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'Embarrassing and disappointing': Chiefs tight five take hard look in mirror after Crusaders domination
It’s never easy coming up against a pack of All Blacks, but that’s of little consolation to Chiefs prop Aidan Ross following last weekend’s demolition at the hands of the Crusaders.
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Ross, a late-game substitute, was a first-hand witness of the destruction caused by the likes of George Bower, Codie Taylor, Michael Alaalatoa and Joe Moody – while Crusaders newbie Fletcher Newell got in on the action too.
Moody, in particular, was causing havoc for the Chiefs’ Sione Mafileo, earning two penalties from the set-piece – while the Chiefs also gave away a pair of free kicks.
All in all, it was a complete massacre – and Ross plans to right those wrongs against the Hurricanes on Saturday.
“Especially the tight five, we took some learnings, some real deep learnings [out of the defeat and lost] a bit of pride last weekend,” Ross said following the Chiefs’ team announcement.
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“We don’t want to feel that hurt again this week because it was pretty embarrassing and disappointing what happened last week so we want to make sure we don’t get that feeling, we want to put those wrongs right.
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“It’s never nice going backwards. There’s a couple of areas in the game where it hits your pride, I think, and going backwards at scrum time is one of them.”
The re-introduction of Ross, the man who’s anchored the Chiefs scrum for much of the past three seasons, should help sure up last week’s shakey set-piece – although the challenge won’t be quite so brutal on Saturday.
While the Hurricanes don’t have the forward pack of the Crusaders or even the Blues, they still have some handy operators – including All Blacks prop Tyrel Lomax, who will line up opposite Ross.
That’s of no concern to the 25-year-old, however.
“We know where we went wrong last week and we’ve done a bloody good job working hard to rectify that this week,” he said. “I don’t think it’s going in there to have the mindset of they’ve got the dominant scrum – we’ve also got to back ourselves and back the players that we’ve got in the pack and take that forward.”
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Despite Clayton McMillan singing Bryn Gatland's praises, Gatland has missed out on the 23 altogether for Saturday night's game. What gives? #SuperRugbyAotearoa #HURvCHIhttps://t.co/bFzviIddfR
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) March 19, 2021
Ross has taken over from Reuben O’Neill, the man who toured Japan and Europe with the All Blacks at the end of 2018 but didn’t get the opportunity to make it onto the park.
O’Neill was sidelined for the entire Super Rugby season in 2019 and finally made his debut for the Chiefs last year, earning two starts and eight appearances off the bench.
O’Neill has missed out on the 23 altogether this week, with uncapped 24-year-old Joe Apikotoa joining the bench, while Ollie Norris will cover the tighthead role in Mafileo’s absence.
“Reuben O’Neill has had a really big pre-season, [we’re] really mindful of that,” said Chiefs head coach Clayton McMillan. “[He’s] broken down a couple of times over the last few years and don’t want to keep pushing him so much such that he actually falls over again – [we] can’t afford that luxury.
“Sione Mafileo’s been carrying a niggling back injury for the last couple of weeks. [It’s a] little bit of rotation, but a lot sort of just been determined by where guys are at physically.”
Saturday’s match kicks off at 7:05pm from Sky Stadium in Wellington. The game will be broadcast live on RugbyPass for subscribers in relevant territories who hold a Super Rugby Aotearoa pass.
Comments on RugbyPass
Thanks BeeMc! Looks like many teams need extra time to settle from the quadrennial northern migration. I think generally the quality of the Rugby has held up. Fiji has been fantastic and fun to watch
13 Go to commentsLets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
11 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
9 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
11 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“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
4 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.
9 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…??? 🤑🤑🤑
35 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
35 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)
4 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?
5 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.
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