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Chiefs player ratings vs highlanders | Super Rugby Pacific
The Highlanders and Chiefs have started their 2023 Super Rugby Pacific campaigns with polar opposite results, the Chiefs have claimed two bonus point wins over the first two rounds while the Highlanders have seen their opposition claim bonus point wins.
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Super Rugby’s win predictor sat at 84% in favour of the Chiefs for this match, and the Highlanders started the match with a kickoff going out on the full which didn’t elevate hopes of an upset.
The Highlanders however showed improved accuracy at set piece time and handled the Chiefs’ varied attack well to run into the sheds with a halftime score of 8-0.
The rain came in for the second half and a yellow card to Shannon Frizzel saw the Chiefs come to life for that 10-minute period.
The contest was a physical one and the Highlanders suffered, adding more players to an already lengthy injury list in 2023, even finishing the game with Aaron Smith playing at first five.
A final score of 28-7 was a fair reflection of a tough battle in Hamilton.
Here’s how the Chiefs rated:
1. Aidan Ross – 7
Dropped the ball cold on a Highlanders overthrow at the lineout. Penalties went both ways at scrum time but Ross looked to have the better of his opposite when the platforms were strong.
2. Samisoni Taukei’aho – 9
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Taukei’aho is just a cheat code for front foot ball. He was penalised for rolling with ball in hand early but otherwise another extraordinary performance from the hooker.
3. John Ryan – 7
Ryan proved to be a willing contributor to the Chiefs’ rapid gameplan on attack, stepping in at halfback a couple of times and displaying some decent distribution skills. Also a solid game at set piece time.
4. Brodie Retallick – 8
Held his own in some heavy contact and provided the tidy set-piece performance you’d expect from the All Black veteran.
5. Tupou Vaa’i – N/A
Off early.
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6. Naitoa Ah Kuoi – 7
One or two disciplinary issues but an energetic performance from the agile utility forward.
7. Sam Cane – 7.5
Won a turnover and got through a mountain of work defensively as always. Very unlucky to be yellow-carded.
8. Luke Jacobson – 8
Went flying into the defensive contact with intent, often missing his target in the early passages. Controlled that enthusiasm as the game wore on and had a very positive influence for the Chiefs.
9. Brad Weber – 8
Penalised for blocking early, giving the Highlanders their first opportunity at points. Was on song for all of the Chiefs’ attacking variations and picked his moments well to run, making plenty of meters.
10. Damian McKenzie – 8
Picked up where he left off over the opening two rounds with some dynamic carries. Excellent start to the kicking game and was pulling strings and manipulating the Highlanders’ defence. Missed touch twice and had a shocking night off the tee by McKenzie’s standards.
11. Etene Nanai-Seturo – 7.5
Hit the gap perfectly for the game’s opening try. Had a few more touches in this match than last week and showed impressive physicality along with his pace. A bit too trigger-happy with the chip-through kicks given the shaky execution.
12. Rameka Poihipi – 8
Poihipi is blossoming in the midfield with so many attacking threats to combine with. Often used to take it to the line and straighten up the attack but offered some nice distribution skills including a superb no look try assist to Shaun Stevenson.
13. Alex Nankivell – 8
Another strong all-around performance from Nankivell,
14. Emoni Narawa – 7.5
Got a few opportunities to get his footwork going and beat defenders.
15. Shaun Stevenson – 8.5
A sloppy first touch gifted the Highlanders possession in a good spot. Again electric with ball in hand with some physical influences on defence. Two tries tonight added to his league-leading tally for the season.
Resserves:
16. Bradley Slater – 7
17. Ollie Norris – 7.5
Norris’ agility and skillset opportunities to shine in Super Rugby are few and far between, but you can see his athleticism in the way he bounces off the ground after contact and attacks the ruck and that’s a unique attribute for this Chiefs side to posess.
18. George Dyer – 7
19. Samipeni Finau – 8
On early and quickly penalised but never relinquished his intensity, sprinting into contact from the backfield and putting all his weight into the collisions.
20. Pita Gus Sowakula – 7.5
21. Cortez Ratima – 8
22. Josh Ioane – 7
23. Daniel Rona – 7.5
An impressive debut for Rona, a great influence on both sides of the ball.
Comments on RugbyPass
“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
3 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
2 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
3 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
3 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
3 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
2 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
4 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to commentsJake White is a brilliant coach and a master in the press. This is another masterclass in media relations and PR but its also a very narrow view with arguments that dont always hold water. White wants his team to win, he wants the best players in SA and wants his team competitive. You however have to face up to the reality of a poor exchange rate and big clubs with big budgets. SA Rugby cant compete and unless it can find more money SA players will keep leaving regardless of Springbok eligibility and this happened in 2015 - 2017. Also rugby is not cricket. Cricket has 3 formats and T20 cricket is where the money is at. When it comes to club vs country the IPL is king but that wont happen because the international calendar does not clash with the club calendar in rugby. So the argument about rugby going down the same path as cricket is really a non-starter
22 Go to commentsNZ rugby seem not to have learnt anything from professional rugby. Super rugby was dying and SA left before they died with the competition. SA rugby did a u turn on their approach to international players playing overseas and such players are now selected for Bok teams. As much as each country would love to retain their players playing in local competitions, this is the way the world is evolving my friends. Move with it or stay 20 years behind the times. One more thing. NZ rugby hierarchy think they are the big cheese. Take a more humble approach guys. You do not seem to have your players best interests at heart.
3 Go to commentsBeaches? In Cardiff? Where?
1 Go to commentsHe is right , the Crusaders will be a threat. Scott Barrett, ( particularly), Fergus Burke , Codie Taylor, ( from sabbatical) etc due back soon for the Crusaders. There are others like Zach Gallagher too. People can right the Crusaders off, Top 8 , here we come !!
1 Go to commentsWe will always struggle for money to match the other sides but the least the WRU can do is invest properly in Welsh rugby. Too much has been squandered on vanity projects like the hotel and roof walk amongst others which will never see a massive return. Hanging the 4 pro sides out to dry over the last decade is now coming back to bite the WRU financially as well as on the pitch. You reap what you sow.
1 Go to commentsWhat do you get if you cross a doctor with a fish? A plastic sturgeon
14 Go to commentsWhat happened to feleti Kaitu’u? Hasnt played in a while right?
1 Go to commentsGregor I just can’t agree with you. You are trying to find something that just isn’t there. Jordie Barrett has signed until 2028. By the end of that he would have spent probably 11-12 years on Super Rugby and you say he can’t possibly have one season playing somewhere else. It is absurd. What about this scenario, the NZR play hard ball and he decides to leave and play overseas. How would that affect the competition. There seems to be an agenda by certain journalists to push certain agendas and don’t like it when it’s not to their liking. I fully support the NZR on this. Gregor needs to get a life.
3 Go to commentsHope he stays as believe he can do a great job.
1 Go to comments