
'Lucky loser' Chiefs not complacent, says coach McMillan
Chiefs coach Clayton McMillan says his team's guaranteed place in Super Rugby Pacific's semifinals next weekend played no part in their shock qualifier loss to the Blues last night.
As the competition's top seeds, the Chiefs could not fail to progress under the competition's new 'lucky loser' concept, but McMillan said that did not factor into his team's thinking.
"No, not at all,'' he said after his team's 20-19 defeat. "We wanted to win this game and put the Blues to be bed, because, you know, wins like this will just fuel more confidence.
"It's always what is directly in front of us. I think we have been pretty consistent with that, and our preparation, the effort we put in tonight was reflective of a team that really wanted to win.''
The Chiefs, who lost loose forward Luke Jacobson to a pre-existing shoulder injury the day before the game, had most of the other advantages at Waikato Stadium.
ADVERTISEMENT
Blues hooker Ricky Riccitelli was yellow carded in the first half for a foot trip on Damian McKenzie, and the Chiefs enjoyed a wealth of possession and territory in running up a 19-6 lead.
However, their lineout began malfunctioning in the second half along with their disciplinary record.
With halfback Cortez Ratima one of several players to lose the ball near or over the line, the mistakes came back to haunt the Chiefs.
"That's good old fashioned finals grind, you know?" McMillan said.
"And probably in the last 15, 20 minutes, we struggled to exit probably off the back of a misfiring lineout. A few discipline issues, especially in the last little bit.
'We always respect the Blues. They haven't always been at their best [this season] but you always had the sense that they would do enough to get in the top six.'
Not surprisingly, the Blues celebrated wildly after Beauden Barrett's conversion of Josh Beehre's late try sealed the victory, but head coach Vern Cotter and skipper Patrick Tuipulotu appeared relatively downbeat when facing the media afterwards.
ADVERTISEMENT
Blues playmaker Beauden Barrett catches the ball in his team's victory over the Chiefs. (Source: Photosport)
'There's a lot of satisfaction but it's tempered by the fact that it's just one game and there's another one next week,' Cotter said, before adding: 'I think our defence showed the team hasn't lost faith in what we're doing.'
The Blues, beaten in the grand final by the Crusaders in 2022, went close against the red and blacks in Christchurch in April and know how difficult it will be on Friday.
'The Crusaders are a tough team. We know it's going to be tough to win down there… we've got to be on top of our game," Cotter said. "It may come down to the 85th minute again next week.'
The Crusaders' 32-12 qualifier victory over the Reds last Friday means they are now 30-0 in home playoff matches.
'One day they will lose down there in a playoff,' Tuipulotu said. 'Could it be us? We'll certainly be pushing as hard as we can.
'I'm looking forward to it. What better way of making our way to the final.'
ADVERTISEMENT
The Chiefs will host the Brumbies in the other semifinal on Saturday night after the men from Canberra beat the Hurricanes 35-28 in their qualifying final.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

RNZ News
3 hours ago
- RNZ News
All Blacks winger Caleb Clarke re-signs to right wrongs on and off field
Caleb Clarke. Photo: Photosport All Blacks and Blues winger Caleb Clarke says the decision to stay in New Zealand gives him the chance to "right a few wrongs". The 26-year-old has re-signed with New Zealand Rugby for two more years taking him through to the 2027 World Cup. In February Clarke pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and failing to stop for police while riding his motorbike in Auckland late last year. At the time he said "I made an error of judgement while riding my motorbike in Auckland. I've taken full responsibility for my actions and have entered a guilty plea...I'm extremely apologetic and embarrassed." In re-signing Clarke said he was "very grateful to New Zealand Rugby and the Blues". Clarke has played 74 Super Rugby games for the franchise and said "Auckland's my home.. and (I) want to get close that hundred figure.. it was a no brainer." "Especially this year things haven't gone right," and he appreciated the "the opportunity to right some wrongs." Clarke said he felt he could be better on the field too. "Even on the field I don't feel like I have been delivering the best performances for myself and the team so the opportunity to stick around and right those wrongs I am excited about. "I compare my game to last year and last year I was touching the ball 15 or 16 times (a game) and this year its five or six so just trying to get around the ball more and be more of an option." Clarke had limited game time at the 2023 World Cup where the All Blacks fell at the last hurdle losing the final to South Africa. Clarke didn't play in that match but still remembers the words of then captain Sam Whitelock post the game, "'It's one thing to be part of an All Black team but to be part of a World Cup winning side is special'...so that's the dream and that's the goal." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

NZ Herald
5 hours ago
- NZ Herald
Gisborne's George Bridge set for Super Rugby return with Western Force
Gisborne-raised All Black George Bridge may be playing in Super Rugby Pacific next season. The winger is 'deep in conversation' with Perth-based Western Force who are 'poised to sign him', according to Australian sports website The Roar. Bridge, a veteran of the 2019 Rugby World Cup campaign, signed a three-year

RNZ News
6 hours ago
- RNZ News
Super Rugby Pacific: teams named for semi-finals
After an improbable run to the semi-finals, the Blues carry in much-needed momentum into Friday night's big clash with the Crusaders. They've only made one change to the side that beat the Chiefs but it's an interesting one, with Zarn Sullivan coming in at fullback. That suggests coach Vern Cotter is anticipating a bit of kicking, with Sullivan's boot perhaps the biggest in the country right now. Meanwhile, it's an unchanged Crusaders team that will meet them at Apollo Projects Stadium in Christchurch. There's a slight reshuffle in the loosies for the Chiefs in their side to take on the Brumbies on Saturday night in Hamilton. Wallace Sititi has been named to start at number eight, with Luke Jacobson returning at openside and Samipeni Finau on the blindside. Simon Parker picked up an ankle strain in the loss to the Blues and drops out of the squad, with Jimmy Tupou and Kaylum Boshier on the bench. Quinn Tupaea returns to starts at second five as well. Crusaders v Blues Kick-off: 7:05pm Friday 13 June Apollo Projects Stadium, Christchurch Live blog updates on RNZ Crusaders: 1. George Bower, 2. Codie Taylor, 3. Fletcher Newell, 4. Scott Barrett, 5. Antonio Shalfoon, 6. Ethan Blackadder, 7. Tom Christie, 8. Christian Lio-Willie, 9. Noah Hotham, 10. Rivez Reihana, 11. Sevu Reece, 12. David Havili, 13. Braydon Ennor, 14. Chay Fihaki, 15. Will Jordan Bench: 16. George Bell, 17. Kershawl Sykes-Martin, 18. Seb Calder, 19. Jamie Hannah, 20. Cullen Grace, 21. Kyle Preston, 22. James O'Connor, 23. Dallas McLeod Blues: 1. Joshua Fusitu'a, 2. Ricky Riccitelli, 3. Marcel Renata, 4. Patrick Tuipulotu (c), 5. Laghlan McWhannell, 6. Adrian Choat, 7. Dalton Papali'i, 8. Hoskins Sotutu, 9. Finlay Christie, 10. Beauden Barrett, 11. Caleb Clarke, 12. AJ Lam, 13. Rieko Ioane, 14. Mark Tele'a, 15. Zarn Sullivan Bench: 16. Kurt Eklund, 17. Jordan Lay, 18. Angus Ta'avao, 19. Josh Beehre, 20. Anton Segner, 21. Sam Nock, 22. Harry Plummer, 23. Cole Forbes Zarn Sullivan of the Blues. Photo: Andrew Cornaga/ Chiefs v Brumbies Kick-off: 7:05pm Saturday 14 June FMG Stadium Waikato, Hamilton Live blog updates on RNZ Chiefs: 1. Ollie Norris, 2. Samisoni Taukei'aho, 3. George Dyer, 4. Naitoa Ah Kuoi, 5. Tupou Vaa'i, 6. Samipeni Finau, 7. Luke Jacobson, 8. Wallace Sititi, 9. Cortez Ratima, 10. Damian McKenzie, 11. Leroy Carter, 12. Quinn Tupaea, 13. Daniel Rona, 14. Emoni Narawa, 15. Shaun Stevenson Bench: 16. Brodie McAlister, 17. Jared Proffit, 18. Reuben O'Neill, 19. Jimmy Tupou, 20. Kaylum Boshier, 21. Xavier Roe, 22. Josh Jacomb, 23. Gideon Wrampling