McKenzie magic trick works again
Lightning doesn’t strike twice. Try four times.
Damian McKenzie has done it yet again, in yet another thrilling Super Rugby Aotearoa victory for the Chiefs which has pushed them close to sealing their spot in the final.
In a pulsating 26-24 victory over the Hurricanes in Hamilton last night, the hosts’ star playmaker came up trumps with the winning play for a fourth successive match, this time knocking a penalty over after the siren to send the crowd at FMG Stadium Waikato into wild celebrations.
Just as it looked like the bottom of the table, out of contention, Hurricanes would snatch it, the Chiefs had one last play to come up with some magic. And of course they did.
Yet another massive scrum shunt brought them the ultimate gift – a penalty 45 metres out, in front of the sticks.
And then it was up to their golden boy – fill-in captain for the final quarter – to do the rest.
And McKenzie knew it as soon as his right foot struck ball, raising his arms aloft, as his team-mates mobbed their hero.
With that fifth win on the bounce, the Chiefs are now safe in the knowledge that a spot in the final will be theirs if the Blues fail to pick up any points against the Crusaders in Christchurch tomorrow. Otherwise, the local neighbours’ battle at Eden Park next Saturday will decide second spot.
Locked at 10-10 at the break, McKenzie nudged the Chiefs in front by three early in the second stanza, before Bryn Gatland single-handedly stole them the initiative.
Cleaning up a mess of a lineout with a super bit of skill, fly kicking and regathering, he got his side in position for a huge scrum, and off the back of that, the No 10 – starting for the first time since round three – sidestepped Ruben Love and scooted over.
The Hurricanes wouldn’t be deterred though, and in fact hit back just five minutes later, with Devan Flanders proving just as instrumental and inspirational, the rangy No 8 bursting clear in midfield, then also throwing the final pass – a lengthy back-flick – for Billy Proctor, just new on the field, to slide over.
While McKenzie missed a penalty from handy range, he made up for it straight after, which gave the Chiefs a 23-17 advantage at the hour-mark.
But, with the Chiefs opting to then send Gatland and Brad Weber to the bench, with McKenzie taking on the captaincy, it was the Hurricanes who surged into the box seat, getting full value from their reserves, as Asafo Aumua then stormed his way over off the back of a lineout drive in the 68th minute.