Hurricanes player ratings vs Chiefs | Super Rugby Pacific
The Hurricanes have been beaten by the undefeated Chiefs 17-33 in a thrilling top-of-the-table clash at Wellington’s Sky Stadium.
Following their win over New Zealand rivals the Highlanders last weekend, the Hurricanes moved up to first on the Super Rugby Pacific standings.
But their round eight clash against the Chiefs was always going to be a crucial test.
The Hurricanes shot out of the blocks against the Chiefs, with Devan Flanders and the in-form Cam Roigard crossing for first half tries.
But the second half – especially the final quarter of the match – was all about the Chiefs. The Hamilton-based outfit ran away with it, and kept their unbeaten streak alive.
Here’s how the Hurricanes rated against the Chiefs.
- Josh Moorby – 7
Hurricanes fullback Josh Moorby has made the No. 15 jersey his own this season – and his impressive form continued on Saturday afternoon. While the fullback wasn’t exactly a human highlight reel against the Chiefs, Moorby still racked up 98 running metres from 11 carries.
- Julian Savea – 6
Julian Savea was kept quiet against the Chiefs – but there were moments of brilliance that would’ve reminded any New Zealand Rugby fan of the star wingers heroics in the black jersey. Savea made a rampaging break down the right win in the leadup to Cam Roigard’s try, and otherwise impressed in the No. 14 jersey.
While Savea was a tad slower than some of his opponents, the winger still managed to run for almost 50 metres – he’s just that hard to bring down.
Getting his first start of the season, one-Test All Black Peter Umaga-Jensen failed to make his mark in the No. 13 jersey. Umaga-Jensen only made three tackles in defence, and ran the ball five times for 12 metres.
- Jordie Barrett – 7.5
Midfielder Jordie Barrett kicked quite well in general play, and also helped steer the Hurricanes’ ship around the park alongside flyhalf Aidan Morgan and halfback Cam Roigard. Barrett worked tirelessly for his side, and played a role in some key moments.
Barrett sent Asafo Aumua through a gap with a brilliant short ball in the first half, which ultimately led to Devan Flanders’ try. Later on, the No. 12 won a penalty at the breakdown.
Twice during the match, Barrett was the Canes’ last line of defence as he ran back to stop a couple of the Chiefs’ try-scoring opportunities. It happened during the first half and again five minutes after the break – playing with both desperation and passion as he beat Chiefs to the bouncing ball.
- Salesi Rayasi – 7
The unimaginable has happened –Salesi Rayasi has failed to score for the Hurricanes. Following a sensational run of games in the coveted yellow jersey, the winger had a quiet outing in round eight. While Rayasi was busy around the park, the ball just didn’t come his way when the try line beckoned.
Rayasi finished with 36 running metres from 10 carries, and also beat two defenders. On the defensive side of the ball, the Upper Hutt-born talent made six tackles – and only missed one. Overall, not a bad performance by any means.
- Aidan Morgan – 6.5
Rising star Aidan Morgan struggled to make an impact against the Chiefs. Playing alongside world-class playmaker Jordie Barrett, Morgan sat back and didn’t overplay his hand – you can’t fault his work rate, even though he didn’t break the game open at all.
- Cam Roigard – 8.5
You’d be forgiven for experiencing some déjà vu this week. Following his player of the match performance against the Highlanders last weekend, Hurricanes halfback Cam Roigard has made another statement.
With All Blacks coaches Ian Foster, Jason Ryan and Joe Schmidt in the crowd, Roigard made an uncharacteristic error to start the match. After dropping the ball off a routine lineout move, the halfback began to make amends as the match went on.
Cam Roigard scampers through to extend the Hurricanes lead 🏉#SuperRugbyPacific #SkySportNZ pic.twitter.com/9k0xcIdOnV
— Sky Sport NZ (@skysportnz) April 15, 2023
Not only was he at his running best around the park – having been compared to France captain Antoine Dupont during the week – but his passing was crisp, and kicking game accurate. In the second half, Roigard crossed for his sixth try of the season after splitting two Chiefs defenders – including All Blacks captain Sam Cane.
Another sensational performance from the potential All Blacks bolter.
- Xavier Numia – 6
Hurricanes prop Xavier Numia put in a solid shift against the Chiefs, but he wasn’t able to get any ascendency over his opponents. Saturday afternoon’s match was a tense tussle between two evenly matched forward packs. Sky Sport commentator Grant Nisbett said it best, saying the scrums had been “evenly matched” throughout the entire match.
For that reason, it’s hard to rate Numia for his performance at the set-piece. On one hand the Hurricanes weren’t dominant, but they weren’t dominated either – but he held his own, and that’s important. Around the park, Numia was kept quiet on attack and defence.
2.Asafo Aumua – 7
Hurricanes hooker Asafo Aumua showed glimpse of brilliance throughout a solid 52-minute shift on Saturday afternoon. Aumua is known for his rampaging runs – making professionals look like schoolboys, if only for a moment. The All Black made a few of these trademark carries in round eight.
In the leadup to Devan Flanders’ try early in the first half, Aumua made a solid run into the Chiefs’ 22. By the time the hooker was subbed off, he’s carried the ball for 25 metres and made tackles.
Earlier this year, Aumua spoke about the importance of his accuracy at the set-piece – and he was brilliant today. Aumua only missed one of his seven targets against the Chiefs.
- Tyrel Lomax – 6.5
Every week, prop Tyrel Lomax works tirelessly for his side. It’s quite uncommon for some front rowers to play beyond 50 minutes or so, but the All Black is doing it on a weekly basis.
Lomax played for 65 minutes against the high-flying Chiefs, and was especially impressive in defence. The world-class prop made a staggering 16 tackles in defence – but it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows. Lomax failed to touch the ball at all.
- James Blackwell – 6.5
James Blackwell made his mark on the defensive side of the ball, having finished with an incredible 15 tackles to his name. The Hurricanes lock never fails to work hard for his side, and Saturday afternoon was no different. Blackwell also had a presence about him at the set-piece, and carried the ball eight times as well.
- Dominic Bird – 6
After a strong start to the match, Canes lock Dominic Bird went missing a bit against the Chiefs. The veteran made 11 tackles – which was superb – but only carried the ball three times. Bird was the go-to man at the set-piece through, having reeled in three of Asafo Aumua’s throws into the lineout.
- Devan Flanders – 7
Flanders started the match with a couple of strong carries, and quickly made his mark after crossing for the Canes’ first try of the afternoon. The flanker got the ball in space down the left edge, and managed to stay inside the feel of play as he scored in the left corner.
Within 2 minutes the @Hurricanesrugby fight back 💥#SuperRugbyPacific #SkySportNZ pic.twitter.com/XWNR9JrvVi
— Sky Sport NZ (@skysportnz) April 15, 2023
Around the park, Flanders’ work rate was impressive. He finished with nine runs for 30 metres, and 10 tackles. Overall, an important knock from the Hurricanes No. 6.
- Du’Plessis Kirifi – 7.5
This might be a bit of a hot take, or maybe you agree, but flanker Du’Plessis Kirifi was one of the Hurricanes’ best in round eight – and you can’t look past his staggering work rate on the defensive side of the ball. Kirifi made a game-high 21 tackles, and finished with 100 per cent tackle accuracy too.
- Ardie Savea – 7
World-class backrower Ardie Savea had an uncharacteristically quiet first half, as he was held to just seven tackles and four running metres. While the All Black wasn’t at his best in the second 40 either, his numbers can’t be ignored.
Savea ran the ball the most our of any Hurricanes forward, and also made a staggering 16 tackles – having made 100 per cent of his attempts too.
Replacements:
- Dane Coles – 7 – Playing his 300th first-class match, Dane Coles provided some noticeable impact off the bench.
- Tevita Mafileo – 6
- Pasilio Tosi – 6
- TK Howden – 6.5
- Brayden Iose – 6.5
- Peter Lakai – N/A
- Jamie Booth – 6.5
- Harry Godfrey – 6.5
Comments on RugbyPass
Should've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
19 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
19 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
9 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
9 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
28 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
19 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
28 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
19 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
90 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
4 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
9 Go to comments