Super Rugby Power Rankings: The Back Office Brilliance Behind the Chiefs’ Winning Run
Scotty Stevenson pays tribute to the dominant Chiefs and delivers a stinging rebuke to a sledger in the latest KFC Super Rugby power rankings.
1. Chiefs
Rd 6: 48-23 v Brumbies
Last week: 1 (N/C)
As the Chiefs tore the Brumbies a new one in Canberra on Saturday night, I received the following message: “Lucky you changed your number one team to the Chiefs last week.” This made me think some people may not truly grasp the whole concept of the power rankings, in much the same way that some people do not grasp the concept of great succession planning. Just two full seasons have passed since the Chiefs won their last title yet look at the team that beat up the Brumbies on Saturday and compare that with the team that beat up the Brumbies in the 2013 decider. Just three players: Hika Elliot, Aaron Cruden, and Charlie Ngatai featured in both starting teams. The Chiefs have the best squad management in Super Rugby. And Damian McKenzie.
2. Highlanders
Rd 6: 32-20 v Force
Last week: 2 (N/C)
Not since the Gulf War have there been so many friendly fire casualties. In between knocking out team mates, the Highlanders and the Force managed to play some rugby – so much rugby, in fact, that this game threatened to continue into the next day. The Highlanders eventually wore the Force down courtesy of a backline that combined for 450 metres (20 more than the entire Force team combined) and a defensive effort that produced 138 tackles (2 more than their already comp-high 136 per game) at 90%. Also, as a standard rule, the Highlanders get more out of every minute in possession than any other team in the competition.
3. Crusaders
Rd 6: 43-37 v Lions
Last week: 4 (up 1)
The Crusaders climb to their highest spot this season on the Power Rankings by virtue of the fact they capitalised on a host of Lions’ deficiencies and indiscretions in the match at Johannesburg, and because their nearest rivals on the rankings did nothing to stop them. The Lions should have done enough to stop them: the Crusaders spent just 8% of the match in possession inside the Lions half, and missed 29 tackles, while the Lions dominated the scrum and camped in the Crusaders half. The Crusaders are good, but the Lions made them look better.
4. Hurricanes
Rd 6: BYE
Last week: 3 (down 1)
The Hurricanes had a week off and so everyone could turn their attention to bagging the Blues for winning ugly instead. Just another thing Auckland does for Wellington. The Hurricanes don’t deserve to drop out of the top five – they are crushing the run metre stats, still have a top-four offensive record and will have had coaches Boyd, Plumtree and Watt winding them up all week after battling away against the Kings.
5. Brumbies
Rd 6: 23-48 v Chiefs
Last week: 5
I don’t think you can be too hard on the Brumbies. The fact is they gave the Chiefs 18 turnovers and therefore got crushed by a team that is hotter than Hansel right now. Still, considering the record the Brumbies have put together in Canberra against the Chiefs (played 12, won 9, drawn 1) this was a punch in the guts. On a more positive note, no judiciary in the world would dare suspend David Pocock, so even though he tried to unscrew a dude’s head, nothing will come of it. This was a hiccup result. I think.
6. Lions
Rd 6: 37-43 v Crusaders
Last week: 6
I hope the Lions don’t lose their nerve after losing against the Crusaders. They probably should have won the game if they had been a little more careful with the ball.
7. Stormers
Rd 6: BYE
Last week: 7 (N/C)
Last week I told you the Stormers were a tough watch, but now that I have gone through a weekend in which they weren’t playing, I kinda miss them. They have taken me hostage and I have grown to love them. The Stormers have effectively given me Helsinki Syndrome.
8. Rebels
Rd 6: 21-17 v Waratahs
Last week: 12 (up 4)
Last week I lamented the Rebels performance. This week I doff my cap to the Melbourne side, who managed to claim a first-ever win against the Waratahs in Sydney. Is this is a good Rebels side or is that a terrible Waratahs side? This is a beef or the pork kind of dilemma. The Rebels also cost almost everyone their multi-bet, though as flanker Adam Thomson tweeted: “I have no sympathy for anyone who defies the rebellion”. Then he used emojis, which killed me.
9. Bulls
Rd 6: 23-18 v Cheetahs
Last week: 8 (down 1)
Those pink uniforms are terrible, and… nope, that’s about what I took out of this week.
10. Blues
Rd 6: 24-16 v Jaguares
Last week: 11 (up 1)
You have to feel for the Blues. They are the only side in Super Rugby who can genuinely claim to have a bogey home ground. The Curse of QBE Stadium almost struck again against a Jaguares side purportedly down on experience (but lacking nothing in terms of enthusiasm) which made the home side work for every point. The Blues are like a lot like Million Dollar Baby – lots to enjoy, totally awful finish.
11. Sharks
Rd 6: BYE
Last week: 10 (down 1)
The Sharks would have spent the week cooling off in the surf in places with exotic Zulu names, like Umhlanga Rocks and Amamzintoti. Or at least they should have been.
12. Waratahs
Rd 6: 15-13 v Reds
Last week: 9 (down 3)
The Waratahs once sacked Ewen McKenzie as head coach and he got them to the final, so poor old Daryl Gibson must be dreading the phone ringing. Not that the Waratahs should sack the coach. Instead they should just figure out a way to play some rugby in the first half. What is it with Australian teams playing badly under New Zealand head coaches, by the way?
13. Jaguares
Rd 5: 8-13 v Blues
Last week: 13 (N/C)
The Jaguares (Haa-Waa-Rez – you’re welcome) have now lost four straight and still have the Hurricanes and the Crusaders to contend with on their first New Zealand tour. I’ll go out on a substantial limb here and say they will have lost six straight by the time their journey through Aotearoa is over. Only the Force and the Reds are scoring less points and tries per game, and only the Kings have a worse tackle percentage.
14. Reds
Rd 6: BYE
Last week: 14 (N/C)
The Reds didn’t play this weekend and no one’s life was worse for that fact. With just one draw and four loses this season, The Reds probably needed a break. Unfortunately they next host the Highlanders, before heading to South Africa to play the Bulls and the Stormers. Things are not going to get any easier for the Reds.
15. Cheetahs
Rd 6: 18-23 v Bulls
Last week: 15 (N/C)
Last week I told the Cheetahs to give the ball to Sergeal Petersen, which they did this week, but not enough. Petersen still managed to score a try which was nice of him. The Cheetahs spanked the Bulls at Loftus in the last round last year, but they just couldn’t control enough ball to make their mad cap game sing this time around.
16. Kings
Rd 6: 33-28 v Sunwolves
Last week: 18 (up 1)
The Kings made a round-high 158 tackles against the Sunwolves which is bloody impressive in its own right. But even with just 35% of the ball, they still managed to make 24 turnovers in attack, which is probably why they had to make 158 tackles. This will be the only game the Kings win this year. I’ll let them enjoy the moment.
17. Force
Rd 6: 20-32 v Highlanders
Last week: 17 (N/C)
It says everything about the Force season that they couldn’t even hang on to a bonus point in the dying stages of Friday night’s match. Playing the Highlanders for 75 minutes is folly, as is kicking them the ball 34 times. I don’t care which team you are, that is just asking for trouble. The Highlanders duly returned those kicks with runs, or with better kicks. The Force don’t lack for heart, but they could do with some more running from Peter Grant.
18. Sunwolves
Rd 6: 28-33 v Kings
Last week: 15
There is so much right about the Sunwolves that I feel cruel ranking them last. They love to run, the love to pass, their ruck percentage is as good as anyone’s in the competition, and yet they keep finding ways to blow games that are there for the taking. This Sunwolves team is breaking my heart. Don’t go breaking my heart, Sunwolves. Don’t go breaking my heart.
Comments on RugbyPass
9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
12 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
8 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
8 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
8 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
8 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
41 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to commentsResults probably skewed by the fact that a few clubs have foreign fly halves in their 30s, but most teams have young English scrum halves. Results also likely to be skewed by the fact that many teams rely on centres and fullbacks to provide depth at 10, whereas they will need to stock a large number of specialist backup 9s.
1 Go to commentsI really get the sense that when all is said and done, the path of least resistance will end up being a merger of Wasps & Worcester that essentially kills the Worcester Warriors brand and sees Wasps permanently playing at Sixways. I’m not saying that’s what should happen or what I want to happen. I just think it’s the easiest rout to take and therefore, will be what happens. Wasps will definitely return to play first, and I suppose it all depends on if they can find support at Sixways. If people turn up and support Wasps in that community, at that ground, I bet they drop the Sevenoaks plan and just remain at Sixways. Under the radar but not totally unrelated, it looks as though London Irish are going to be brought back from the dead by a German consortium and look set to return, likely to the remade Championship. It’s set to have 12 clubs next season with 14 in 2025/26, what do you want to bet those extra 2 are Wasps and London Irish?
3 Go to commentsThe 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 👍
3 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 comments