'Too fast for us': Moana Pasifika coach full of praise for high-flying Chiefs

In stark contrast to their performance against the Blues in round fourteen of Super Rugby Pacific, Moana Pasifika’s game in round fifteen against the Chiefs was a night to forget for Tana Umaga’s side.

The away side was well beaten, by 78 points, piling on the pressure ahead of next weekend’s final game of the regular season against the Hurricanes in Wellington.

Moana Pasifika now sits sixth on the Super Rugby Pacific table, five points behind the Reds in fifth and level on points with the Blues on 28 points.

Umaga didn’t hide behind any excuses after their heavy defeat, complimenting the clinical nature of the Chiefs’ performance at home.

“Oh look, I think we’ve just got to sit back and praise the Chiefs in the way they played, they didn’t give us an inch when we tried to take a few off them, and they just kept jumping back at us,” Umaga told media post-match at FMG Stadium Waikato in Hamilton.

“It really made it difficult for us, and there’s not much else we can say, but then we didn’t really fire a shot, to be honest, so that is disappointing for us.”

Despite the heavy defeat in Hamilton, the Moana Pasifika head coach is more than confident his players will be able to bounce back next week against the Hurricanes.

“Yeah that’s gonna be the question around, how do we come back? I’m pretty confident that our boys will take the learnings out of this. They’re hurt and are feeling down in our changing room.

“We’ve got to learn from that, we feel that the Chiefs really showed us what the next level of we want to get them to the top six.

“We were a step behind today, they beat us to everything, too fast for us, to the breakdown, across the gain line.

“That’s what it’s going to take, that’s why they’re at the top of the tree. They showed that probably not just to us, but everyone, they put everyone on notice that they’re tough to beat.”

Moana Pasifika captain and All Blacks star Ardie Savea admits it’s a bit of a reality check mentally for his side, after being completely outplayed on Saturday night.

“Yeah, I think it’s a great lesson for not only myself, but everyone that played tonight around what is our mental state and when we’re under pressure like that,” Savea said.

“How do we get out of it? Finding solutions to get us back in the game and I think the Chiefs were just too good, and they just squeezed us.

“Yeah, they’re just ruthless all around the park and think it’s a good, good smack on the nose for us. But you know, like we’ll take the lessons from that and no doubt, the coach will review that game to prepare for next week.”

Moana Pasifika will know what they need to do in order to make the playoffs next weekend, as the Blues take on the Waratahs at Eden Park in Auckland at 4:35 pm, before Moana Pasifika’s game against the Hurricanes in Wellington at 7:05 pm.