Chiefs player ratings vs Hurricanes | Super Rugby Aotearoa
The Chiefs have certainly got themselves into the habit of winning after another last minute victory, this time over the Hurricanes 26-24 in Hamilton. That makes it five in a row!
Damian McKenzie was the man who smacked the penalty from 45 metres in the last seconds, but the Chiefs scrummagers were the big heroes for the full 80.
Here’re the Chiefs’ ratings
1. Aidan Ross – 7.5
Strong scrummaging and spirited work around the park. He’s continuing his good form and a black number 1 jersey is possible if he can keep it up. Off at 53.
2. Samisoni Taukei’aho – 6
Very quiet game with ball in hand, the Canes seemed to successfully close him down. He was part of a dominant scrum but one wobble at the lineout. Off at 53.
3. Angus Ta’avao – 7.5
He’s such a valuable cog in this machine and he’s giving a load of loosehead props nightmares this season. He’s more than a rock though, good tackling and a slinky ball to give ALB his unsuccessful chance to score at 28 minutes. A minute later he called a scrum 5 metres out from a penalty ref Paul Williams said “I know you want a scrum but how about your skipper?” Off at 69.
4. Tupou Vaa’i – 7
Didn’t start so well for the lock as he was drawn to Jordie Barrett and missed Blackwell for his try in the first minute. However, he came back well to contribute around the field and won a couple of crucial turnovers.
5. Naitoa Ah Kuoi – 7
Awesome busy all round performance. He’s a go to lineout option and gobsmacking playmaking at 41 minutes with two magic balls in tight spaces. Off at 53.
6. Mitch Brown – 6.5
Has a great engine and allows his athletic locking partners to show their skills. 13 tackles and a disciplined outing, although had a gritty little tussle with Lomax.
7. Lachlan Boshier – 7
Showed the All Black selectors that he is a powerful option for them at 7, the game’s top tackler and over shadowed Kirifi, admittedly in a pack going forward. There aren’t many weaknesses, loved his skills with ball in hand with a scything run at 16 minutes.
8. Pita Gus Sowakula – 7
Muffed his first chance to score dropping the chip kick at 16 minutes. At 25 minutes he got going for a golden five minute period. After an impressive scrum he featured 3 times in attack, won a lineout ball and then an easy finish for his try at 30 minutes. The perfect replacement for Jacobson.
Another late penalty goal by Damian McKenzie has handed the Chiefs their fifth consecutive Super Rugby Aotearoa victory as they toppled the Hurricanes 26-24 in Hamilton. #CHIvHUR #SuperRugbyAotearoa https://t.co/HJVCyJVenj
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) April 23, 2021
9. Brad Weber – 6.5
He is always a danger with ball in hand and his coverage through phases is not far behind Aaron Smith. His defence was much better tonight than the last few outings. Off at 58.
10. Bryn Gatland – 6.5
Didn’t start on fire, kicked out on the full in the 3rd minute after Blackwell’s try, however as the game went on he showed good value for his side. Good dependable defence on the hard-running Canes midfield, and a nice momentum builder as he showed soccer skills at the back of a lineout at 46 minutes to get the Chiefs a good camping spot close to Canes line, then cut inside Ruben Love for a try. Off at 58.
11. Etene Nanai-Seturo – 7.5
It’s great to see a wing who is hungry for work…. well, this guy is ravenous! In the first half alone he had 8 carries for 65 metres, popping up left and right getting his hands on the ball, making telling tackles and being used for his left foot exits. Off at 69.
12. Alex Nankivell – 5.5
Amazing pick up and spin at 36 minutes and then missed out seconds later in the corner for a try. Good tackle count in the 1st half but seemed to fade, he missed a tackle at 51 minutes on Flanders that changed momentum and then offside at 64 minutes.
13. Anton Lienert-Brown – 7
Numbers weren’t great but he acts with such belief and you can see the players lift when he makes one of his big plays on either side of the ball.
14. Jonah Lowe – 6.5
The stats showed he ran 7 times for 75 metres. He knows how to stay in the field of play with the classic head down and step off his right foot.
15. Damian McKenzie –8
There was a lot of chatter with the move to fullback this week but his transition into the attacking line after a turnover at 16 minutes, the pass to Boshier into a gap and then a creative chip showed what he can do for the attack from the back. His error at 76 minutes where he punted too long to give the Canes an attacking scrum looked as though finally his golden touch had deserted him but minutes later he got the chance to win it and nailed it!
We've got DMac déjà vu. The little rascal has only gone and done it again ?
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— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) April 23, 2021
Reserves:
16. Nathan Harris – 5
On at 53 and didn’t reach the heights of last week. Lineout got the jitters and he hit a maul just as Aumua broke away to score his try.
17. Ollie Norris – 6
On at 53. Good, solid outing in the loose and tight.
18. Sione Mafileo – 6
On at 69 and continued scrum dominance including winning the last minute penalty.
19. Samipeni Finau – N/A
On at 53.
20. Kaylum Boshier – N/A
On at 69.
21. Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi – 6
On at 58. Seemed to be more measured and considered tonight, definite improvement.
22. Rameka Poihipi – 5.5
On at 69. Frenetic and tried to get himself involved.
23. Shaun Stevenson – N/A
On at 58.
Comments on RugbyPass
Thanks 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 🤐
13 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….
13 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 💪
13 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
12 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.
13 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
13 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
13 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
13 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
45 Go to comments