Chiefs land mental blow on Canes before re-match
Advantage Chiefs, then.
Well at least psychologically, anyway, ahead of the teams’ rematch in their Super Rugby quarterfinal next weekend.
Friday night’s final-round match in Hamilton was a dress rehearsal for the bigger contest to come, and while the final result of a 28-24 win to the Chiefs ensured that that game will be played in Wellington, not Hamilton, there was plenty of confidence for them to take away, thanks to the efforts of their understrength lineup.
The Chiefs had needed a bonus point win by a margin of 23 or more to get the hosting rights for the quarterfinal, with one competition point to absolutely secure them safe in fifth spot. They did that and more, in the end, before then hanging on with 14 men after Johnny Fa’auli was redcarded for an ugly high shot on Wes Goosen. The crowd of 17,640 at FMG Stadium Waikato were treated early to the surprise idea of a home quarterfinal, as the Chiefs raced to a 21-0 halftime lead, completely dominating the breakdown areas then taking their chances well against a lacklustre visiting side.
While the Hurricanes came to town basically full-strength, the Chiefs were never treating it in the same vein – having left star first five-eighth Damian McKenzie to serve his second All Blacks stand-down game, while also resting up fellow All Blacks Sam Cane and Nathan Harris, with minor concussion and thigh injuries respectively.
Then there were further late changes to the hosts’ lineup before kickoff, with captain Charlie Ngatai and Tyler Ardron left out – the former having picked up an illness and the reason for the latter unknown; while reserve prop Jeff Thwaites was also invalided after breaking a finger. It meant the returning Brodie Retallick was handed the captaincy, Fa’auli started at second five-eighth and Michael Allardice in the second row, with Alex Nankivell, Luke Jacobson and Sefo Kautai brought onto the bench, the latter for his first game of the season, following foot and back injuries.
Eerily, the last time the two teams met was also on a Friday the 13th – in April this year, when the Hurricanes prevailed 25-13. They had only won one of their past eight away games against the Chiefs though, and this – in Jeff Toomaga-Allen’s 100th for the club – was another blot.
The Chiefs were rewarded for their early dominance with Retallick charging over after seven minutes, before a Beauden Barrett in-pass was intercepted by a flying Brad Weber, who sped away to double the lead.
To make matters worse for the visitors, captain Brad Shields left the park after feeling the effects of a tackle, and if that wasn’t bad enough, it was soon 21-0 after 28 minutes thanks to a brilliant try finished from Solomon Alaimalo, after Fa’uli grubbered through, Shaun Stevenson followed suit, then basketball-passed inside in style.
It suddenly left the Chiefs right in the 23-point winning frame, with their only downer before halftime being the hobbling off of Toni Pulu, with what looked a shoulder injury.
Chiefs 28