Super Rugby Aotearoa - Chiefs player ratings vs Crusaders
Chiefs player ratings: The table-topping Crusaders travelled to Hamilton to take on cellar dwellers the Chiefs in Round 8 of Super Rugby Aotearoa. There were milestone moments for Aaron Cruden bringing up his ton of Super rugby games and Sam Whitelock clocking up 150 to his name.
Crusaders always play with venom after a loss and they chalked up two early tries but the Chiefs, with their nothing to lose attitude, stayed in the game for long periods before succumbing 32-19.
Here’s the Chiefs player ratings:
1 Reuben O’Neill 6
Short night for the loosehead adding to the Chief’s tight forward injury woes. Off at 17 minutes.
2 Bradley Slater 7
Impresses week after week with his awesome, combative forward play. Great run down the right flank in the 49th minute. Off at 56.
3 Nepo Laulala 6.5
Would have been relieved to match up against Bower instead of Moody but couldn’t really make a dent in the champion’s scrum. Gutsy turnover in the 55th minute after valiant defence from the team, not allowing the Crusaders over the advantage line through multiple phases. Off at 60.
4 Tupou Vaa’i 6.5
Amazing effort from the young tyro, improving each outing even with the endless grind of Super rugby.
5 Mitchell Brown 6.5
Buries his head in the tight stuff and doesn’t usually come up for air.
6 Lachlan Boshier 7.5
Some classic turnovers after a quiet week last week. Wins lineout ball, runs and distributes like a centre and finishes like a pro. Off at 64
7 Sam Cane 8
Just kept putting in thundering hits on the Crusaders. Game high, quality 21 tackles and some good carries in the final minutes as the Chiefs tried to spark a comeback. Slight miss on Mo’unga 67th minute that set up try.
8 Pita Gus Sowakula 7.5
Storming first run set the tone and he just kept going. Magnificent on both sides of the ball with 44 metres off 14 carries and 15 tackles. No wonder Vern Cotter, the Fijian coach is licking his lips!
9 Brad Weber 6.5
Couldn’t get his running game going tonight but was solid. Off at 65
It’s Aaron Cruden’s 100th game for the Chiefs! Big congrats to him! pic.twitter.com/VJHFQOZwAi
— Sky Sport NZ (@skysportnz) August 1, 2020
10 Aaron Cruden 7
Mixed night. Found it hard to kick for territory as the Bridge, Reece and Jordan trio made them pay on kicks into the backfield. Lovely ball to Ah Kuoi 71st minute and put his body on the line time after time. Undoubtedly a Chief’s legend. Off at 78.
11 Sean Wainui 7
Strong ball runner with low error rate. Sevu Reece’s past opponents would have cheered loudly when Wainui put a strong shot on the jack in the box early in the second half.
12 Alex Nankivell 6.5
No frills just solid running and defence.
13 Anton Lienert-Brown 6.5
Ripped Goodhue off in the tackle in the 2nd minute but it turned out to be a quiet night for the All Black, with just 7 metres running.
PLAYER RATINGS
Finn Morton rates the Saders #CHIvCRU ???https://t.co/jy87oQSq3p
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) August 1, 2020
14 Shaun Stevenson 6
It was a mercurial evening for the man they call Shooter. He missed matching up on Jordan for his try. Good run down the right flank after 20 minutes. Lovely scrambled save getting back in the 39th minute but then moments later got yellow carded with an optimistic slap down on a Crusaders overlap. Missed supporting runners on a break in the 49th minute as Bridge gobbled him up.
15 Damian McKenzie 7
Top run metres from either team as he injected himself well in the line. Kept a cool head slotting some nice long range penalties but as Justin Marshall remarked he has to work on his kicking from hand. To be fair the Crusaders are one of the best squads at running back the ball.
REPLACEMENTS:
16 Samisoni Taukei’aho 6
On at 56 and full of vigour with ball in hand. Just a shame his lineout work has become a liability.
17 Ollie Norris 6.5
On early at the 17th minute. Tall athletic prop, one for the future.
18 Angus Ta’avao 6
On at 60 and apart from the odd scrum hiccough looked in good knick.
19 Naitoa Ah Kuoi 6
On at 60 and quite energetic
20 Simon Parker 6.5
On at 63 with his debut and didn’t look out of place or overwhelmed by the occasion.
21 Lisato Milo-Harris 5.5
On at 65 and didn’t get the easiest of rides.
22 Kaleb Trask N/A
On at 78
23 Quinn Tupaea N/A
Chiefs player ratings
Comments on RugbyPass
A 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?
11 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.
11 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 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.
24 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
4 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…??? 🤑🤑🤑
35 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
35 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
17 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to comments