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Chiefs vs Force takeaways: Kiwi team bloodbath coming, McKenzie over Barrett
The Chiefs ran all over the Western Force for 56-7 win in Hamilton to stay in the hunt for a top four finish in Super Rugby Pacific.
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It was one-way traffic as tries to Emoni Narawa, Daniel Rona, Damian McKenzie and Tupou Vaa’i gave the Chiefs a 29-0 lead after 30 minutes.
Rona completed a hat-trick while McKenzie was taken off for what looked like precautionary measures after coming away grimacing.
Here are four takeaways after the Chiefs dominant win over the Force.
Killed on the blindside early
The Force leaked tries early and often to a powerful Chiefs side that isn’t short of weapons.
But it was all too easy for the Chiefs who clearly had eyes for the Force’s leaky maul defence, twice striking down the short side early.
The first one to Daniel Rona came from Cortez Ratima breaking that way and manufacturing a simple two-on-one. Rona’s line was disguised initially by stacking behind the maul.
The Chiefs ran a similar play a second time, sending Damian McKenzie with Rona for a three-on-two. The No.10 cruised over after Ratima put on another assist.
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Up 22-0 early it was basically lights out.
McKenzie over Barrett
Chiefs first five Damian McKenzie is the most valuable player in New Zealand right now. With Richie Mo’unga’s departure and his ineligibility for the All Blacks, McKenzie continues to show why he has to be the All Blacks’ starting No.10.
His poise, control and decision-making has matured but he still has the vision and ability to pull of a wild play if needed. He was in cruise control last night in a big win over the Force and still tore them apart.
We know Beauden Barrett is coming back, and will be a valuable part of the squad, but McKenzie has to be the guy. He’s the best goal kicking option in New Zealand and hit five from six against the Force, most from out wide. With McKenzie off the field from the 57th minute onward, the Chiefs failed to land a conversion.
McKenzie is ready for this chapter of his All Black career.
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What can be salvaged for the Force
The Force’s season is all but over, but there are some positives. This pack has a decent maul, scoring a penalty try on the Chiefs pack. In their win over the Crusaders they put three over.
With a few star recruits the Force could be a lot more competitive and lucky for them the Rebels look like falling apart.
There’s talk that Carter Gordon is looking at the NRL with some suggestions he wouldn’t start at any of the other Australian teams.
Ben Donaldson is a Wallaby, but he wouldn’t keep the No.10 jersey with Carter around. Gordon would start at the Western Force despite the club having six flyhalves on the roster.
The Force should be picking off the Rebels talent and rebuilding a roster to match the quality of the late-2000s.
Top targets should be Teddy Wilson, halfback at the Waratahs, Carter Gordon of the Rebels, Darby Lancaster, 6 foot 4 inside centre Taj Annan at the Reds. Annan is going to be a big body 12 and would offer much more than Hamish Stewart can.
Get the best young talent in the country and put them on the field. Particularly in the backs, they can make a difference.
The Force already have wing Ronan Leahy and centre Henry O’Donnell from last year’s Australia U20s side.
Australia is often too slow to blood young athletic players but look at the Reds this year. Tim Ryan is 20 years old and has been a game changer with five tries in two games. Tom Lynagh at 21 years old looks like a veteran flyhalf.
If they are good enough, they are old enough.
Brumbies for the top two?
Super Rugby Pacific 2024 looks like a three-horse between the North Island power teams, the Chiefs, Blues, Hurricanes.
They have the squad depth to bury teams and that’s what they’ve been doing. All three put up monster scores on the laggard Australian sides.
But the Brumbies are a legitimate player, and could sneak home field advantage for a semi-final over the final stretch.
The run home for them includes the Waratahs (A), Crusaders (H), Rebels (H), Force (A). They can’t afford to drop any of those games, but they are all winnable against bottom tier opponents.
The Blues, Chiefs and Hurricanes all play each other over the final month. The Brumbies will hope the Chiefs can inflict losses on the top two so that the Brumbies can slide into a top spot and bring a semi-final to Canberra down the line.
Super Rugby Pacific
P
W
L
D
PF
PA
PD
BP T
BP-7
BP
Total
1
Hurricanes
10
9
1
0
42
2
Blues
10
9
1
0
41
3
Brumbies
10
8
2
0
35
4
Chiefs
10
7
3
0
33
5
Reds
10
5
5
0
27
6
Rebels
10
5
5
0
24
7
Highlanders
10
4
6
0
19
8
Fijian Drua
10
4
6
0
17
9
Moana Pasifika
10
3
7
0
14
10
Crusaders
10
2
8
0
13
11
Waratahs
10
2
8
0
12
12
Force
10
2
8
0
10
Comments on RugbyPass
‘radical’
1 Go to commentsCome back to Christchurch Robbie, please!
1 Go to commentsI think there is zero chance Sam Cane will be selected for another Test. There is simply no point except sentimentality. Razor is not sentimental- ask Wyatt Crocket. Razor is a ruthless selector
4 Go to comments> It would be best described as an elegant solution to what was potentially going to be a significant problem for new All Blacks coach Scott Robertson. It is a problem the mad population of New Zealand will have to cope with more and more as All Blacks are able to continue their careers in NZ post RWCs. It will not be a problem for coaches, who are always going to start a campaign with the captain for the next WC in mind. > Cane, despite his warrior spirit, his undoubted commitment to every team he played for and unforgettable heroics against Ireland in last year’s World Cup quarter-final, was never unanimously admired or respected within New Zealand while he was in the role. Neither was McCaw, he was considered far too passive a captain and then out of form until his last world cup where everyone opinions changed, just like they would have if Cane had won the WC. > It was never easy to see where Cane, or even if, he would fit into Robertson’s squad given the new coach will want to be building a new-look team with 2027 in mind. > Cane will win his selections on merit and come the end of the year, he’ll sign off, he hopes, with 100 caps and maybe even, at last, universal public appreciation for what was a special career. No, he won’t. Those returning from Japan have already earned the right to retain their jersey, it’s in their contract. Cane would have been playing against England if he was ready, and found it very hard to keep his place. Perform, and they keep it however. Very easy to see where Cane could have fit, very hard to see how he could have accomplished it choosing this year as his sabbatical instead of 2025, and that’s how it played out (though I assume we now know what when NZR said they were allowing him to move his sabbatical forward and return to NZ next year, they had actually agreed to simply select him for the All Blacks from overseas, without any chance he was going to play in NZ again). With a mammoth season of 15 All Black games they might as well get some value out of his years contract, though even with him being of equal character to Richie, I don’t think they should guarantee him his 100 caps. That’s not what the All Blacks should be about. He absolutely has to play winning football.
4 Go to commentswhat’s happening to Ian Peel?
1 Go to commentsAs a Crusaders fan , so disappointed , again.But I think Fergus Burke was all class for the Crusaders in his first game since October last year. Fletcher Newell , was so good at prop. Johnny McNicoll has been gold since returning from Wales. Noah Hotham brilliant , in a coming of age second season for the Crusaders.Jone Rova did really well at centre. The end of the game was tough.Sevu Reece , what a game/season in tough times.
1 Go to commentsFellas a balloon
3 Go to commentsBlues B team on display and made no race of it. By far the best team in SR with the Hurricanes barely getting past the winning post. Up the Blues 💙
7 Go to commentsWould be amazing to have Servette Genève reaching this level
3 Go to commentsThe Crusaders can't buy a win this season. Surely Penney's contract won't be renewed. There's still enough talent in the squad that they oughta be winning more.
1 Go to commentsABs captain for 23 seasons. Decent record. Surely nobody will surpass it. Legend. But alas a typo…
4 Go to commentsJust FYI Rugbypass, I for one am tired of your clickbait titles and thumbnails and will be clicking them no longer. Good day.
1 Go to commentsI think Farrell despite all of the stick he gets in the media is still one of if not the best fly half in the world. He is literally the full package. He can kick one of the best in the world, probably has the best defensive game of a fly half in the world and if he wants to he can run, take contact and find an offload to keep the pace of the attack. I dont know why he isnt spoken more about still being one of the best in the world with the likes of dupont. Farrell is the ultimate captain and team leader and is experienced- he has been in nearly any situation you can think of. I still believe due to these reasons that he is England’s best ever player and is still one of the best players in the world.
48 Go to commentsBlues are dominating up front and that’s been a long time coming. They have won the up front confrontation which is where canes, hilanders and act brumbies are also strong.
7 Go to commentsJust watched brumbies v safas game sadly not a show in he’ll thryr anywhere near quarters or semi contention. Admittedly some issues around new comers bot what stands out for me is coaching management, poor game planning and accuracy.
5 Go to commentsOne tough SOB!
16 Go to commentsI’ve put on 4/5 kilos since the beginning of the season too. Not good kilos. Bad kilos.
7 Go to commentsSurely there’s a ‘no knobheads’ policy ?
3 Go to commentsWallaroos have no chance of beating the Black Ferns unless Canada upsets them in Christchurch tomorrow but I doubt that as well!
1 Go to commentsWhat a joke. Could the victim do a course to reverse the long term CTE damage from the cheapshot?
2 Go to comments