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Chiefs versus Hurricanes back-to-back could’ve been career altering
The Hurricanes and Chiefs both did the job they needed to last night to keep their hopes of a home playoff game alive – win.
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The Chiefs fought off a fast-finishing Brumbies side 24-19 to end their season, while the Hurricanes blew away the Blues 42-24 at the Caketin. The Crusaders win on Friday night in their Southern derby against the Highlanders sealed their fate as Super Rugby’s number one seed for the playoffs.
This unfairly means the second and third best teams in the competition, the Hurricanes and Chiefs, will be forced to face off in a quarterfinal death match while the other two weaker conference winners enjoy the spoils of home ground advantage. What’s more, both these teams play in the final round next weekend providing back-to-back clashes of two of Super Rugby’s best teams – but it’s not as appealing as it sounds.
The Hurricanes lead the Chiefs by five competition points, which makes their equation a lot easier. Just secure a bonus point and be assured of home ground advantage in the rematch. The Chiefs, on the other hand, have to win and win big to stay in Hamilton another week – not only do they need the bonus point, they need to erase a points differential of 44 to jump them on the ladder.
The Highlanders in sixth position, for what it’s worth, face an even bigger mountain to climb if they want to leapfrog the Chiefs in fifth spot (a bonus point win by 105 points against the Rebels).
So what could’ve been a high stakes Chiefs-Hurricanes clash next weekend now looks more like a redundant exercise for both teams who look safe to finish the season where they sit now. Unless the Chiefs back themselves to beat the Hurricanes by 44 points, both sides have an incentive to rest key players as the standings can’t be altered.
Losing Damian McKenzie or Beauden Barrett in a meaningless game would then hand the other an advantage for the finals rematch. Securing a crucial bonus point win last night against the Blues was critical for the Hurricanes in making this a bridge too far for the Chiefs, who failed to get a bonus point from their fixture.
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This ultimately means we will miss out on McKenzie against Barrett in back-t0-back high stakes clashes. This could’ve been career altering for the two. McKenzie’s third test start against France put Barrett on notice that the All Blacks can fire with another 10 at the helm. In fact, they probably looked better than any stage of the series when Barrett was pulling the strings without McKenzie on the field.
The chance to battle twice in a row with home ground advantage on the line and then for everything in a do-or-die finals clash would’ve been the perfect way to challenge Barrett’s throne. In the same way Barrett’s form two years ago spelled the end of Aaron Cruden’s short reign, McKenzie could add more pressure to his case. On the flip side, handing the Chiefs another playoff exit after punishing them in their backyard could’ve been the exclamation mark for Barrett to see off McKenzie.
We will still get this matchup in two weeks time, but it will only be half as good as the prequel will be a trial match – Barrett likely won’t even play. The Hurricanes will get home ground advantage and play the contest that matters at Westpac Stadium where they are 8-0 this season, firmly stacking the odds in Barrett’s favour.
And the Hurricanes wouldn’t be in this cushy position if it wasn’t for Barrett’s miraculous intercept – that try sealed the bonus point which makes it near impossible for the Chiefs to jump them.
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Barrett catching that tipped ball may be more important than he knows.
Comments on RugbyPass
Well where do you start, the fact that England have a professional domestic league and Ireland’s is fully amatuer, that they have fully seperated professional squads at Fifteens and Sevens (7’s thinly disguised as GB), and Ireland have fully pro Sevens squad who loan some players back to the Semi-Professional Fifteens squad (moved from amateur for only a year or so) for a few games at 6N & RWC’s. The Women’s games is a shambles, and is at risk of killing itself by pushing for professionalism when the market isn’t really there to support it outside one or two countnries..
2 Go to commentsWayne Smith's input didn't have as much impact on the last final as Davison's red card for Thompson. England were 14 points up and flying when that happened.
2 Go to commentsBilly's been playing consistently well for 2 - 3 seasons now and deserves a look in at the top level. Ioane and ALB are still first choice but there needs to be injury cover and succession. His partnership with Jordie gives him first dibs you'd think. Go the Hurricanes.
3 Go to commentsIt’s not up to Wales to support Georgian Rugby. That’s up to International Rugby and Georgia. I sympathise with Georgia’s decent attempt to create this fixture. But for Wales the proposed match up is just a potential stick to beat them with and a potential big psychological blow that young Welsh team doesn’t need. (I’m Irish BTW.)
2 Go to commentsCale certainly looks great in space, but as you say, he has struggled in contact. At 23 years old, turning 24 this year, he should be close to full physical maturity and yet there exists a considerable gap in the power and physicality required for international rugby. Weight doesn’t automatically equate to power and physicality either. Can he go from a player who’s being physically dominated in Super rugby to physically dominating in international rugby in 1 or 2 years? That’s a big ask but he may end up being a late bloomer.
28 Go to commentsIf rugby wants to remain interesting in the AI era then it will need to work on changing the rules. AI will reduce the tactical advantage of smart game plans, will neutralize primary attacking weapons, and will move rugby from a being a game of inches to a game of millimetres. It will be about sheer athleticism and technique,about avoiding mistakes, and about referees. Many fans will find that boring. The answer is to add creative degrees of freedom to the game. The 50-22 is an example. But we can have fun inventing others, like the right to add more players for X minutes per game, or the equivalent of the 2-point conversion in American football, the ability to call a 12-player scrum, etc. Not saying these are great ideas, but making the point that the more of these alternatives you allow, the less AI will be able to lock down high-probability strategies. This is not because AI does not have the compute power, but because it has more choices and has less data, or less-specific data. That will take time and debate, but big, positive and immediate impact could be in the area of ref/TMO assistance. The technology is easily good enough today to detect forward passes, not-straight lineouts, offside at breakdown/scrum/lineout, obstruction, early/late tackles, and a lot of other things. WR should be ultra aggressive in doing this, as it will really help in an area in which the game is really struggling. In the long run there needs to be substantial creativity applied to the rules. Without that AI (along with all of the pro innovations) will turn rugby into a bash fest.
24 Go to commentsSouth Africa rarely play Ireland and France on these tours. Mostly, England, Scotland and Wales. I wonder why
2 Go to commentsIt was a let’s-see-what-you're-made-of type of a game. The Bulls do look good when the opposition allows them to, but Munster shut them down, and they could not find a way through. Jake should be very worried about their chances in the competition.
2 Go to commentsHats off to Fabian for a very impressive journey to date. Is it as ‘uniquely unlikely’ as Rugby Pass suggests, given Anton Segner’s journey at the Blues?
1 Go to commentsSad that this was not confirmed. When administrators talk about expanding the game they evidently don’t include pathways to the top tier of rugby for teams outside of the old boys club. Rugby deserves better, and certainly Georgia does.
2 Go to commentsLions might take him on if they move on Van Rooyen but I doubt he will want to go back, might consider it a step backwards for himself. Sharks would take him on but if Plumtree goes on to win the challenge cup they will keep him on. Also sharks showing some promising signs recently. Stormers and Bulls are stable and Springboks are already filled up. Quality coach though, interesting to see where he ends up
1 Go to commentsAnd the person responsible for creating a culture of accountability is?
3 Go to commentsMore useless words from Ben Smith -Please get another team to write about. SA really dont need your input, it suck anyway.
264 Go to commentsThis disgraceful episode must result in management and coach team sackings. A new manager with worse results than previous and the coaching staff need to coached. Awful massacre led by donkeys.
1 Go to commentsInteresting article with one glaring mistake. This sentence: “And between the top four nations right now, Ireland, France, South Africa, and New Zealand…” should read: And between the top four nations right now, South Africa, Ireland, New Zealand and France…”. Get it right wistful thinkers, its not that hard.
24 Go to commentsHow did Penny get the gig anyway?
3 Go to commentsNice write up Nick and I would have agreed a week ago. However as you would know Cale & co got absolutely monstered by the Blues back row of Sotutu, Ioane and Papaliti and not all of these 3 are guaranteed a start in the Black jumper. He may need to put some kgs before stepping up, Spring tour? After the week end Joe will be a bit more restless. Will need to pick a mobile tough pack for Wales and hope England does the right thing and bashes the ABs. I like your last paragraph but I would bring Swinton, Hannigan into the 6 role and Bobby V to 8
28 Go to commentsThe Crusaders can still get in to the Play Off’s. The imminent return of outstanding captain Scott Barrett and his All Black team mate Codie Taylor will be a big boost.There are others like Tamaiti Williams too. Two home games coming up. Fellow Crusader fans get there and support these guys. I will be.
2 Go to commentsCant get more Wellington than Proctor.
3 Go to commentsWhy not let the media decide. Like how they choose the head coach. Like most of us we entrust the rugby system to choose. A rugby team includes the coaches. It's collective.
14 Go to comments