Chiefs brace for ‘brutal’ test
If new Chiefs coach Colin Cooper wants an early idea of his team’s resolve, then he’s sure to get it this week.
Humbled 45-23 in their Super Rugby season opener by the Crusaders in Christchurch on Saturday night, the Chiefs also have four injury concerns out of the game, and face a short turnaround before another Kiwi derby against the Blues at Eden Park on Friday.
Charlie Ngatai is a big worry, with the newly installed co-captain and fullback injuring the MCL in his knee. Lock Dominic Bird (shoulder), loose forward Mitchell Brown and utility back Marty McKenzie (both concussion) also need to be assessed.
With the likes of props Mitchell Graham (leg) and Sefo Kautai (foot), loose forward Tyler Ardron (hand), and utility backs Sam McNicol (concussion) and Tim Nanai-Williams (shoulder) still recovering from their own issues, it certainly makes for a characterbuilding exercise for the new-look side, who then have what might be a well-timed bye.
The Blues are coming off a 41-34 loss to the Highlanders in Dunedin on Friday night, so both teams will be desperate not to start the year
0-2 in the hotly contested New Zealand conference.
‘‘It’s going to be another brutal game up there on a short turnaround, and with a number of injuries we just have to take stock and re-focus,’’ Cooper said after watching his troops concede 19 unanswered points inside the final
10 minutes at AMI Stadium.
In the end the scoreline (seven tries to two) wasn’t a reflection of the match, with the Chiefs coming out on the right side of almost all the stats and having done well to come back from 19-3 down to lead
20-19 with 20 minutes to play. Then in the 71st minute, with the hosts up 26-23, came the moment which swung the match violently – as referee Ben O’Keeffe and TMO Aaron Paterson ruled a penalty try and dished a yellow card to Lachlan Boshier for his high contact on Ryan Crotty.
Though it had Chiefs fans up in arms, and Cooper declared it ‘‘just so harsh’’, feeling it should have been a penalty only and that conversations were needed about a more commonsense approach to rules interpretation, officials are acting on instruction to protect the head.
Eight points down with as many minutes to play, the visitors still had their chance to pull something off, but two intercept tries to wings George Bridge and Manasa Mataele blew the margin out.
‘‘I think we just tried to chase the game rather than trying to stay conservative and get back inside the Crusaders’ half, and we gave two soft tries away,’’ Cooper said.
‘‘I was really proud of the effort from the guys as a team, and we were right in that game until those moments.’’
Early ill-discipline would have been down to over-enthusiasm, Cooper felt, but on a whole he was happy with their defensive work, and saw their attack fire enough shots, with just an improvement needed in taking the chances on offer, with their set piece also having been shaky at times.
With a big focus on new first five-eighth Damian McKenzie, there were reasonably good signs, with some nice setup plays and his renowned x-factor attack, in between a few wayward passes, a penalty conceded and a restart sent out on the full.
‘‘He went well,’’ Cooper said. ‘‘He’s got a bit to learn, like those exits – we probably should have kicked it and then we ran it.
‘‘We’ve just got to ride through that as a group, because he can play that more conservative role when he needs to, particularly in the exit zone, but his natural instinct is to attack. And that’s just time. We’re prepared to be patient.’’
❚
"I was really proud of the effort from the guys as a team, and we were right in that game until those moments."
Chiefs coach Colin Cooper, above