‘Nearly men’ poised for a serious title tilt
All the ingredients are there for the Chiefs to cook up a winning recipe in 2020. Aaron Goile reports in the second of our Super Rugby previews.
In the NRL you’ll hear them talk about ‘the premiership window’, in reference to teams’ title chances. Wide open or slammed shut? And for the Chiefs in Super Rugby in 2020, it looks like a prime time to strike.
The Hamilton-based franchise have been ‘‘nearly men’’ since their maiden title triumph in 2012 and the back-to-back efforts of 2013 in Dave Rennie’s first two years as coach.
In the six seasons following, the Chiefs haven’t been back to a decider, yet they have always featured in the playoffs. Their eight-year finals footy stretch is a record current run for any team in the competition.
Now this season, with the homecoming of vastly experienced coach Warren Gatland and a one-year cameo for former All Blacks playmaker Aaron Cruden, they look a serious prospect of dusting out that trophy cabinet.
That is despite the loss of world-class lock Brodie Retallick
(playing sabbatical in Japan), which speaks to the quality through the rest of the squad.
Retallick’s absence makes the second-row department the
Chiefs’ biggest challenge. It features uncapped duo Laghlan McWhannell and Naitoa Ah Kuoi, while Michael Allardice, entering a sixth Super season, will have to be heavily relied on, and Canada captain Tyler Ardron – very impressive last year – will surely be asked to again move from the loose.
But if they can get by there, the rest of the Chiefs pack offers plenty.
Up front there is the luxury of three All Blacks props, in Atu Moli, Angus Ta’avao and Nepo Laulala, while Reuben O’Neill will be eager to impress too, after being called into the national squad in 2018 but still waiting to debut at Super level after an
achilles injury scratched him from last year’s campaign.
The loose forwards are strong, too, with Sam Cane fit from the get-go this time after a quality comeback last year from his broken neck. Gatland has named the 28-year-old as sole skipper this year, after four years as a co-captain.
Fellow All Black Luke Jacobson will return in a couple of weeks from the concussion that cruelly ruled him out of a maiden World Cup, offering versatility and plenty of punch to a group which features several solid performers and the addition of the power-packed Dylan Nel from Otago.
If the platform can be laid up front, then the Chiefs’ backline whets the appetite as seriously potent.
Halfback Brad Weber should be buoyed by last year’s All
Blacks recall, and Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi should have a point to prove, with some snappy service on offer for Cruden at first five-eighth.
After two seasons away, Cruden returns from France for a single-season stint before heading to Japan, and his experience, game-driving knowledge and touch of class will be a boon, so long as his body holds up well, after a few injury struggles at Montpellier.
His return means fellow playmaker Damian McKenzie can operate at fullback, where he looked outstanding on return last year before suffering the ruptured ACL knee injury which ruled him out of the World Cup.
Fit and firing, McKenzie will lead a dangerous back-three unit, where Shaun Stevenson will be looking to continue his hot late 2019 form, Solomon
Alaimalo will be out to re-find his sublime touch from the year prior, and recent schoolboy sensation Kini Naholo – younger brother of former All Black Waisake – shapes as an electrifying prospect.
In between those halves and outside backs sits a potentially lethal midfield, where there is no shortage of options to partner the exceptional Anton LienertBrown. Tumua Manu impressed last year, Alex Nankivell has showed good glimpses and had a strong Mitre 10 Cup, while Waikato’s Quinn Tupaea, who was absurdly overlooked last season, looks like bursting into the spotlight.
All told, it’s a strong looking squad, particularly when comparing to the other Kiwi outfits and some of the big names they go into this year without.
Throw in the coaching smarts and there is a deserved whiff of what could be.