Chiefs player ratings vs Crusaders | Super Rugby Pacific
The Chiefs went into their Saturday night home fixture with the Crusaders as narrow favourites, having bested the southerners in Christchurch just two weekends ago.
While the Chiefs had more scoring opportunities than their opposition, they failed to capitalise when they entered the red zone and the Crusaders slowly built up a lead throughout the game, eventually finishing as 34-19 victors.
The home team struggled to hold possession, conceding countless breakdown turnovers, which halted any momentum they were able to generate with the ball in hand – and that’s what ultimately cost them the match.
How did the individual Chiefs perform on the night?
1. Ollie Norris – 6.5/10
Maintained the high standards he set last weekend against Moana Pasifika and impressed in the open field. Solid as well at scrum time. Off in 60th minute.
2. Samisoni Taukei’aho – 5.5
Hit all his targets at lineout time but wasn’t as impactful with ball in hand as we’ve become accustomed to. Without Pita Gus Sowakula on the park, the Chiefs needed Taukei’aho at his wrecking-ball-best. Off in 60th minute.
3. Sione Mafileo – 4
Didn’t budge in the set-piece but offered little around the park. Safe, but the Chiefs will be looking to get something more out of whoever’s wearing the No 3 jersey. Off in 48th minute.
4. Josh Lord – 7
Became a more prominent figure as the game wore on, featuring regularly as a ball-carrier in the second half. The Chiefs’ second-most industrious tackler, racking up 12. Off in 69th minute.
5. Brodie Retallick – 6
Had a busy match in his time on the park, getting stuck in on defence and shifting bodies at the breakdown. Left the field with what appeared to be a thumb injury in the 30th minute.
6. Tupou Vaa’i – 5.5
Continues to develop in the blindside flanker role and put one or two good hits on defence but still needs to be more authoritative and influential if it’s a long-term option. Forced one penalty at the breakdown but lost possession with a loose carry or two.
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7. Sam Cane – 6
The Chiefs were bossed at the breakdown this week with Tom Christie and Will Jordan running riot – and some of that falls on the shoulders of the Chiefs’ breakdown leader, Sam Cane. Carted up the ball a few times for good gains, managed one steal and was the Chiefs’ busiest defender but was ultimately outplayed by his opposite.
8. Samipeni Finau – 4.5
It was always going to be an impossible task replacing Pita Gus Sowakula and while Finau was happy to clock up tackles, his impact with ball in hand was negligible. Pinged early for collapsing a Crusaders maul. A poor defensive effort on Scott Barrett gave the Crusaders the momentum they needed for their first try. Off in 60th minute.
9. Brad Weber – 5
It wasn’t a vintage performance from Brad Weber, who wasn’t really able to get his running game going at any stage throughout. A poor first-up box kick put the Chiefs under pressure immediately following kick-off and he made another bad kick error towards the end of the third quarter, hoofing the ball out on the full. Off in 69th minute.
10. Bryn Gatland – 6
Continued to mix up his game, running with ball in hand on a few occasions to keep the Crusaders honest, but struggled to penetrate the defence or fight his way over the advantage line. Showed a nice pair of hands for the first Chiefs try. One especially poor clearance kick put the Chiefs under pressure but the Crusaders botched the subsequent lineout.
11. Etene Nanai-Seturo – 4
Showed nice dancing feet when in space, beating countless defenders, but tended to crab sideways, as opposed to generating any gains. Dropped one ball cold and was entirely ineffective on defence missing more tackles than he made. What happened to the schoolboy sensation?
12. Quinn Tupaea – 6.5
Asked to cart the ball up regularly from the set-piece and generated some useful momentum. Threw a lovely short ball to Nankivell for his second try. On the negative side, copped one penalty for entering the side of a breakdown and dropped a high ball. Off in 60th minute.
13. Alex Nankivell – 8
The most incisive of the Chiefs’ backs. Scored the Chiefs’ first two tries of the game but was at fault for the Crusaders’ second, biting in on David Havili and not failing to execute the tackle. Made a great run off the back of a Chiefs scrum and was primed to set up a third try for the Chiefs but lost the ball as he went to deliver the final pass. Made amends later in the match with another great break that set up a late try for Cortez Ratima.
14. Shaun Stevenson – 7
Looked dangerous on the right wing. Made a nice half-break down the outside to generate some good go-forward en route to the Chiefs’ first try and probably had the better of George Bridge on the offensive side of the game but was beaten under the high ball. Showed a nice touch to send Nankivell away on a big break. Pumped a kick dead after the Chiefs defused the first Crusaders attack, putting his side under pressure, but nothing came of it.
15. Kaleb Trask – 6.5
Attacked the line well, whether running the ball back on the counter or just slipping into the Chiefs attacking line. Might not realistically have the height or launch power to be a first-class fullback and was beaten a handful of times under the high ball. Struggled to get much distance on his clearances. Is he worth a run in the No 10 jersey?
Reserves:
16. Tyrone Thompson – 7
On in 60th minute. Added some good impetus off the pine and might have earned himself a permanent bench role with a strong performance in just his second match.
17. Aidan Ross – 5.5
On in 60th minute. Popped up once or twice with ball in hand and maintained the solid scrum.
18. Angus Ta’avao – 4.5
On in 48th minute. Suffered from similar issues as Mafileo.
19. Naitoa Ah Kuoi – 7
On in 30th minute. Became a key lineout option for the Chiefs as soon as he joined the match and was prominent on both sides of the ball. Disrupted the Crusaders ball at the breakdown. He has a lower profile than his three All Blacks locking teammates but is just as good in every facet of the game.
20. Kaylum Boshier – 5
On in 60th minute. Looked to get himself involved. Loss the ball with one carry.
21. Mitch Jacobson – N/A
On in 69th minute. Trucked up the ball a few times in his Chiefs debut.
22. Cortez Ratima – 6.5
On in 69th minute. Added great impact off the bench, scoring a late try for the Chiefs. Cost his team from the next kick-off, however, with a poor box kick that resulted in a penalty and, ultimately, the Crusaders’ final try.
23. Josh Ioane – 5
On in 60th minute. Made one good carry but otherwise had little influence in a relatively unfamiliar midfield role.
Comments on RugbyPass
It’s impressive that we can see huge stadiums with attendance in the 40 000 to 50 000 region. It shows how popular this competition is becoming. What is even more impressive is the massive growth in broadcast viewership. The URC is one of the two best leagues in the World, the other being the Top14.
6 Go to commentsChristie is not Sottish, like the majority of the Scotland team.
2 Go to commentsHold the phone, decline over-rated. Is it a one game, dead cat bounce or the real thing? Has the Penney dropped? Stay tuned.
44 Go to commentsTotally deserved win for the Crusaders Far smarter than the Chiefs who seem to be avoiding the basics when it matters Hotham showed them what was missing and Hannah seems a real find - a tad light but that can be fixed over time
8 Go to commentsGreat insight into the performance culture with Sarries and I predict Christie will be a fixture in the Scotland team now for some time to come. However, he is slightly missing his own point around Scotland “being soft” when he cites physicality examples in defence of that slight. The issue is much closer to the example he referenced around feeling off before a game but being told “it doesn’t matter, you can still play well” by Farrell. Until Scotland can get their psyche in that square, they will carry on folding under extreme pressure…
2 Go to comments> We are having to adapt, evolve and innovate more than when we were in Super Rugby where there was only really one style that everybody had to play to gain the most success. Have = able to? Interesting what that one style might be? I thought SA sides still had bad tours now, or at least bad schedule, months away? Those extra few hours flights have to be a killer though, no surprise to see their sides doing so badly at the start of the season each year. I wouldn’t enjoy that unfairness as a supporter.
6 Go to commentsThe problem for NZ, and Aus, is they ripped up the SR model and lost a massive chunk of revenue that hasn’t been replaced. Don’t forget SA clubs went North because they were left with no choice, Argy unceremoniously binned and Japan cast adrift. Now SR wasn’t perfect, far from it, but they’ve jumped into something without an effective plan, so far, to replace what they’ve lost. The biggest revenue potential now lies in Japan but it won’t be easy or quick to unlock, they are incredibly insular in culture as a nation. In the meantime, there is a serious time bomb sitting under SH rugby and if it happens then the current financial challenges will look like a picnic. IF the Boks follow their provincial teams and head north then it’s revenue meltdown. Not guaranteed to happen but the status quo is a very odd hybrid, with the Boks pointing one way and the clubs pointing the other way. And for as long as that remains then the threat is real.
44 Go to commentsI think Etene has had some good tuition, likely while at the Warriors to be a professional that helped his rugby jump, but he was certainly thrown in the deep end way too early. Should have arguably 20 less SR caps, and therefor a way better record that he does at his age, but his development would have been fast tracked by the need to satiate his signing away from league. Again, credit to him and others that he has done it so well. Easy to fall over under that pressure in the big leagues like that but he kept at it when I myself wasn’t sure he was good enough.
1 Go to commentsAwesome story. I wonder what a bigger American (SA) scene might have mean for Brex.
1 Go to comments“Johnny McNicholl and the Crusaders” save a Penney. Who has been in camp this week and showed them how to play?
8 Go to commentsSo, reports of the Crusaders’ demise / terminal decline are perhaps just - slightly - premature/exaggerated…? 🤔 Will we see a deep-dive into that by the estimable Rugbypass scribes, and maybe one or two mea culpas? Thought not.
8 Go to comments1. The Chiefs are rudderless without DMac, which enhances his AB chances 2. Chiefs pack are powderpuffs. The hard men arent there anymore 3. They had their golden title chance last yr and wont threaten this yr. Gone in second round of playoffs.
8 Go to commentsHonestly, why did you have to publish such a foolish article the day they play us? 😂
44 Go to comments> They are not standalone entities. They are linked to an amateur association which holds the FFR licence that allows the professional side to compete in the league. That’s a great rule. This looks like the chicken or egg professional scenario. How long is it going to be before the club can break even (if that is even a thing in French rugby)? If the locals aren’t into well it would be good to se them drop to amateur level (is it that far?). Hope they can reset from this level and be more practical, there will be a time when they can rebuild (if France has there setup right).
1 Go to commentsWhat about changing the ball? To something heavier and more pointed that bounces unpredictably. Not this almost round football used these days.
35 Go to commentsThis is the problem with conservative mindsets and phycology, and homogenous sports, everybody wants to be the same, use the i-win template. Athlete wise everyone has to have muscles and work at the gym to make themselves more likely to hold on that one tackle. Do those players even wonder if they are now more likely to be tackled by that player as a result of there “work”? Really though, too many questions, Jake. Is it better Jake? Yes, because you still have that rugby of ole that you talk about. Is it at the highest International level anymore? No, but you go to your club or checkout your representative side and still engage with that ‘beautiful game’. Could you also have a bit of that at the top if coaches encouraged there team to play and incentivized players like Damian McKenzie and Ange Capuozzo? Of course we could. Sadly Rugby doesn’t, or didn’t, really know what direction to go when professionalism came. Things like the state of northern pitches didn’t help. Over the last two or three decades I feel like I’ve been fortunate to have all that Jake wants. There was International quality Super Rugby to adore, then the next level below I could watch club mates, pulling 9 to 5s, take on the countries best in representative rugby. Rugby played with flair and not too much riding on the consequences. It was beautiful. That largely still exists today, but with the world of rugby not quite getting things right, the picture is now being painted in NZ that that level of rugby is not required in the “pathway” to Super Rugby or All Black rugby. You might wonder if NZR is right and the pathway shouldn’t include the ‘amateur’, but let me tell you, even though the NPC might be made up of people still having to pull 9-5s, we know these people still have dreams to get out of that, and aren’t likely to give them. They will be lost. That will put a real strain on the concept of whether “visceral thrill, derring-do and joyful abandon” type rugby will remain under the professional level here in NZ. I think at some point that can be eroded as well. If only wanting the best athlete’s at the top level wasn’t enough to lose that, shutting off the next group, or level, or rugby players from easy access to express and showcase themselves certainly will. That all comes back around to the same question of professionalism in rugby and whether it got things right, and rugby is better now. Maybe the answer is turning into a “no”?
35 Go to commentsWow, didn’t realise there was such apathy to URC in SA, or by Champions Cup teams. Just read Nick’s article on Crusaders, are Sharks a similar circumstance? I think SA rugby has been far more balanced than NZs, no?
4 Go to commentsBut here in Australia we were told Penney was another gun kiwi coach, for the Tahs…….and yet again it turned out the kiwi coach was completely useless. Another con job on Australian rugby. As was Robbie Deans, as was Dave Rennie. Both coaches dumped from NZ and promoted to Australia as our saviour. And the Tahs lap them up knowing they are second rate and knowing that under pressure when their short comings are exposed in Australia as well, that they will fall in below the largest most powerful province and choose second rate Tah players to save their jobs. As they do and exactly as Joe Schmidt will do. Gauranteed. Schmidt was dumped by NZ too. That’s why he went overseas. That why kiwi coaches take jobs in Australia, to try and prove they are not as bad as NZ thought they were. Then when they get found out they try and ingratiate themselves to NZ again by dragging Australian teams down with ridiculous selections and game plans. NZ rugby’s biggest problem is that it can’t yet transition from MCaw Cheatism. They just don’t know how to try and win on your merits. It is still always a contest to see how much cheating you can get away with. Without a cheating genius like McCaw, they are struggling. This I think is why my wise old mate in NZ thinks Robertson will struggle. The Crusaders are the nursery of McCaw Cheatism. Sean Fitzpatrick was probably the father of it. Robertson doesn’t know anything else but other countries have worked it out.
44 Go to commentsIt could be coincidental or prescient that the All Blacks most dominant period under Steve Hansen was when the Crusaders had their least successful period under Todd Blackadder and then the positions reversed when Razor took over the Crusaders.
44 Go to commentsDefinitely sound read everybodyexpects immediate results these days, I don't think any team would travel well at all having lost three of the most important game changers in the game,compiled with the massive injury list they are now carrying, good to see a different more in depth perspective of a coaches history.
3 Go to comments