it’s weight in Gold. Worthy mention to Jack Wilson gaining his first ‘meat pie’, to Dane Coles who is all across the park and shows terrific handspeed and vision, while Kieran Read (pictured) demonstrated a calm and resilience that is at a level above most others.
Statistics courtesy of OPTA Sports.
“Main photo credit”
