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
Good 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.
17 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.
7 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.
17 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
4 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
4 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
26 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
17 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
26 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
17 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
84 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
4 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
17 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
14 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
17 Go to comments