Chiefs look to get their attack firing

The Chiefs have shifted star playmaker Damian McKenzie to first five-eighth as they look to get their stuttering attack back on track in their Super Rugby TransTasman opener against the Western Force in Perth tomorrow night.

In naming their side yesterday, the Chiefs have handed McKenzie the No 10 jersey for the second time this season, which sees Bryn Gatland play from the bench and Chase Tiatia start at fullback.

That was the formation used for the final 35 minutes of last weekend’s Super Rugby Aotearoa decider loss to the Crusaders, and McKenzie has usually finished games in the pivot role this year, but the Chiefs are looking to defy their arduous travel schedule and shoot out of the blocks at HBF Park by getting their attacking whiz running the cutter.

Scoring tries has never usually been an issue for the Chiefs, and in pre-Covid Super Rugby last year they were indeed doing that just fine, however, since then, they have scored just 33 in 17 SRA matches.

Last year their 14 from eight games was nine short of the nextlowest sides – the Highlanders and Blues (the latter played one less game) – while this season their 19 from nine was six shy of the fourth-ranked Hurricanes (who also had a game less), the

Chiefs having only once scored more than two in one game.

Assistant coach Roger Randle, who shoulders much of that attack responsibility being in charge of the backs, noted that his side had indeed often opted to take penalty goals instead during the Aotearoa season, but that that is likely to change in the fiveweek sprint of SRTT.

Tied teams will again be separated first by ‘most wins’, but it’s likely the second tiebreaker of points difference will be needed instead, while scoring three tries more than the opposition and nabbing the bonus point looms as crucial.

‘‘We were happy to take threes this year when we got the opportunities with the games so close,’’ Randle said from Perth. ‘‘And if you’ve seen the trends with a lot of the New Zealand teams, everyone started doing that as well towards the end.

‘‘For us, it’s still ultimately about trying to get a win first.

‘‘But definitely it’d be nice to cross the line a few more times.

‘‘We’re working hard. Obviously you’ve seen the clean breaks and everything else [the Chiefs were second on clean breaks on 83, behind the Crusaders’ 87, and first on defenders beaten with 212, 17 more than the Crusaders].

‘‘So we’re creating the opportunities, which excites us, but finishing off is something we’ve talked about, just getting some accuracy around that.

‘‘This competition we could kick for the sideline a bit more and exert a bit more pressure with ball in hand.

‘‘Bonus points could be pretty vital.’’

The Chiefs have made a few other tweaks to their team from the Aotearoa final, hoping some fresh legs can help them bounce back from their disappointment.

With Etene Nanai-Seturo now linking up with the All Blacks