Chiefs overcome slow start to repel lively Rebels
The Chiefs have maintained their winning start to the Super Rugby Pacific season, repelling the Rebels 44-25 in Hamilton yesterday for a fourth victory from as many outings.
Even with Clayton McMillan opting to rest a host of big guns (though Damian McKenzie was a late inclusion on the bench after Josh Ioane withdrew for personal reasons) the table-toppers proved far too slick for the Melburnians, who were coming off a win over the Waratahs.
The hosts had to overcome a sluggish start, though, perhaps overly excited by the brilliant blue sky and hard track at FMG Stadium Waikato, as a host of loose passes went to ground and they found themselves down 8-0 in a first quarter punctuated by scrums and penalties.
But influential centre Reece Hodge leaving the park with a nasty hand injury after 23 minutes, having kicked the opening points then made a good run for Alex Mafi’s opening try, proved pivotal.
Just prior to the Wallabies international’s departure, Emoni Narawa had broken the shackles for the hosts, going on a brilliant long-range run for Rameka Poihipi to finish, and a dozen minutes later it was that same duo combining to really ensure the
momentum was snatched.
In a 65-metre stunner, Poihipi chipped Monty Ioane then wing Narawa latched onto it and twinkle-toed his way down the left sideline, his heel within a blade of white-painted grass, before letting rip with a superman dive in the corner.
No sooner had the 11,026 crowd stopped applauding that one, than hot-to-trot fullback Shaun Stevenson got himself right in the action, latching onto an Alex Nankivell left-foot kick, and with Bryn Gatland’s boot on fire, all of a sudden it was 27-8.
While Stacey Ili surged over beside the posts to give the Rebels a slice of inspiration on the stroke of halftime, going in at 27-15, it was all false hope, as just two minutes into the second stanza Tyrone Thompson barged over, then Carter Gordon’s kick out on the full was quickly punished when Nankivell had a ball ripped out by
the Rebels and Stevenson toed ahead and dived in for his seventh try in three weeks.
To their credit, the Rebels hung
in, and threatened a few more than four tries, but the Chiefs’ goal-line defence steeled up, including a big hit from Narawa,
which directly led to Etene NanaiSeturo scoring up the other end.
The big moment
The Chiefs’ second try, in the 34th minute, to Narawa. Having set up their opener with a stunning run, the right wing then produced a magical touchline finish to get the hosts’ lead into double figures, and more than anything just prove exactly what sort of hot attack they are capable of.
Match rating: 7/10
After a messy opening quarter, and a brief Rebels lead, there were some sublime long-range tries scored by the Chiefs, and once they kicked into gear it was mostly one-way traffic.
MVP
It had to be Narawa. After missing the opening two rounds of the season with a hamstring, he was fairly quiet against the Highlanders last week, making just 10 metres, but then exploded here with his brilliant involvements for the opening two tries. In the end he racked up a game-high 119 metres, from 13 carries, and also topped the defenders beaten chart (seven), along with a clean break and two offloads.
The big picture
After maintaining their spot at the top of the table, the Chiefs face another Australian side next-up, heading to Sydney to take on the Waratahs on Friday, with some rested big guns ready to be reinjected. The Rebels, meanwhile, are 1-3 and back in Melbourne next Saturday against the Reds.