Busted Chiefs deliver more blues 27 21 NZ Rugby links with Harlequins
The Blues enigma continues. Another defeat to the Chiefs at Eden Park last night means it’s seven years since they last beat them — a run of 13 matches.
They had their chances and led at halftime but the joy among their faithful once again turned to frustration and disappointment — the fact that the Chiefs were so badly hit by injury, including losing lock Brodie Retallick and fullback Shaun Stevenson the day of the game, making it even worse.
This was their first match back at their home since their magnificent win over the British and Irish Lions but it might as well have been a lifetime ago.
Tana Umaga will again rue his side’s inaccuracy and a period after halftime in which the Chiefs scored two converted tries and took the game away from them.
“Hats off to the Chiefs for all they’ve been through,” Umaga said in reference to their personnel problems. “For us, yeah, we’re disappointed, there’s no doubt about it.
“It was an opportunity for us. They gave us enough opportunities to win it but we just didn’t take them. It’s something we need to look at. We couldn’t consistently put phases together and put pressure on.
“We’ve got to find what it really means for us to play this game as the Blues. That’s something we’ve been working hard on . . . we’ve just got to put it together. We’ve got the ability.
“Guys need to really start putting their hands up. A lot of Chiefs players put their hands up and they weren’t even part of their squad at the start of the season.”
The Blues are on a plane to South Africa in two days for tough matches against the Stormers and Lions, so the sight of halfback and skipper Augustine Pulu hobbling on crutches afterwards will not have improved Umaga’s mood.
The frustrating thing again for him and his team is that they had opportunities to do far better but even the energy levels appeared lower than last weekend, when they showed flashes of brilliance in losing narrowly to the Highlanders in Dunedin.
The Blues are a mystery, and their mistake in the final seconds after winning a penalty and an attacking lineout for a last throw of the dice was an appropriate way for them to stumble to the finish.
For the Chiefs, forced to move McKenzie to fullback and Tiaan Falcon from the reserves to first-five, there was little change despite the disruption. They were down early to a Pulu try, but kept hanging in there, as they generally do. The Dave Rennie era brought back the resolve to this franchise, and it hasn’t gone anywhere despite his departure.
This was their first victory of the season after their defeat to the defending champions in Christchurch, with Sam Cane, Brad Weber, McKenzie and Sean Wainui the standouts. For the Blues, the search for a first win continues and it might not come for a while yet.
They had a few lucky escapes in the first half but were worthy of their halftime lead. They had struck first through Pulu, who backed up James Parsons’ run close to the line, and No 8 Akira Ioane scored a beauty from 20m out when he ran around three would-be defenders, including McKenzie.
But before and after Ioane’s try came touchdowns for the visitors through Taleni Seu, who went through an attacking ruck far too easily, and Wainui, who showed great strength to get around Duffie in the left corner.
A combination of their own mistakes and referee Ben O’Keeffe’s whistle kept the brakes on the Blues attack, but Chiefs flanker Cane deserves credit for his tireless work at the breakdown.
Melani Nanai’s brain explosion, when he made a break and passed to no one, only to see Brad Weber race away, allowed the Chiefs to go further ahead following Mitchell Brown’s converted try for the Chiefs.
Bryn Gatland replied but there was too much ground to make up.
Chiefs 27 (Taleni Seu, Sean Wainui, Sam Cane, Brad Weber tries; Damian McKenzie 2 cons, pen).
Blues 21 (Augustine Pulu, Akira Ioane, Bryn Gatland tries; Bryn Gatland 3 cons). HT: 10-14.
● Brad Thorn gained his first win as Reds coach, with his team grinding out an 18-10 victory over the Brumbies in Brisbane last night. All the Reds’ points came from penalties, while the Brumbies scored a try towards the end of each half. New Zealand Rugby will form its first official overseas relationship with British club Harlequins.
The Herald revealed early last month plans to establish ties with foreign clubs in order to, among other things, facilitate sabbaticals.
The move comes at a time when NZR is under constant pressure to retain its players with salaries on the rise in Europe.
NZR yesterday confirmed a “cooperation agreement” with Londonbased Harlequins, which will see the national body strategically link with the Premiership club on and off the field.
“This is new territory for New Zealand Rugby and this unique relationship will open some useful connections in that part of the world. With its strong ex-pat community, London is of key strategic importance to New Zealand Rugby, and when you factor in our shared relationship with adidas, this cooperation agreement is a very natural fit,” NZR chief executive Steve Tew said.
The agreement will see NZR and Harlequins cooperate on projects in relation to playing and coaching resources, team training and commercial leverage opportunities.
“The All Blacks are the benchmark of excellence for all teams, so to be able to align with them both on and off the pitch will be of significant benefit to the club,” Harlequins chief executive David Ellis said.
Former All Blacks first five-eighth Nick Evans is among those on the Harlequins coaching staff while Sean Fitzpatrick is on the board. New Zealanders Francis Saili, Winston Stanley and Mat Luamanu play there.