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1News
4 days ago
- Sport
- 1News
Chiefs are top of the class as Blues save their best for last
Analysis: The Chiefs will be joined in the Super Rugby playoffs by fellow Kiwi sides the Crusaders, Hurricanes and Blues and all four hit form at the weekend, writes Patrick McKendry. There was an end-of-term feel to the final round of the Super Rugby Pacific season, with Moana Pasifika, the Waratahs and Fijian Drua failing fast, the Crusaders showing attention to detail in holding off the Brumbies in Canberra, and the Chiefs predictably coming top of the class. Credit should go to the Highlanders - their squad becoming thinner by the week - for showing starch in their final match of the season, but Clayton McMillan's men deserved to retain the top seed for the playoffs and their 41-24 victory, plus the Blues' 46-6 win over the Waratahs at Eden Park, puts the northern rivals into one of the three qualifying finals. The Chiefs will be heavy favourites to win the match at Waikato Stadium on Saturday night and they will be planning something special in the so-called battle of State Highway 1 after the Blues beat them in last year's grand final. The Blues, though, will feel they have at least built some momentum after having too much for an injury-hit Waratahs last night, with Rieko Ioane scoring a hat-trick of tries. ADVERTISEMENT Indeed, one of the aspects of the victory that may please head coach Vern Cotter the most near the end of a season in which his attack has struggled to fire is that the Blues' backs scored six of their team's seven tries. Unfortunately for the Waratahs, their attack never fired and neither – consistently, anyway - did Moana Pasifika's in Wellington last night. That was a win for the defensive capabilities of both the Blues and Hurricanes, the latter appearing almost irresistible in thrashing Moana Pasifika 64-12. Their reward is a qualifying final against the Brumbies in Canberra on Saturday night. Moana Pasifika have been one of the feelgood stories of the competition this year, and their season should not be defined by this result or the collapse a week earlier against the Chiefs in Hamilton. Moana skipper Ardie Savea signs autographs for fans at the Cake Tin. (Source: Photosport) They have relied on their close connections to get this far – they won a franchise-record six games this season (the same as the Blues) and beat the Hurricanes, Crusaders (in Christchurch), Highlanders (in Dunedin) and Blues – so it was probably not surprising that their inspirational skipper Ardie Savea, Super Rugby's player of the year, was almost overcome with emotion in a Sky TV interview straight after their defeat at the Cake Tin. ADVERTISEMENT 'Everyone doubted us but God believed in us,' Savea said. 'These boys came together. We brought people together. I've come home – it's a special place for me with the Moana fans and the Hurricanes fans. It means so much to me and it's close to my heart. 'For these boys to come here and do something for New Zealand rugby and the Super Rugby competition is a blessing in itself. 'We're not satisfied. Our goal was to win the thing and make the top six. That wasn't meant to be. Also, you've got to give credit to Doops [Hurricanes' skipper Du'Plessis Kirifi] and his team. They are quality men and a quality team and I hope they go all the way and win the comp.' For his part, Kirifi, the loose forward who again performed impressively at the breakdown and won two penalty turnovers in a row at one point, continued his record of speaking extremely eloquently in post-match television interviews. Bleeding from his right ear, Kirifi said: 'I do want to acknowledge Moana Pasifika and the season that they've had and the inspiration and excitement they've brought to our competition. 'You can see now the amount of fans and people who are behind them and what that means to rugby in New Zealand. ADVERTISEMENT 'Whether people were here tonight to support us or Moana, it doesn't matter. It's good for New Zealand rugby [as is] the brand of rugby they play. The values they represent are things we all have in common.' Du'Plessis Kirifi on the charge for the Hurricanes against Moana Pasifika. (Source: Photosport) As for the Crusaders, a franchise that has come to be recognised as the competition's prime over-achiever that had a year to forget in 2024, a mixture of physicality, good decision-making and a last-ditch tackle by Scott Barrett on wing Corey Toole in the final minutes got them home in Canberra to finish second on the table. Their prize is a home qualifier against the Reds rather than a potentially far tougher match against the Hurricanes. The Reds sewn up fifth place after they thrashed the Fijian Drua 52-7 in Brisbane. Finishing as high up the table as possible has extra benefits this year because of the inaugural 'lucky loser' concept. The highest-ranked loser in the playoffs gets a second life and will progress to the semifinals (while losing a seeding place). Should the first weekend of finals go to form, the Chiefs and Crusaders will beat the Blues and Reds respectively. ADVERTISEMENT Should the Brumbies lose to the Hurricanes, who have already beaten them this year, they will still make a semifinal. In the above scenario, the Chiefs will host the Brumbies and the Crusaders will host the Hurricanes in the semifinals. Alternatively, should the Hurricanes lose, they will face the Chiefs in Hamilton and the Brumbies will play the Crusaders in Christchurch. Super Rugby Pacific playoffs draw Crusaders v Reds, Christchurch, Friday – kick-off 7.05pm. Chiefs v Blues, Hamilton, Saturday – kick-off 7.05pm. Brumbies v Hurricanes, Canberra, Saturday – kick-off 9.40pm.
1News
25-05-2025
- Sport
- 1News
Chiefs assert total dominance to put rest of the competition on notice
Analysis: By smashing Moana Pasifika, the Chiefs took a big step towards qualifying as top seeds and owning the fear factor, writes Patrick McKendry. There is no getting away from it. The Chiefs' 85-7 demolition of Moana Pasifika last night not only made the playoffs picture a little clearer, but it also reinforced the impression that the likely top seeds are the most feared team in the competition. They are only one competition point above the Crusaders on the Super Rugby Pacific table and have an identical 10-3 win-loss record as their southern rivals, but they are streets ahead in terms of form, depth and hunger. Compare and contrast the Chiefs' 13-try thrashing of Moana Pasifika in Hamilton with the Crusaders' bumbling 15-12 victory over the Highlanders, the bottom-placed team who missed five shots at goal in Christchurch the night before. The Highlanders deserved more from that match, as did their indefatigable skipper Timoci Tavatavanawai and impressive No.8 Sean Withy. Now they must prepare for what is clearly the toughest opponent in Super Rugby, although they at least get to do so under the roof in Dunedin in what will be their final game of the season. It is difficult to see any result other than a bonus point victory for the Chiefs, which will cement their place at the top of the table. The Crusaders, meanwhile, have the far more difficult challenge of facing the third-placed Brumbies in Canberra, a match likely to decide the second and third seeds for the playoffs. The fourth-placed Hurricanes, who will host a shell-shocked Moana, cannot finish any higher on the table, with the Reds likely to remain in fifth, and the Blues, should they beat the Waratahs at Eden Park, likely to qualify in the sixth and final playoff position. There was a controlled anger last night about the Chiefs, rested from their bye the week before, which may have had its roots in their near second-half collapse against Moana Pasifika in Pukekohe in March. On that occasion, the Chiefs ran out to a 43-7 halftime lead, only to concede 28 unanswered points as Moana Pasifika got to 43-35 before Samisoni Taukei'aho, who was at his bruising best in the first half last night, made it safe in the final minute with a converted try. It was an extraordinary comeback from Moana, but Chiefs head coach Clayton McMillan felt that his side had let themselves down, and it must have played a part in the build-up to last night's response, which was far more in keeping with his team's standards. They have a pack as ruthless as any in the competition and in Damian McKenzie clearly the best No.10. The rest of their backline, including Quinn Tupaea, Daniel Rona, Leroy Carter and Shaun Stevenson are clearly in form and one of the most difficult tasks for McMillan over the next few weeks may come around the selection table. As for Moana Pasifika, perhaps their emotional victory over the Blues at North Harbour Stadium the week before took its toll too. One wonders whether the hype building around them and their inspirational skipper Ardie Savea, who was replaced early in the second half by coach Tana Umaga (a case, perhaps, of him protecting their greatest weapon in what was a lost cause), became a little too much last week. They were dominated by the Chiefs physically and mentally, and across the park in every facet. The match officials took a laissez-faire attitude to the Chiefs' breakdown tactics, and even replacement prop Angus Ross appeared surprised to escape a penalty when charging into a ruck from the side and without staying on his feet late in the game - but when the pattern of one team's dominance is set it can be hard for officials to spot the micro over the macro. If anyone can inspire one last effort from Moana Pasifika, it is their skipper Savea, who, fittingly, scored the team's only try last night via his physical strength and self-belief. The team's social media team posted a snippet of his post-match talk in the side's huddle on the middle of the pitch. 'You can be up one time and get humbled real quick… our season is still alive,' he told his team. 'We have one more to get. It's a tough pill to swallow. Take it. But we turn up on Monday and regroup. Keep believing - the answer is in here, don't blame anyone else.' One more to get, indeed. Their prize, if they beat the Hurricanes in Wellington next Saturday, will likely be a sudden-death rematch against the Chiefs on the same Waikato Stadium pitch a week later.
1News
29-04-2025
- Sport
- 1News
Two key improvements adding momentum to Crusaders' title tilt
Analysis: The Crusaders look ominous again after refining their scrum and defence into offensive weapons, writes Patrick McKendry. The Crusaders will head into their bye weekend secure in the knowledge they cannot be overtaken for second on the Super Rugby Pacific points table, no matter what happens in round 12, and with a belief two crucial aspects of their game are coming together in time for the playoffs. Their 43-10 victory over the Highlanders in Dunedin at the weekend highlighted their attacking ability — including fullback Will Jordan, who was over for two tries within the opening 14 minutes. But perhaps more importantly as they get to the business end of the season is the progress they have made with their scrum and defence. Both were hugely impressive and will be increasingly crucial if they are to add to their 14 championships this year. These two areas have also shown big signs of improvement, with hooker Codie Taylor's yellow card in the first half having little effect on their dominance in the set piece. Indeed, they succeeded in winning a scrum penalty despite having a numerical disadvantage, with in-form props George Bower and Fletcher Newell making life extremely difficult for their opposites, among them All Black Ethan de Groot. The defensive developments are important too because the Crusaders' two defeats this year – to the Chiefs (away in February) and Moana Pasifika (at home at the end of March) – highlighted a vulnerability here that has not been seen since, although the Hurricanes' late challenge in Wellington recently will have raised a few concerns. The Crusaders made 218 tackles to the Highlanders' 118 at the weekend – a huge discrepancy at this level that made their wide margin of victory all the more impressive. Former Crusaders and All Blacks loose forward Matt Todd has the defence portfolio this season and the new assistant coach's messages and methods are now clearly cutting through. Jordan, in sparkling form for the red and blacks and likely looking forward to a week off after playing in all 10 matches, was in no doubt afterwards about the key to the Crusaders' recent run. "Defence again," he told Sky Sports' interviewer Jeff Wilson. "It's been a big thing for us over the last three or four weeks. I don't know how many tackles we made but it would have been over 200, I would say. "Our forwards are continuing to get up [and use] double shoulders, banging them over the gain-line." A combination of injuries, lack of depth and inconsistent selections hampered the Crusaders last year – head coach Rob Penney's first with the franchise – which contributed to what for them was a disastrous season featuring only four wins in total. Now they and the Chiefs – on top of the table by virtue of their greater points differential – are the two standout teams for quality and consistency and appear most likely to make the grand final in June. Does Jordan believe, Wilson wondered out loud, whether the Crusaders had their finals mojo back? "I think so," Jordan replied, returning to a theme. "It starts with our defence… I'm really pleased with the work Toddy is doing in that space… we're not the finished product yet – we'll keep working." A lighter injury list means Penney has more options this year but he also appears to have found his own form in terms of selections. Before the Highlanders match, there were questions about why James O'Connor — so good off the bench as first-five Taha Kemara's replacement and, indeed, pushing for a start — was left out of the playing squad, with Rivez Reihana preferred on his return from a long-term injury absence. As it turns out, the decision may pay dividends, with Kemara suffering what appeared to be a serious knee injury in Dunedin that could end his season, and Reihana, who needed game time to be a more viable option for the playoffs, receiving just that.
1News
27-04-2025
- Sport
- 1News
It's the Ardie party as Moana Pasifika and Fijian Drua collide
1News sports reporter Patrick McKendry bought a ticket and watched Moana play the Drua at North Harbour Stadium. He got value for money. Super Rugby's battle for the Pacific took place in fading light yesterday afternoon at North Harbour Stadium on the edge of the large shopping precinct in Albany – two teams trading on hope and goodwill playing next to a sprawling magnet of capitalism. Was it such an obvious clash of cultures? No. Some of the players and coaches involved yesterday are earning a lot of money playing and talking about a game they love, and, besides which, the game was broadcast around the world on subscription television, so plenty are clipping the proverbial ticket. But if there is ever going to be a game that elevates concepts like belonging and finding your place in the world then it's this one between Moana Pasifika and the Fijian Drua, the two competition newcomers, and all for a relatively cheap $30 for an adult and $10 for a child (plus the service fee of $6.35, of course). The rain stayed away and so the people came in their thousands – both Moana and Drua flags were handed out and some families waved both – and, once the Anzac formalities and on-field challenges were complete the two teams went at it with intensity, occasional ferocity and no little skill. I said 'battle' at the start, but this was of course nothing of the sort. It was a celebration more than anything and here in the unlikely confines of what still appears to be an unfinished stadium, albeit one not without a certain charm when the weather is right and the company is good, two teams and several nationalities came together in a triumph of ambition and resilience. Moana, who were initially based at Mt Smart Stadium when they joined Super Rugby in 2022, played only one match at North Harbour last season. They played home games in Pukekohe, Hamilton and Whangārei – and even Eden Park against the Blues – but appear to have found a niche on the North Shore which, against the odds perhaps, just works. Last year they owned their demanding schedule as being consistent with their nomadic Pasifika DNA but it was unsustainable on several fronts. We'll get to another reason why the future appears far brighter for Moana now but in the meantime credit should go to those responsible for adding these two Pacific teams to the competition which is now far more representative of the area in which it is played. Moana Pasifika's Sir Bryan Williams and Sir Michael Jones yesterday literally opened the doors to allow the two teams to run on to the pitch together and the two former All Black greats have been instrumental to the development of the nascent franchise in terms of their vision and perseverance. The Drua, too, have not been without their teething troubles, although they had six wins last year and made the quarter-finals when finishing seventh of 12 teams – better than the defending champion Crusaders who won only four and finished ninth. Moana finished 11th. The Drua are also succeeding in different ways. They are unbeaten in seven matches in Lautoka but are struggling on the road and yesterday their struggles continued against a side in the ascendant (we'll describe last weekend's dispiriting 24-0 defeat to the Brumbies in Pukekohe as a blip). The support appeared even for the two teams – and perhaps a little more vocal for the Drua. For Moana the vibes were high, as you can imagine, as Julian Savea led them out in celebration of his 300th first class match, followed by brother and skipper Ardie – the first time the pair have played together for the team. It's important to describe the atmosphere because, having been present for dozens and dozens of games at Eden Park, the vibes were very different. From what I could see from our seats in the stand near the halfway line, no one was obviously intoxicated, there was a wide range of ages, and the general feeling was one of excited anticipation rather than heavy expectation – reminiscent, actually, of the Black Ferns Tests at Eden Park during the World Cup in 2021. The cultural performance by the Samoan Dance Group from Avondale College was also one of the better halftime diversions I have seen for its mix of humour and timing. There was good-natured laughter at the players' mistakes as both teams showed an eagerness and impatience in the first quarter that was perhaps understandable but did little to help their flow. Indeed, the players even occasionally smiled at other when the ball was in play – like Drua fullback Vuate Karawalevu as he went to tackle Ardie Savea. Danny Toala and Lalomilo Lalomilo were hard workers in the midfield for the home side, with William Havili brave and inventive at the back and halfback Jonathan Taumateine a player in perpetual motion. English lock Tom Savage was a true physical presence for 80 minutes, while the imposing loose forward trio Miracle Fai'ilagi, who scored two tries, Semisi Tupou Ta'eiloa, who carried from the proverbial back fence in one collision for the ages, and Ardie must be considered one of the better combinations in the competition. Ardie is without compare and his 'try' when he kicked ahead after being put in a difficult position while being edged towards the touchline by the defence and then caught the ball on the bounce to go over was spectacular, only for the match officials to find an apparent knock-on in the build-up which ruled it out. Truly, this was the only joyless incident of the afternoon and how officials can find a reason to rule out scores such as these and yet be powerless to alert a referee to an obvious mistake during a game defies belief. On the bright side, it underlined once again Ardie's talent. It's why many in the crowd came along and why so many players who aspire to be as good will feel that Moana is the place for them too. It brought to mind a quote Sir Michael Jones gave to RNZ in February about Savea's signing from the Hurricanes. "It further legitimises and validates everything we've dreamed of and worked for,' he said. Sir Michael was also right when he told RNZ in February: "It's about time for us to grow up, I think expectations of not only our own fans, but the general rugby public is that Moana need to prove that we're a legitimate contender. For our stakeholders that are believing in us, we really have to get there this year." Moana's six-tries-to-two bonus-point 34-15 victory over the Drua put them up to eighth place and on 20 competition points. The top six make the playoffs and they are only two competition points believe the fifth-placed Hurricanes (with the same number of wins). This year, with the right support and a bit of luck, they might be contenders. Afterwards, I asked the 14-year-old if he enjoyed it. 'Yeah,' he said. Why? He replied: 'The atmosphere.'
