Chiefs on the move after 10-try romp
SATURDAY WRAP: The Chiefs cantered over for 10 tries in a 68-12 drubbing of Moana Pasifika on Saturday – the most lop-sided Super Rugby scoreline in more than a year.
Wing Emoni Narawa bagged a hat-trick of tries in Hamilton while flyhalf Damian McKenzie landed nine of his 10 conversion attempts.
The winning margin was the highest in the competition since the Hurricanes hammered Moana 59-0 in Round Five last year.
The home side unleashed an ominous display of attacking rugby to rebound from the previous week’s loss to the Crusaders and pick up a fifth win from seven games.
It was a third consecutive heavy defeat for Moana, with coach Tana Umaga’s team conceding 175 points in those matches.
The visitors struggled to contain the creativity of All Blacks playmaker McKenzie and the athleticism of Narawa and regular wing Etene Nanai-Seturo, who produced a sparkling display at fullback in his 50th Super Rugby match.
“Coming off last week’s performance, the coaches put the hard word on us,” said Nanai-Seturo, one of the try-scorers.
“We had to dominate up front and did that, so the backs got to do their thing out wide.”
Backs scored eight tries for the Chiefs, who led 28-0 at halftime in a rollicking preparation for next week’s match against the competition-leading Hurricanes.
* In the other Saturday match James Slipper became the most capped Australian in Super Rugby history when he played in his 178th match – as the prop’s Brumbies team smashed the the struggling Waratahs 40-16 – despite a second-half rally by the visitors.
It lifts the loosehead one match ahead of former Wallaby hooker Stephen Moore and into fifth place on the all-time list of Super Rugby’s most enduring players.
Former Crusaders prop Wyatt Crockett leads the way on 202 matches, followed by three other All Blacks – Aaron Smith (185), Liam Messam (182) and Sam Whitelock (181).
All of Saturday’s scores and scorers below
CHIEFS 68-12 MOANA PASIFIKA
The scorers
For the Chiefs
Tries: Parker, Narawa 3, Nanai-Seturo, Rona, Tahuriorangi, Ahio, Malimali, Ratima
Cons: McKenzie 9
For Moana Pasifika
Tries: Matavao, Faiilagi
Con: Havili
Teams:
Chiefs: 15 Etene Nanai-Seturo, 14 Emoni Narawa, 13 Daniel Rona, 12 Rameka Poihipi (captain), 11 Peniasi Malimali, 10 Damian McKenzie, 9 Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, 8 Wallace Sititi, 7 Simon Parker, 6 Samipeni Finau, 5 Tupou Vaa’i, 4 Jimmy Tupou, 3 Reuben O’Neill, 2 Samisoni Taukei’aho, 1 Ollie Norris
Replacements: 16 Bradley Slater, 17 Jared Proffit, 18 Sione Ahio, 19 Naitoa Ah Kuoi, 20 Kaylum Boshier, 21 Cortez Ratima, 22 Josh Ioane, 23 Anton Lienert-Brown
Moana Pasifika: 15 Kyren Taumoefolau, 14 Nigel Ah Wong, 13 Fine Inisi, 12 Julian Savea, 11 Viliami Fine, 10 William Havili, 9 Melani Matavao, 8 Semisi Paea, 7 Niko Jones, 6 Irie Papuni, 5 Tom Savage, 4 Ola Tauelangi, 3 Sekope Kepu (captain), 2 Sama Malolo, 1 Donald Brighouse
Replacements: 16 Samiuela Moli, 17 Abraham Pole, 18 Suetena Asomua, 19 Michael Curry, 20 Miracle Faiilagi, 21 Aisea Halo, 22 Otumaka Mausia, 23 D’Angelo Leuila
Referee: Ben O’Keeffe
Assistant referees: Stu Curran, Jackson Henshaw
BRUMBIES 40-16 WARATAHS
The scorers
For the Brumbies
Tries: Goddard, Valetini, Toole, Cale
Cons: Lolesio 3, Debreczeni
Pens: Lolesio 4
For the Waratahs’
Try: Gamble
Con: Harrison
Pens: Edmed 3
Teams:
Brumbies: 15 Tom Wright, 14 Ollie Sapsford, 13 Hudson Creighton, 12 Tamati Tua, 11 Corey Toole, 10 Noah Lolesio, 9 Ryan Lonergan, 8 Charlie Cale, 7 Tom Hooper, 6 Rob Valetini, 5 Nick Frost, 4 Darcy Swain, 3 Sosefo Kautai, 2 Billy Pollard, 1 James Slipper
Replacements: 16 Connal McInerney, 17 Fred Kahea, 18 Rhys Van Nek, 19 Cadeyrn Neville, 20 Luke Reimer, 21 Harrison Goddard, 22 Jack Debreczeni, 23 Declan Meredith
Waratahs: 15 Max Jorgensen, 14 Mark Nawaqanitawase, 13 Joey Walton, 12 Lalakai Foketi, 11 Dylan Pietsch, 10 Tane Edmed, 9 Jake Gordon (captain), 8 Hugh Sinclair, 7 Charlie Gamble, 6 Lachlan Swinton, 5 Fergus Lee-Warner, 4 Jed Holloway, 3 Harry Johnson-Holmes, 2 Julian Heaven, 1 Angus Bell
Replacements: 16 Theo Fourie, 17 Hayden Thompson-Stringer, 18 Tom Ross, 19 Miles Amatosero, 20 Sione Misiloi, 21 Teddy Wilson, 22 Will Harrison, 23 Izaia Perese
Referee: Nic Berry
Assistant Referees: Jordan Way, Matt Kellahan
