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The Gallagher Chiefs may have snatched the Super Rugby Pacific ‘favourites’ tag off the Crusaders last Friday, as they opened their campaign with a 31-10 win on Christchurch.
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But one match doesn’t win you a championship. Following on from their stunning victory, the pressure is on the Chiefs to repeat their heroics in round two and beyond.
After an entertaining evening in Melbourne on Friday, which saw the Crusaders and Hurricanes claim important wins, the Chiefs will play Moana Pasifika on the second day of Super Round.
The Chiefs will be without world-class centre Anton Lienert-Brown who was ruled out of this clash with an injury. That’s one of the three changes that they’ve made to their starting XV.
Playmaker Damian McKenzie was simply incredible upon his return to Super Rugby last week, after previously leaving the rugby mad nation for a stint in Japan.
Rugby World Cup winning All Black Israel Dagg believes McKenzie “nailed” his role in the No. 10 jersey.
“All eyes were on Damian McKenzie and seeing how he could take to that 10 position and I thought he absolutely nailed it and potentially outplayed Richie Mo’unga,” Dagg told SENZ Breakfast earlier this week.
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“I thought Damian showed great signs going forward… (he’s) more than capable of taking that 10 jersey.”
McKenzie has been named to start in the No. 1 jersey again this week, and will partner Super Rugby veteran Brad Weber in the halves.
As for Moana Pasifika, they’ll need to lean on the experience and skill of veteran flyhalf Christian Lealiifano.
But once the full-time siren has sounded at AAMI Park, and either the Chiefs or Moana after left victorious, the attention will quickly shift to another highly anticipated blockbuster tonight.
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Fijian Drua will look to repeat last weekend’s heroics against the NSW Waratahs.
The Waratahs, who lost to the Brumbies in a thriller at Allianz Stadium to open their campaign, will be hungry to get their season back on track with a victory.
For all four teams playing today, there’s plenty on the line.
NIGHT TWO SCORES
Moana Pasifika were beaten by the Chiefs 29-52
Fijian Drua were beaten by the NSW Waratahs 17-46
NIGHT ONE RECAP
Crusaders defeated the Highlanders 52-15
Rebels were beaten by the Hurricanes 33-39
Defending Super Rugby Pacific champions the Crusaders bounced back with a vintage display against the Highlanders to kick-off Super Round at Melbourne’s AAMI Park.
After losing their season opener to the Chiefs last weekend – as they conceded a staggering 24 unanswered points at home – the Crusaders left no stone unturned against their South Island rivals.
Star playmaker Richie Mo’unga was back to his best, as the he led the champion team to a confidence building 52-15 win.
“It was awesome to get the win and more importantly play some footy as the Chiefs played all the footy last weekend,” Mo’unga told Stan Sport.
“We wanted to come out and impose ourselves against the Highlanders and I think we did a good job.
“I was pretty disappointed in myself as the driver last week, not putting us in the right areas of the field so today is very satisfying.”
As for the second match of the night, it was a thriller between the hosts Melbourne and Hurricanes.
For rugby fans in Melbourne, they may have experienced some deja vu as Jordie Barrett scored the winner in the dying stages – similarly to his heroics in last year’s Bledisloe Cup clash.
The Canes kept their unbeaten start to the season alive with a tense 33-39 win – but the match was somewhat marred by a controversial moment.
Captain Ardie Savea made an ugly gesture towards a Rebels player during the Super Round clash, after he’d been shown a yellow card.
The All Black ran his thumb across his throat, and directed the gesture at Rebels halfback Ryan Louwrens.
Savea apologised for his behaviour after the match.
“I understand that can be taken the wrong way and like in the post (match interview) I apologised, I apologised to the player I did it too as well after the game,” Savea told reporters.
“It’s just the heat of the moment mate, it’s a warrior game but I’ve got to lead by example being the skip so I got that wrong.
“Something that I can keep learning and growing from.”
RugbyPass will be keeping you updated on all the latest action throughout the night, which you can follow below.
Comments on RugbyPass
The shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to commentsBold headline considering the Canes and Blues are 1 and 2 and the Brumbies were soundly beaten by the Chiefs and Blues. Biggest surprise is Rebels 4 Crusaders 12 - no one saw that coming. If Aus are improving that’s great 👍
1 Go to commentsAnna, You are right, we need to have patience whilst the others catch up to England and France. Also it is the PWR that has been the game changer for England. the RFU put money into that initially at the expense of the Red Roses. I was sceptical at first but it has paid off in spades.
1 Go to commentsI think Matt Proctor became a 1 test AB in the same fixture. Cameron is quality and has been great this season, can’t believe’s he only 27. Realistically how would he not be selected for ABs squad this year. Only Dmac is ahead of him as a specialist 10. With Jordan out, it will come down to where and when Beauden Barrett slots back in, and where they want to play Ruben Love. Cameron seems an absolute lock in for the wider squad though. Added benefit of TJ-Cameron-Jordie combination at 9, 10, 11 too.
1 Go to commentsFarcical, to what end would someone want to pay to keep this thing going.
1 Go to commentsHavili, our best 12 by a mile, will be in the squad, if he stays fit. JB is the most overrated AB in the last 50 years.
61 Go to commentsWe had during the week twilight footy, twilight cricket, tw golf plus there was the athletics club. Then the weekend was rugby 15s plus the net ball, really busy club scene back then but so much has changed and rugby has suffered. And it was all about changing lifestyles.
6 Go to commentsIn the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getting to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
6 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
8 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
6 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
56 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
8 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
61 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
11 Go to commentsExcept 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
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