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'They left a bit of cattle at home': Chiefs captain Brad Weber not getting carried away following Crusaders victory
Chiefs captain Brad Weber isn’t getting carried away following his side’s victory over the table-topping Crusaders on Saturday evening.
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Despite riding high on a three-game winning streak, the Crusaders were still comfortable favourites to take the victory in Hamilton this weekend but a last-minute Damian McKenzie penalty stole the match for the home side.
It was the third time in as many matches that McKenzie was the hero in the dying moments, with the pocket rocket playmaker scoring the winning try with the last play of the game to beat the Blues two weekends ago then slotting a penalty in extra-time against the Highlanders last weekend.
The Crusaders, meanwhile, were far from their best in their two games leading up to their battle with the Chiefs and struggled for territory and possession on Saturday evening – but still held the lead for the majority of the match.
McKenzie’s penalty in the 78th minute nudged the Chiefs ahead 26-25 before Naitoa Ah Kuoi earned a late-game penalty to end the match while the Crusaders were hot on attack and preparing for a drop goal.
It was a valiant performance from the home team and the 18,000 in attendance at Waikato Stadium were undoubtedly appreciative of their efforts.
“The belief is huge in this group and the crowd tonight really rode us home,” Weber said following the match. “They were the extra leg we needed.
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“It’s fantastic. They stuck with us through the terrible times, particularly last year. They’re the true fans we play for, really. It’s great to have such a big crowd here and [against the] Hurricanes next week, hopefully we can top 18,000.”
Despite the heroic win, however, Weber isn’t getting carried away – knowing full well that the Crusaders weren’t at full strength for the match.
“We know you need to be a little bit innovative against the Crusaders,” he said. “They’re such a well-drilled team, they prepare really well. We knew that if you can build phases against this team, they’ll either give away a penalty or we think we can score tries, especially with some of the potent attack we’ve got. We stuck to it for eighty and we got the chocolates.
“To be honest, if you want to be the best, you’ve got to beat the best – and that wasn’t the best Crusaders team tonight, they left a bit of cattle at home so the challenge isn’t over yet.”
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In 2019, @ChiefsRugby hooker Samisoni Taukei'aho turned down the chance to play for Tonga. That decision could pay dividends very soon for the 23-year-old, if last night's match is anything to go by. #SuperRugbyAotearoa #CHIvCRUhttps://t.co/oWimFv34tc
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) April 18, 2021
Regulars Joe Moody, Codie Taylor, Sam Whitelock and Cullen Grace were all absent from the starting side, with Taylor joining the fray from the bench and the others rested from the match altogether.
Captain Scott Barrett, meanwhile, was playing on the blindside flank instead of in his usual position in the second row – though he made a significant impact at the breakdown regardless.
One way or another, it was a far cry from the side that the Crusaders will field in the grand final in three weeks’ time.
Still, there were plenty of positives for the Chiefs – and the win takes them one step closer to meeting the Crusaders in that final.
“It’s great. Destiny’s in our hands now and that’s what we wanted. We’ve got to stop leaving it to the last bloody minute, my heart can’t take it.
“We still need to be better at finishing a lot of our linebreaks and stuff but good thing we’re creating them.”
In the second-to-last round of regular-season Super Rugby Aotearoa action, the Chiefs will host the Hurricanes on Friday while the Crusaders will spend another weekend away from home, meeting the Blues in Auckland.
Comments on RugbyPass
Thanks for the write up. Great to see the Rebs winning, I am a little interested in how they will go against the remaining kiwi teams, I think they’ve only played Hurricanes and Highlanders but how great to see these players performing!! I also see Parling has a job beyond June 30! A good move by RA? Also how do you fix the Rebels previously scratchy defence?
81 Go to commentsbe smart - go black
13 Go to commentsNext week the Crusaders hopefully have Scott Barrett back. Will be great to have the captain back. Hopefully he will be the All Black captain as well.
12 Go to commentsExciting place to be for the young fella. I expected he was French Polynesian when I saw him included in the France 6N squad (after seeing him in NZs), and therefor be strong grounds we might loose him to rugby down here. Good, in that he is good enough to warrant such a profile, and from a journalism’s fan interaction aspect, to finally get a back ground story on the fella. Hope he has settled into NZ OK and that at least one rugby country will fit with him to help his development, which, if so, he should surely continue for a few years, and then that he can experience France to it’s fullest with a bit more maturity and less reliance on family than you would have at his current age. A good 3 or 4 years before he would be ready for International duty if he wanted to wait. Of course he already sounds good enough to accept a call up, and to cap himself, in the more immediate future (he’d have to be very very good in the case of the ABs), and he’ll get a great taste of that being with the Canes who have a bunch who are just a few years further into their career and looking likely Internationals themselves.
13 Go to commentsI remember towards the end of the original broadcasting deal for Super rugby with Newscorp that there was talk about the competition expanding to improve negotiations for more money - more content, more cash. Professional rugby was still in its infancy then and I held an opposing view that if Super rugby was a truly valuable competition then it should attract more broadcasters to bid for the rights, thereby increasing the value without needing to add more teams and games. Unfortunately since the game turned professional, the tension between club, talent and country has only grown further. I would argue we’re already at a point in time where the present is the future. The only international competitions that matter are 6N, RC and RWC. The inter-hemisphere tours are only developmental for those competitions. The games that increasingly matter more to fans, sponsors and broadcasters are between the clubs. Particularly for European fans, there are multiple competitions to follow your teams fortunes every week. SA is not Europe but competes in a single continental competition, so the travel component will always be an impediment. It was worse in the bloated days of Super rugby when teams traversed between four continents - Africa, America, Asia and Australia. The percentage of players who represent their country is less than 5% of the professional player base, so the sense of sacrifice isn’t as strong a motivation for the rest who are more focused on playing professional rugby and earning as much from their body as they can. Rugby like cricket created the conundrum it’s constantly fighting a losing battle with.
3 Go to commentsOh wow… “But as La Rochelle proved in winning in Cape Town this season, a cross-continental away assignment need not spell the end of days.” La Rochelle actually proved quite the opposite. After traveling to Cape town and back they (back-to-back and current champs) got mercilessly thumped the next week. If travel is not the reason, why else would a full-strength powerhouse like La Rochelle get dumped on their @r$e$ one week later?
26 Go to commentsYou know he can land a winning conversion after the full time siren is up. (Even if it takes two attempts.)
5 Go to commentsA very insightful article from Jake. I would love to know how South African’s feel about their move to Europe. Do you prefer playing in Europe or want to go back to Super Rugby?
3 Go to commentspure fire
1 Go to commentsA very well thought out summary of all the relevant complications…agree with your ”refer the Cricket Test versus 20/20 comparison”. More also definitely doesn't necessarily mean better!
3 Go to commentsMust be something when you are only 19 y.o and both NZ and France want you. Btw he wasn’t the only new caledonian in french U20 as Robin Couly also lived in Noumea until 17. Hope he’s successful wherever he chooses to play.
13 Go to comments“Several key players in the Stade Rochelais squad are in their thirties” South Africans are going to hate the implications of that comment!
5 Go to commentsI know Leinster did a job on La Roche but shortly after HT Leinster were 30-13 ahead of them and at a similar time Toulouse were trailing Exeter. At 60 mins Leinster were 27 ahead but after 67 mins Toulouse were only 19 ahead before Exeter collapsed. That’s heavier scoring by Leinster against the Champions. I think people are looking at Toulouses total a little too much. I also think Northhampton are in with a real chance, albeit I’d put Leinster as favourites. If Leinster make the final I expect them to win by more than ten and with control.
5 Go to commentsHey Nick, your match analysis is decent but the top and tail not so much, a bit more random. For a start there’s a seismic difference in regenerating any club side over a test team. EJ pretty much had to urinate with the appendage he’d been given at test level whereas club success is impacted hugely by the budget. Look no further than Boudjellal’s Toulon project for a perfect example. The set ups at La Rochelle and Leinster are like chalk and cheese and you are correct that Leinster are ahead. Leinster are not just slightly ahead though, they are light years ahead on their plans, with the next gen champions cup team already blooded, seasoned and developing at speed from their time manning the fort in the URC while the cream play CC and tests. They have engineered a strong talent conveyor belt into their system, supported by private money funnelled into a couple of Leinster private schools. The really smart move from Leinster and the IRFU however is maximising the Irish Revenue tax breaks (tax relief on the best 10 years earnings refunded at retirement) to help keep all of their stars in Ireland and happy, while simultaneously funding marquee players consistently. And of course Barrett is the latest example. But in no way is he a “replacement for Henshaw”, he’s only there for one season!!! As for Rob Baxter, the best advice you can give him is to start lobbying Parliament and HMRC for a similar state subsidy, but don’t hold your breath… One thing Cullen has been very smart with is his coaching team. Very quickly he realised his need to supplement his skills, there was talk of him exiting after his first couple of years but he was extremely shrewd bringing in Lancaster and now Nienaber. That has worked superbly and added a layer that really has made a tangible difference. Apart from that you were bang on the money… 😉😂
5 Go to commentsNot sure exactly what went wrong for him at Glasgow but it’s pretty clear he ain’t Franco’s cup of tea. Suspect he would have been better served heading out of Scotland around the same time as Finn, Hoggy and Jonny!
1 Go to commentsBulls disrespected the Northampton supporters and the competition. Decide quickly, fully in or out.
26 Go to commentsI wonder if Parling was ever on England’s radar as a coach? Obviously Borthwick is a great lineout coach, but I do worry he might be taking on too much as both head coach and forwards coach.
1 Go to commentsJason Jenkins has one cap. When Etzebeth was his age he had over 80 caps. Experience matters. He will never amount to what Etzebeth has because he hasn’t been developed as an international player.
2 Go to commentsSays much about the player picking this gig over the easier and bigger rewards offered to him in Japan. Also says a lot about the state sanctioned tax benefits the Irish Revenue offers pro rugby players, with their ten highest earning years subject to an additional 40% tax relief and paid as a lump sum, in cash, at retirement. Certainly helps Leinster line up the financial ducks in a row to fund marquee signings like this!!! No other union anywhere in world rugby benefits from this kind of lucrative financial sponsorship from their government…
5 Go to commentsTrue Jordie could earn a lot more in Japan. But by choosing Leinster he’ll be playing with 1 of the best clubs in the world and can win a champions cup and URC…..
6 Go to comments