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
Results probably skewed by the fact that a few clubs have foreign fly halves in their 30s, but most teams have young English scrum halves. Results also likely to be skewed by the fact that many teams rely on centres and fullbacks to provide depth at 10, whereas they will need to stock a large number of specialist backup 9s.
1 Go to commentsI really get the sense that when all is said and done, the path of least resistance will end up being a merger of Wasps & Worcester that essentially kills the Worcester Warriors brand and sees Wasps permanently playing at Sixways. I’m not saying that’s what should happen or what I want to happen. I just think it’s the easiest rout to take and therefore, will be what happens. Wasps will definitely return to play first, and I suppose it all depends on if they can find support at Sixways. If people turn up and support Wasps in that community, at that ground, I bet they drop the Sevenoaks plan and just remain at Sixways. Under the radar but not totally unrelated, it looks as though London Irish are going to be brought back from the dead by a German consortium and look set to return, likely to the remade Championship. It’s set to have 12 clubs next season with 14 in 2025/26, what do you want to bet those extra 2 are Wasps and London Irish?
1 Go to commentsThe shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to commentsBold headline considering the Canes and Blues are 1 and 2 and the Brumbies were soundly beaten by the Chiefs and Blues. Biggest surprise is Rebels 4 Crusaders 12 - no one saw that coming. If Aus are improving that’s great 👍
1 Go to commentsAnna, You are right, we need to have patience whilst the others catch up to England and France. Also it is the PWR that has been the game changer for England. the RFU put money into that initially at the expense of the Red Roses. I was sceptical at first but it has paid off in spades.
1 Go to commentsI think Matt Proctor became a 1 test AB in the same fixture. Cameron is quality and has been great this season, can’t believe’s he only 27. Realistically how would he not be selected for ABs squad this year. Only Dmac is ahead of him as a specialist 10. With Jordan out, it will come down to where and when Beauden Barrett slots back in, and where they want to play Ruben Love. Cameron seems an absolute lock in for the wider squad though. Added benefit of TJ-Cameron-Jordie combination at 9, 10, 11 too.
1 Go to commentsFarcical, to what end would someone want to pay to keep this thing going.
1 Go to commentsHavili, our best 12 by a mile, will be in the squad, if he stays fit. JB is the most overrated AB in the last 50 years.
61 Go to commentsWe had during the week twilight footy, twilight cricket, tw golf plus there was the athletics club. Then the weekend was rugby 15s plus the net ball, really busy club scene back then but so much has changed and rugby has suffered. And it was all about changing lifestyles.
6 Go to commentsIn the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getting to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
6 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
8 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
6 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
56 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
8 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
61 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to comments