Young Chiefs stand strong to win war
The Chiefs had won the war, then somehow bagged the battle, too.
In a thrilling 24-21 victory over the Crusaders last night, the Chiefs not only pulled off miraculous late heroics for a first victory in the Garden City in six years, but will travel home ultra buoyant by who got them to it.
What has become abundantly clear in this competition is that Covid-19 will test depth like never before. And teams able to best deal with the havoc will prevail.
This was a weekend where the Hurricanes already had their game against Moana Pasifika postponed and the Highlanders (earlier in the week) and Blues (late in the week) both had players scratched.
Chiefs coach Clayton McMillan had named a lineup minus a host of experience after they had players identified as close contacts.
Already with six players sidelined through injury (including All Blacks loose forward Luke Jacobson), McMillan didn’t have to leave out another half dozen, but, in order to limit the disruption after they didn’t train early in the week, the likes of top-line halves pairing Brad Weber (also the co-captain) and Josh Ioane, as well as a host of other seasoned campaigners, weren’t selected, while Etene Nanai-Seturo was also an unexplained late out.
The Crusaders also had All Blacks lock Scott Barrett, along with reserves Brodie McAlister, Tamaiti Williams and Mitch Dunshea scratched on game day, on undisclosed medical grounds.
But, even so, the red and blacks still boasted a starting side featuring nine All Blacks and one Puma, and a bench with four All Blacks and 192 Super Rugby caps.
Conversely, the visitors’ reserves had just 75 caps (46 of those between two of the front
rowers) and two debutants in Waikato duo George Dyer and Cortez Ratima, the latter putting in an impressive stint in his half hour at halfback.
The Chiefs had said they weren’t intent on revenge for last year’s Super Rugby Aotearoa final, but on their first visit to Orangetheory Stadium since that defeat and trailing 21-10 with five minutes to play, it had looked a gutsy, yet ultimately unrewarding effort for the Hamilton-based unit.
The Chiefs enjoyed 60 per cent possession, and worked the Crusaders’ defence into the ground, forcing them into a whopping 216 tackles (20 missed) to their own 97 (22 missed). Time and again the hosts came up with pill inside their own 22, the Chiefs conceding 17 turnovers to 11.
But, persistence pays off. Shaun Stevenson, having already dotted down in the first half on the back of some magic from Emoni Narawa, produced a sensational diving finish in the corner to set up yet another grandstand finish.
Then the pulses really started racing as Bryn Gatland – the poor playmaker who failed to win it from the tee against the Blues last
weekend but played out of his skin in this one – expertly poked his penalty kick to the corner for the lineout drive that ulitmately sent over Rameka Poihipi – the bench midfielder with just four caps to his name.
The Crusaders will look back at a few uncharacteristic handling errors early in the contest when on attack in the Chiefs’ 22, in a match where Richie Mo’unga gave glimpses of his class in his first start of the year.
But one lasting memory is of the silky No 10 being one-handedly sent flying by a rampaging Pita Gus Sowakula – whose All Blacks dream must surely be edging closer.
The intensity was clear – blood was spilling from Brodie Retallick early doors, Tupou Vaa’i, Joe Moody, Sam Whitelock and Pablo Matera all spent time getting attention, Lienert-Brown gingerly felt his strapped-up shoulder, Sevu Reece and David Havili cramped up later and Mo’unga, too, needed a helping hand up. Let’s hope, in this world of uncertainty, those stars are all out in force for when these two teams do it all again in, believe it or not, just 14 days’ time.