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Sam Cane sees similarities between Chiefs' and Waratahs' blunder years
When the draw for Super Rugby Pacific’s Super Round was first revealed, many would have seen the Chiefs’ fixture against the Waratahs as the easiest of the encounters for the Kiwi sides but a lot has changed over the last few months.
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2021 was an unquestionably terrible season for the New South Wales side, with the Waratahs losing all 13 of their matches throughout the year and managing just three competition points throughout the entirety of their campaign.
There’s been a remarkable upturn in their fortunes this season, however, with the Waratahs recording five wins from their eight matches to date, only suffering defeats at the hands of Australian heavyweights the Brumbies and Reds.
As such, while the Chiefs will undoubtedly go into Friday night’s clash as favourites – as is the case for the other four New Zealand teams – the Waratahs will be quietly confident they have the firepower needed to pull the wool over an undermanned Chiefs side shorn of the talents of All Blacks Brodie Retallick, Brad Weber and Anton Lienert-Brown.
Chiefs captain Sam Cane sees marked similarities between this year’s Waratahs team and the Chiefs of recent years, who also underwent a tough campaign in 2020 when they lost all eight of their Super Rugby Aotearoa matches, only to bounce back the following season and make the competition final.
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“A couple of years ago we had a rough season where I still felt like we had a good squad, good players, but we just couldn’t quite piece it together,” Cane said this week. “Maybe that was a little bit the case for [the Waratahs].”
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While preparing for the New Zealand teams has been relatively straightforward this year thanks to their similar tactics and strengths, the Waratahs will offer a fresh new challenge for the Chiefs – while the opportunity to spend three weeks on tour has also helped freshen things up for the team.
“This year, their set-piece has been going really well,” Cane said. “They challenge hard in and around the transition zone and they’re probably one of the best defensive teams in the competition too.
“They defend slightly different to the Kiwi teams so that will present a slightly different challenge to us from an attacking point of view. It’ll be awesome.
“One of the cool things about rugby is often touring and it’s been a while since we’ve done anything like that so I know there’s a bit of excitement about getting over to Aussie as a squad and playing away from home and challenging ourselves against the Aussies.”
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The upturn in the Waratahs’ fortunes has also coincided with the return to Sydney of Wallabies captain Michael Hooper who spent the 2021 Super Rugby season playing in Japan’s Top League competition. While Hooper was sidelined for the early part of 2022 due to injury, the decorated openside flanker is now forming a strong combination with Kiwi flanker Charlie Gamble.
“He’s been an outstanding contributor to Australian rugby for a very long time,” Cane said of the man lining up opposite him in the No 7 jersey on Friday night. “The way he went away to Japan and came back and sort of hadn’t missed a beat was pretty impressive.
“We talk about the Waratahs having improved, he’s probably got a wee bit to do with that.”
The battle between the Chiefs and Waratahs is set to kick off at 6pm AEST (8pm NZT) and will be the first of five fixtures played in Melbourne this weekend.
Comments on RugbyPass
The game was a quarter final, not a semi final. Barrett will be here for 6 months, he is no one's replacement at 13. That mantle will most likely ultimately go to Jamie Osborne, though Garry Ringrose has at least 4 more years in him. The long term problem position (in the next 3 years) for Leinster is tighthead prop, though there are a couple of prospects at schools level.
21 Go to commentsSo much for all that hype surrounding the ‘revival’ of Aussie rugby. The Blues were without the likes of regular starters Perofeta, Sullivan, Christie etc… This was a capitulation of the highest order by Australia’s finest. Joe Schmidt definitely has his work cut out for him.
2 Go to commentsYes they can ignore Sotutu. Like Akira Ioane plays OK at Super level but gets lost in tests. Too many chances too many failures.
2 Go to commentsA wallaby front-row of Bell, Blake and Tupou…now that would be hefty
1 Go to comments“But with an exceptional pass accuracy rating “ Which apart from Roigard is not a feature of any of the other 9s in NZ. Kind of basic for a Black 9 dont.you. think? Yet we keep seeing FC and TJ being rated ahead of him? Weird if it’s seen as vital to get our backline beating in your face defences.
1 Go to commentsThanks BeeMc! Looks like many teams need extra time to settle from the quadrennial northern migration. I think generally the quality of the Rugby has held up. Fiji has been fantastic and fun to watch
13 Go to commentsLets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
12 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
10 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
12 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
5 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
25 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
5 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
10 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
37 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
37 Go to comments