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Chiefs player ratings vs Highlanders | Super Rugby Pacific
Chiefs got their Super Rugby Pacific season underway against the Highlanders at Wakatipu Rugby Club in Queenstown. The clash had a provincial feel to it, with both teams shaking off the rust.
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Chiefs took control of the game early under the watch of new flyhalf Josh Ioane and never looked too rattled despite a late charge by the Highlanders in the second half. Chiefs emerged victorious 26-16 with a late penalty goal to put it beyond doubt.
This is how the Chiefs rated:
1. Ollie Norris – 6
The 22-year old prop picked up the slack at scrum time when the lineout failed to fire. Did some hard carrying to keep the Chiefs going forward in attack.
2. Bradley Slater – 4.5
Tough day for Slater as he struggled out of the gates. He was shaky with his lineout throws leading to a few missed opportunities. Replaced shortly after halftime.
3. Sione Mafelio – 6
The hard-running tighthead was serviceable and got around the park to support his forwards. Did his job at scrum time as the Chiefs won a few against the head.
4. Laghlan McWhannell – 6
Carried through the middle to earn some hard-fought metres. Allowed the Chiefs to set a strong platform for the backs. Provided some tall timber in the line-out and improved as the game went on.
5. Brodie Retallick – 7
The All Blacks lock was back and ready to unleash. Was at his best and led from the front in set-piece. Managed an out-the-back flick ball to set up his fullback Narawa for a try.
6. Luke Jacobson – 5
Was industrious as ever for the Chiefs but was unfortunately replaced at halftime after suffering a knock.
7. Sam Cane – 7.5
Had a big impact in the Chiefs first hit-out. Got the opening try of the game by backing up Nankivell. It was encouraging to see him put his hand up in defence making 11 tackles and terrorised the Highlanders rucks all game
8. Pita Gus Sowakula – 8
Was damaging around the grounds. Pulled off an athletic try by hurdling over Aaron Smith to score in the corner just before half time. Created plenty of chances for the Chiefs through strong carrying and offloading.
9. Xavier Roe – 7
The exciting young scrumhalf set the tempo early. Set up the Chiefs first try through a cheek dart off the scrum and offloaded to Nankivell. His kicking from the base of the ruck put his team in great field position and even managed to bag himself a 50/22.
10. Josh Ioane – 7
It was an impressive debut in Chiefs colours for the flyhalf. He opened the scoring for the day with a penalty goal and kept the scoreboard ticking throughout the game. He was prepared to play at the line and chance his arm with some wide cut-out passes to create space for his outside backs.
11. Jonah Lowe – 5
Took his chances when he received the ball but was well contained by his opposite number.
12. Quinn Tupaea – 5.5
Had a quiet day by his standards after a bis season in Super Rugby last year. Had some strong runs through the middle and still made 47 metres. Was staunch in defence.
13. Alex Nankivell – 6
Was involved in the Chiefs opening try, popping off to Sam Cane who went under the posts. In defence he didn’t allow the Highlanders much room to move through the middle. Lost the pill in a few carries towards the end of the game.
14. Shaun Stevenson – 6.5
Found plenty of space on the wing and choose his moments to slice through the defence, making over 55 metres. Was solid in defence and didn’t let too much traffic through down his sideline.
15. Emoni Narawa – 6
The excitement machine at the back was well-contained but did have a few breakout moments. Went looking for work and was the beneficiary of a miraculous Retallick offload to score in the second half.
Reserves
16. Samisoni Taukei’aho – 6
Was impactful at scrum time when he come on after halftime. Gave away a few penalties at the ruck. Put on the afterburners to chase a Fakatava kick to save a try in the 80th minute.
17. Atu Moli – N/A
Gave away a penalty in his first scrum of the game but soon got back on track.
18. Angus Ta’avao – 6
Always handy to bring on an All Black prop. He was solid in the scrum, winning a crucial penalty when the Highlanders were on the march in the 60th minute.
19. Naitoa Ah Kuoi – 5
Came on at the 66th minute and had five carries for 18 metres.
20. Kaylum Boshier – 5
Started the second half in place of Jacobson and was a menace in the ruck.
21. Brad Weber – 6
Lifted the tempo when he came on and his service was crisp. Was always a threat from the base of the ruck.
22. Bryn Gatland – 5.5
Got a big portion of the second half to lead around the backline but couldn’t impose himself. Was handy off the boot to keep the Highlanders at a distance.
23. Chase Tiatia – N/A
Came on at the 66th minute but didn’t have much impact on the game.
Comments on RugbyPass
Can’t wait for the article that talks about misogyny in Ireland. Somehow.
11 Go to commentsI would like to see a rule change, when the attacking team is held up over the try line, by allowing the defensive team to restart a goal line drop out releases the pressure for the defensive team, but what if the attacking team had to restart a tap 5m out from the defensive team it gives the attacking team to apply more pressure, there are endless options for the attacking side and it will keep the fans in suspence.
2 Go to commentsLess modern South African males predictably triggered.
11 Go to commentsMy heart is with Quins, but the head is convinced Toulouse have too much. Ntamack is back, his timing and wisdom has been missed.
1 Go to commentsWow, what a starting line up for the Sharks) Tasty up front,kremer vs Tshituka or venter …fiery ,,Lavannini ,,will he knobble etzebeth? Biggest game for belleau?
1 Go to commentsIt was rubbish to watch, Blues weren’t even present. Did what they had to do, nothing more. Should be better next week against canes.
1 Go to commentsI’ve just noticed that this match has an all-French refereeing team. Surely a game like this ought to have a neutral ref? Although looking at the BBC preview of the Saints game, Raynal is also down as reffing that - so there may be some confusion about who is reffing what.
1 Go to commentsIf Havili can play anywhere in the back line, why not first 5. #10.
11 Go to commentsThe dressing room had already left for their summer break before they ran out in Dublin that year, and that’s on the coach. Franco Smith has undoubtedly made progress, particularly their maul, developing squad players and increasing squad depth. And against a very tight budget too. That said they were too lightweight last year and got found out against both Toulon and Munster in consecutive games. Better this season so far but they’ve developed something of a slow start habit occasionally, most notably losing at home to Northampton who played them at their own game. Play offs will ultimately show whether there has been tangible progress on last year, or not…!
2 Go to commentsAustralian Rugby has been a disaster, by not incorporating learning from previous successful campaigns. QLD Reds 2011 - Waratahs 2014. Players, coaches and administrators appoint there representatives for scheduled meetings, organisation’s agreement’s assessments and correspondence. This why a unified Rugby Union under one entity works. Every Rugby nation has taken that path. Was most difficult in the Northern hemisphere with over 100 years of club rugby before the game become professional. Took a lot of humility for those unions to eventually work together.
7 Go to commentsThough Wilson’s sacking was pretty brutal, it wasn’t just down to that Leinster game; Glasgow had a lot of 2nd half collapses that season, in the URC and Europe, and only just scraped into the playoffs. Franco Smith has definitely been an improvement, some players are delivering far more than they did under Wilson.
2 Go to commentsjesus - that front 5!
1 Go to commentsShould be an absolute cracker of a game! Will be great to see DuPont & Ntamack in tandem once again🔥
1 Go to commentsBest team ever…. To have played? These guys are still pressure chokers. Came nowhere when it counted. What a joke
81 Go to commentsMusk defends anonymous terrorism, fascism, threats against individuals and children etc etc But a Rugby club account….lock ‘em up!!!
1 Go to commentsActually the era defining moment came a few years earlier. February 2002 to be precise, when Michael D Higgins as finance minister at the time introduced his sports persons tax relief bill to the dial. As the politicians of the day stated “It seems to be another daft K Club frolic born in Kildare amongst the well-paid professional jockeys with whom the Minister plays golf” and that the scheme represented “a savage uncaring vision of Ireland and one that should be condemned”. The irfu and Leinster would be nowhere near the position they are in today without this key component of the finances.
5 Go to commentsIt is crystal clear that people who make such threats on line should be tried and imprisoned. Those with responsibility in social media companies who don’t facilitate this should be convicted. In real life, I have free speech to approach someone like Reinach and verbally threaten him. I am risking a conviction or a slap but I could do it. In the old days, If someone anonymously threatened someone by letter the police would ask and use evidence from the postal system. Unlike the Post, social media companies have complete instant and legal access to the content in social media. They make money from the data, billions. Yet, they turn a blind eye to terrorism, Nazi-ism and industrial levels of threats against individuals including their address and childrens schools being published online all from ananoymous accounts not real people. They claim free speech. Free speech for anonymous trolls/voilent thugs threatening people under false names? The fault is with the perps but also social media companies who think anonymous personas posting death threats constitutes free speech.
2 Go to commentsSo if this ain’t the best Irish team ever then who exactly is? I don’t remember any other Irish team being this good & winning a series in the Land of the Long White Cloud. Yes I may rip them often for 8 X QF RWC exits & twice not even making it to the QF, but they’re a damn good team who many think can only improve, including me!
81 Go to commentsNot a squeek out of Leinster for weeks about this match. So quiet. The first team have been quitely building for this encounter under Nienaber’s direction. All fresh, all highly motivated. They are expecting a season’s best performance from Northhampton. They will match that. They will be fresher and apparently they will have 80,000 out of the 83,000 shouting for them. I do expect Northhampton to turn up big time. Not to be missed. On a tangent it is evident how the loss of a few Premiership teams has in some respect helped other Premiership teams and England. More quality over less teams makes the teams better, which has a knock on effect on England. Not the only factor contributing to England’s rise but one of them.
5 Go to commentsOur very own monster teddy bear Ox😍💪
17 Go to comments