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The Chiefs are set to face their most challenging year in over a decade after enjoying unprecedented success under ex-head coach Dave Rennie. The Rennie era is over at the Chiefs – and with him a host of key players such as Aaron Cruden, Hika Elliot, Michael Leitch and James Lowe have departed.
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Rennie transformed the Chiefs from also-rans into an attacking superpower during his time at the helm, capturing two titles in the first two years. The third title proved elusive despite the Chiefs getting better as Cruden aged and Damian McKenzie emerged. They lit up the competition in the early stages of 2016 and 2017 but stumbled in the finals in late season fade-outs.
It is set to be a transition year for the Waikato-based franchise. How can you lose such quality and maintain the same level of success? It will be a tremendous achievement if they remain one of the top teams.
New head coach Colin Cooper will no doubt have his own style of play to implement, and this is bound to take time to bear fruit. Add in the fact the Chiefs will also lose Super Rugby’s best attacking fullback when they move Damian McKenzie into first five-eighth, there seems to be too much change to overcome without road bumps.
It must be a tempting to keep the star where he has been so valuable to them, but with the departure of Cruden now is the time to build around McKenzie at 10. Although whether he will be as effective without the foil of another quality playmaker remains to be seen.
The strength of the Chiefs looks to be in the forwards with the likes of Kane Hames, Mitch Graham, Brodie Retallick, Dominic Bird, Sam Cane and Liam Messam. With the bulk of experience in the pack, the team will continue their unrelenting pressure up front as the young backs figure things out.
However, there is no shortage of talent in backs, with Shaun Stevenson, Solomon Alaimalo and Toni Pulu ready to step up into more prominent roles. There will be concerns around mid-fielder Charlie Ngatai’s health, giving opportunities to Alex Nankivall, Regan Verney and Johnny Fa’auli.
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Tim Nanai-Williams and Anton Lienert-Brown will be crucial to this emerging backline, but the best of this young crop will be seen in future years if they can remain together.
The Chiefs will still be a good side, but if there was any year for them to struggle – this is it. They will battle for third in the New Zealand conference with the Highlanders and Blues, but we will back the Blues to finally produce and leave the Chiefs last in the New Zealand conference.
2018 Predictions
New Zealand Conference Placing: 5th
Player of the Year: Brodie Retaliick
Rookie of the Year: Luke Jacobson
Breakout Player: Solomon Alaimalo
Best Signing: Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi
Super Rugby Placing: Mid-table
Franchise History
Best finish: Champions in 2012 and 2013
Worst finish: Eleventh in 2010
Squad Movements
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In: Tyler Ardron (Ospreys), Levi Aumua (Tasman), Fin Hoeata (Taranaki), Tiaan Falcon (Hawke’s Bay), Luke Jacobson (Waikato), Marty McKenzie (Crusaders), Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi (Hurricanes), Regan Verney (Wellington).
Out: Finlay Christie (Hurricanes), Aaron Cruden (Montpellier), Stephen Donald (Counties Manukau), Hika Elliot (Oyonnax), Siegfried Flsiihoi (Stade Francais), Glen Fisiiahi (Counties Manukau), Tawera Kerr-Balow (La Rochelle), Michael Leitch (Sunwolves), James Lowe (Leinster), Matiaha Martin (Counties Manukau), Brayden Mitchell (Southland), Tom Sanders (Crusaders), Sebastian Siataga (Bay of Plenty), Chase Tiatia (Bay of Plenty), James Tucker (Waikato).
Squad: Liam Polwart, Nathan Harris, Samisoni Taukei’aho, Aidan Ross, Atu Moli, Kane Hames, Mitchell Graham, Nepo Laulala, Sosefo Kautai, Brodie Retallick, Dominic Bird, Fin Hoeata, Michael Allardice, Lachlan Boshier, Liam Messam, Luke Jacobson, Mitchell Brown, Mitchell Karpik, Sam Cane, Taleni Seu, Tyler Ardron, Brad Weber, Jonathan Taumateine, Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, Damian McKenzie, Marty McKenzie, Tiaan Falcon, Alex Nankivell, Anton Lienert-Brown, Charlie Ngatai, Johnny Fa’auli, Regan Verney, Levi Aumua, Sam McNicol, Shaun Stevenson, Solomon Alaimalo, Toni Pulu, Tim Nanai-Williams.
Comments on RugbyPass
Are the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
2 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
30 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
2 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
30 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
30 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
30 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
30 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to comments