Cooper's Chiefs on the rise - Super Rugby 2019 Preview
In the next installment of our 15-part build-up to the season, we look at the Chiefs in the New Zealand conference.
Colin Cooper’s Chiefs will be hoping for a healthy 2019 and will be looking to push for a third Super Rugby title after enduring a tumultuous 2018 campaign.
The Chiefs learned plenty about themselves in 2018 as injury ravaged the side. Despite missing several key players for significant amounts of time during the season, the Chiefs still made the play-offs for the seventh consecutive year, bowing out to the Hurricanes in Wellington 32-31 during the quarterfinal stage.
Reaching the play-offs last year – and finishing with the second best win-loss record in the competition – was an impressive feat for a side that went through more than most, losing 100 caps of All Black experience in the off-season and losing every prop from their original 38-man squad at some point of the season.
These factors put plenty of pressure on head coach Colin Cooper in his first season at the helm, but Cooper turned that pressure into diamonds when he unearthed All Blacks prop Karl Tu’inukuafe and revitalised the careers of fellow All Blacks prop Angus Ta’avao and cast-aside outside back Sean Wainui – the latter again shaping as important cogs in the Chiefs machine.
The 2019 season will be all about steadying the ship and building on newfound depth in hopes of another play-off run. Strength still remains in a pack led by All Blacks star Brodie Retallick and a strong front row but once again, everything will be centred around the man in the No. 10 shirt, Damian McKenzie.
In his first three seasons of Super Rugby, McKenzie starred as a human Swiss Army knife while operating from fullback, often topping the charts in tries scored, run metres and line breaks as well as points.
Last year saw McKenzie shift to first five-eighth (No.10) full-time where he was eventually named SANZAAR’s Super Rugby Player of the Year for the third successive time. With that experience under his belt, the Chiefs should be able to take another step forward in 2019.
McKenzie’s elite ability with ball in hand and continually refined skill as a playmaker makes the Chiefs a threat to score whenever they have the ball, and his presence alone will make sure the side remains a contender.
Another year in the saddle will only make the side better as McKenzie continues to forge a partnership with halfbacks Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi and Brad Weber, with the former likely to see an increased role after becoming an All Black at the end of 2018.
The 2018-19 off-season was kinder to the Chiefs than the year prior, with key losses including the aforementioned Tu’inukuafe, longtime leader and loose forward Liam Messam and midfielders Johnny Fa’auli and Charlie Ngatai.
Perhaps the biggest loss the side suffered came in the form of co-captain Sam Cane. The veteran All Blacks loose forward broke his neck in October and will at best feature at the tail end of the season.
However, the loss of Cane could prove to be a big gain for another player – just like the loss of almost every prop last season found two new All Blacks in Tu’inukuafe and Ta’avao – with emerging loose forwards Mitchell Karpik and Lachlan Boshier ready to put their respective hands up. Second-year forward Luke Jacobson will also be pushing for a starting spot on the blindside after a few long months away from the game through injury, as will the versatile Taleni Seu.
While plenty of experience has been lost once more, some of the exciting youth stepping into the side will give fans a sigh of relief and a reason to be hopeful in 2019.
23-year-old Reuben O’Neill – a member of the 51-man All Blacks squad that toured Japan – joins an enviable propping core that will be aided by the return of All Black Atu Moli, who missed all but one match last year after complications with a quad haematoma.
The biggest question will be who joins Anton Lienert-Brown in the midfield, though the Chiefs have added a couple of players who can fill the role admirably.
Former Rebels playmaker Jack Debreczeni joins the side after a resurgent season with Northland in the Mitre 10 Cup and provides versatility across the backline and a booming punt, while Auckland back Tumua Manu is a sound addition to the midfield after a strong provincial campaign.
Former New Zealand Under-20 representative Bailyn Sullivan joins the squad full-time after making his debut last season to further bolster the backline, and 21-year-old Alex Nankivell shapes as another candidate to fill the midfield role after missing the 2018 season through injury.
All eyes will be on the highly-touted former schoolboy sensation Etene Nanai-Seturo, who steps up to Super Rugby after a stint with the New Zealand Sevens team and a few cameo appearances for Counties Manukau. 19-year-old Nanai-Seturo has an aura of X-Factor around him and will likely link up with last year’s breakout star, Solomon Alaimalo, and Shaun Stevenson in the back three to complete an exciting young backline.
The Chiefs will remain one of the competition’s best in 2019 led by Damian McKenzie and Brodie Retallick in what could be a temporary swansong and will be pushing hard for a finals place in Colin Cooper’s second year in charge. Cooper has also notably expanded his already impressive staff to include former Chief Roger Randle, who helped transform Waikato into a Championship-winning attacking threat in 2018.
The New Zealand conference will be tougher this year with the Blues making strides and the Hurricanes and Crusaders a consistent threat, but with one of the best young cores in Super Rugby, the Chiefs definitely look fit to contend in 2019.
2019 Predictions
New Zealand Conference Placing: Third
Player of the Year: Damian McKenzie
Rookie of the Year: Etene Nanai-Seturo
Breakout Player: Mitchell Karpik
Best Signing: Reuben O’Neill
Super Rugby Placing: Semifinalists
Franchise History
Best finish: Champions in 2012 and 2013
Worst finish: Eleventh in 2010
Squad Movements
In: Reuben O’Neill (Taranaki), Laghlan McWhannell (Waikato), Jack Debreczini (Rebels), Tumua Manu (Blues), Ataata Moeakiola (Japan), Etene Nanai-Seturo (Counties Manukau).
Out: Mitchell Graham (Taranaki), Sam Prattley (Sunwolves), Jeff Thwaites (Bay of Plenty), Karl Tu’inukuafe (Blues), Dominic Bird (Racing 92), Matt Matich (Northland), Liam Messam (Toulon), Jesse Parete (Taranaki), Luteru Laulala (Counties Manukau), Johnny Fa’auli (Toshiba Brave Lupus), Charlie Ngatai (Lyon), Regan Verney (Northland), Levi Aumua (Blues), Tim Nanai-Williams (Clermont), Declan O’Donnell (Waikato), Toni Pulu (Brumbies).
Squad: Kane Hames, Aidan Ross, Reuben O’Neill, Nepo Laulala, Atu Moli, Sosefo Kautai, Angus Ta’avao, Nathan Harris, Liam Polwart, Samisoni Taukei’aho, Brodie Retallick, Tyler Ardron, Laghlan McWhannell, Michael Allardice, Fin Hoeata, Mitchell Brown, Taleni Seu, Sam Cane, Mitchell Karpik, Lachlan Boshier, Luke Jacobson, Pita Gus Sowakula, Brad Weber, Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, Jonathan Taumateine, Damian McKenzie, Tiaan Falcon, Jack Debreczeni, Alex Nankivell, Anton Lienert-Brown, Tumua Manu, Bailyn Sullivan, Solomon Alaimalo, Sean Wainui, Ataata Moeakiola, Etene Nanai-Seturo, Shaun Stevenson, Marty McKenzie.
Comments on RugbyPass
Except for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
33 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
33 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
33 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
33 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
33 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
33 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
1 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
33 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
17 Go to commentsNot good to hear Ulster described as “financially troubled”. Did not think it was getting to that level. I would hope the Irish system of spreading players of talent away from Leinster would kick in now. Better to have a Leinster fringe player with Ulster or Connacht, then getting only a few games a season in Dublin. 10, for example, would seem to be a case for spreading the talent. I would not be at all adverse to a SA man coming in as head coach/DR. Ludeke is worth trying. Certainly got a long and impressive coaching career at this level…..149 games in SR, then Japan, 30 years experience. And Ulster’s ledger of successful SA coaches and players is on the positive side. Is talk of Ruan Pienaar interested in coming back as a coach…..could be a good combination with Ludeke. And Pienaar and family would have no settling in to do, one would judge. He loved life in Ulster when there, by all reports.
1 Go to commentsSome thoughts to consider here, Sam. Thanks
2 Go to comments