'They're a train wreck': Chiefs slammed by broadcaster as they face losing streak record
Sky broadcaster Ken Laban has labelled the Chiefs as “a train wreck” as they stare down the barrel of a record-breaking losing run.
It has been more than a year since the Hamilton franchise last tasted victory, with their last win coming via a 51-14 romp over the Waratahs in Wollongong on March 6, 2020.
Since then, the two-time champions have lost 11 matches in a row in a losing streak that has encompassed a winless Super Rugby Aotearoa campaign last year and a winless start to this season.
Another loss this weekend against the Hurricanes in Wellington will set the new record for most consecutive defeats suffered by a New Zealand franchise in Super Rugby history.
Speaking on The Breakdown on Sky Sport earlier this week, Laban attributed the franchise’s poor form to the franchise’s high turnover of coaches in recent years.
Since 2017, the Chiefs have had four different head coaches – Dave Rennie, Colin Cooper, Warren Gatland and Clayton McMillan – and three different head coaches over the past three years.
The return of Gatland from this year’s British and Irish Lions tour in 2022 will represent the fourth change of coaches in as many years, and Laban said that is partially to blame for the franchise’s record-equalling losing run.
“I suppose you can paper over the cracks, but the Chiefs, in my view, they’re a train wreck. They’re a complete train wreck,” Laban said.
“They’ve had, now, three coaches in three years, and next year it will be their fourth coaching change in four years.”
Laban, a long-time Sky Sport commentator, compared the current Chiefs side to that of the team that was coached under Colin Cooper between 2018 and 2019.
During that time, Cooper guided the Chiefs to back-to-back quarter-final appearances where they lost by narrow margins to the Hurricanes and Jaguares.
It followed the work done by Rennie, who led the Chiefs to their only two titles in 2012 and 2013 in his first two seasons in charge, which was followed by a play-offs appearance every season thereafter until his departure for Glasgow Warriors four years ago.
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“When Colin Cooper was in charge, he got them to the play-offs,” Laban said. “They were one try away, they were 21-16, they lost the quarter-final [to the Jaguares] in 2019 and now they’ve run 0-11.”
Laban noted current coach McMillan, who is filling the head coach role in the absence of Gatland, is not to blame for the franchise’s failings, nor are the players.
The fault, he said, should lie with the team’s board and administrators for allowing such a constant stream of changes in the top coaching role.
“Clayton McMillan, I have huge regard for Clayton McMillan. He is a coach of huge significance in our game with a tremendous future, but I feel for him, and I certainly don’t blame the players.
“I think the governance and the administration of the Chiefs need to take some responsibility for what’s happened there because there’s no way that they’re an 0-11 team in this competition given the quality of their playing roster.”
The Chiefs are listed as underdogs at the bookmakers for this weekend’s clash, but may have reason for optimism given the Hurricanes’ lack of depth in their halves combination.
A victory for the visitors would prevent them from breaking the Highlanders’ record of 11 winless matches – a feat the Chiefs have now equalled – between 2012 and 2013.
Kick-off for Saturday’s match at Sky Stadium is scheduled for 7:35pm NZT.
Comments on RugbyPass
Je suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
1 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusades , you can keep going.
1 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
25 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
25 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
25 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
25 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
11 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
11 Go to comments