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How the gutsy Chiefs have turned their season around

By Campbell Burnes
Shaun Stevenson/ (Photo by Michael Dodge/Getty Images)

Fair play to those Chiefs.

Battling injuries and mediocre form early in the season, they somehow hauled themselves up off their bootlaces and not only scraped into the Super Rugby playoffs, but made major recent statements in Suva and Melbourne.

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They were 0-4 when the inevitable calls for head coach Colin Cooper’s head sounded. But New Zealand employment law is not like it is in the UK and USA when you can sack someone by lunchtime. Thank goodness we are not knee-jerk like some critics would have us be.

Admittedly, the Chiefs were terrible against the Brumbies, Sunwolves and Crusaders early doors. But once they accepted that Damian McKenzie was out, Sam Cane was still weeks away, and worked out which side of the scrum Angus Ta’avao should not operate (loosehead, as it turns out), they started to turn the corner.

Relying on consistent performers such as Anton Lienert-Brown, Brad Weber, Lachie Boshier and Tyler Ardron, the Chiefs started to make their way up the ladder. It was not without heartache. The Lions, Hurricanes (easily) and the Blues all lowered them. After labouring to a 19-13 win in Hamilton over the Reds, few but the most ardent Chiefs fans would have backed them to make a withering rails run to the playoffs.

Those same fans would have turned their hopes to 2020 when the Crusaders put 20 on them in the first quarter in Suva. But they did not reckon on Jack Debreczeni suddenly finding his feet at this level, Shaun Stevenson rediscovering his mojo on the right wing after a poor start to the season at fullback, and Cane proving that you can return from a neck injury just as tough and just as effective over the ball.

To cap off the regular season, with Big Brodie Retallick back in the nick of time from a wrist injury, they blitzed a Rebels side (59-8) that had everything to play for in front of their home crowd. Not only did the Chiefs hurtle into the playoffs, but they placed seventh, thus avoiding having to meet the Crusaders in Christchurch, usually a dead-end for visiting teams.

In 2018 we gave the Chiefs credit for overcoming a propping crisis to finish fifth, only narrowly losing their quarter-final to the Hurricanes in the capital. This year they have not seen two loosehead props – Kane Hames and Reuben O’Neill – and have had to do without their three best players for large tracts of the competition. Up have stepped Jesse Parete and Luke Jacobson, among others. ALB has acted as the backline rock.

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Contrast that to the Blues, who were making confident noises after beating the Chiefs 23-8 at Eden Park a month ago. They collapsed after that, failing at their best chance to beat a tired and mentally battered Crusaders in Christchurch, only drawing with the Bulls in a game they should have won, somehow contriving to lose to the Reds in Brisbane and then blowing a 24-5 halftime lead to the Hurricanes B last weekend.

They have more talent than the Chiefs, and should have had more depth. But the Chiefs are smarter and play with more nous and commitment. They are more than capable of tipping over the Jaguares and reaching the semifinals.

In other news:

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Adrian 1 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

Thanks Nick The loss of players to OS, injury and retirement is certainly not helping the Crusaders. Ditto the coach. IMO Penny is there to hold the fort and cop the flak until new players and a new coach come through,…and that's understood and accepted by Penny and the Crusaders hierarchy. I think though that what is happening with the Crusaders is an indicator of what is happening with the other NZ SRP teams…..and the other SRP teams for that matter. Not enough money. The money has come via the SR competition and it’s not there anymore. It's in France, Japan and England. Unless or until something is done to make SR more SELLABLE to the NZ/Australia Rugby market AND the world rugby market the $s to keep both the very best players and the next rung down won't be there. They will play away from NZ more and more. I think though that NZ will continue to produce the players and the coaches of sufficient strength for NZ to have the capacity to stay at the top. Whether they do stay at the top as an international team will depend upon whether the money flowing to SRP is somehow restored, or NZ teams play in the Japan comp, or NZ opts to pick from anywhere. As a follower of many sports I’d have to say that the organisation and promotion of Super Rugby has been for the last 20 years closest to the worst I’ve ever seen. This hasn't necessarily been caused by NZ, but it’s happened. Perhaps it can be fixed, perhaps not. The Crusaders are I think a symptom of this, not the cause

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T
Trevor 4 hours ago
Will forgotten Wallabies fit the Joe Schmidt model?

Thanks Brett.. At last a positive article on the potential of Wallaby candidates, great to read. Schmidt’s record as an international rugby coach speaks for itself, I’m somewhat confident he will turn the Wallaby’s fortunes around …. on the field. It will be up to others to steady the ship off the paddock. But is there a flaw in my optimism? We have known all along that Australia has the players to be very competitive with their international rivals. We know that because everyone keeps telling us. So why the poor results? A question that requires a definitive answer before the turn around can occur. Joe Schmidt signed on for 2 years, time to encompass the Lions tour of 2025. By all accounts he puts family first and that’s fair enough, but I would wager that his 2 year contract will be extended if the next 18 months or so shows the statement “Australia has the players” proves to be correct. The new coach does not have a lot of time to meld together an outfit that will be competitive in the Rugby Championship - it will be interesting to see what happens. It will be interesting to see what happens with Giteau law, the new Wallaby coach has already verbalised that he would to prefer to select from those who play their rugby in Australia. His first test in charge is in July just over 3 months away .. not a long time. I for one wish him well .. heaven knows Australia needs some positive vibes.

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B
Bull Shark 8 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

Of the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.

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