Chiefs and Brumbies edge their arch-rivals
SATURDAY WRAP: Wing Emoni Narawa has scored two first-half tries as the Chiefs extended their winning start to the Super Rugby Pacific season to six matches with a 20-13 win over the Blues.
The Chiefs’ 6-0 start is a record for the club and, having beaten the Blues includes wins over both of last year’s finalists.
Narawa scored his first try only 26 seconds into the match and added a second as the Chiefs took a 17-10 lead to halftime.
The Chiefs held out the Blues in a second half in which both teams managed only a penalty goal.
The Blues were attacking hard at the end, hoping to score a converted try to take the match to extra time.
But winger Caleb Clarke, a try-scorer earlier, knocked on in the last play of the game and the Chiefs held out to win.
“It was good to [score] about 30 seconds in which was a great start,” Chiefs captain Brad Weber said.
“We owed these guys one after last year. They embarrassed us on our home turf so you could see the desperation in the defence in the second half.
“That was what that was all about.”
All Blacks five-eighth Beauden Barrett had one of his worst matches with muffed goal kicks, handling errors, tactical mistakes and poor general kicking which cost the Blues in a tight match.
“We always know it’s going to be a big job coming down here,” Blues captain Dalton Papali’i said.
“Every game against these guys is a Test match. The boys prepared well but we just didn’t execute some moments out there and it cost us.”
*In the other fixture, a 77th-minute Corey Toole try has allowed the Brumbies to extend their streak against the NSW Waratahs to 11 games after stealing a come-from-behind 40-36 Super Rugby Pacific victory.
In an excellent Wallabies selection trial on the eve of Eddie Jones naming his first national team squad, the Brumbies trailed 33-21 with 20 minutes left and by one point three minutes from time and looked at risk of losing to their arch-rivals for the first time since 2018.
But a scintillating pass from bench five-eighth Jack Debreczeni allowed Toole to grab the vital points and seal victory in the pulsating GIO Stadium encounter.
The Brumbies looked to be on the ropes when down 12 points with 20 minutes to play, but flipped the switch via forward dominance with tries for No.8 Pete Samu and hooker Lachie Lonergan.
NSW five-eighth Ben Donaldson slotted a penalty to take a 36-35 lead, before Toole’s heroics ensured the Brumbies protected their winning run against the Waratahs.
The Brumbies were only in the game thanks to prop James Slipper, who scored a remarkable double that included a storming run when he split the NSW line untouched.
Waratahs wing Mark Nawaqanitawase produced try of the night to extend the lead to 33-21, breaking the line and then chipping for himself before regathering and grounding the ball.
In one of the Tahs’ best performances of the Super Rugby Pacific season, young gun Max Jorgensen produced a sizzling line break before he put centre Lalakai Foketi through for a 28-14 lead.
The Waratahs seemed certain for a drought-breaking win after 40 minutes, finding the line three times including through winger Dylan Pietsch, the beneficiary of a clever line-break from Michael Hooper as the visitors put their foot down.
But the Brumbies hung in and struck back through centre Len Ikitau after a delicate touch kick from Tamati Tua.
So dominant was the Brumbies’ scrum, they forced two NSW tighthead props to the sin-bin for repeated fouling on the try-line, a sequence that looked to be capped with a Rory Scott try before it was brought back for an obstruction.
The Tahs struck back despite their two-man disadvantage via Jed Holloway, before Slipper’s effort gave the Brumbies a lifeline.
Toole put himself firmly on Wallabies boss Jones’ radar with another strong outing, his elite speed matched with a series of bruising runs and defensive efforts.
Jorgensen is another bolter that could earn a nod, his brilliant attacking work complemented with a defensive work-rate that included a magical try-saving tackle on Toole.
The win leaves the Brumbies 5-1 for the season, while the Waratahs are 1-5.
Meanwhile, Melbourne have been blasted off the park in a frantic opening 40 minutes, falling to Fijian Drua 38-28 in their Super Rugby Pacific clash in Suva.
The Rebels’ mantra of playing “fast and fearless” was thrown back in their face by a rampant home side who ran in five tries in 28 minutes to lead 33-7 by halftime with the scoreboard spinning faster than the clock.
The tries were shared across five players, with the offload game of blindside flanker Vilive Miramira, who grabbed their third, causing havoc for the visitors.
In front of a raucous home crowd at HFC Stadium they posed threats across the park with the Rebels constantly back-peddling.
It was the Drua’s second home win, also claiming the scalp of the powerhouse Crusaders in Nadi in round three.
“Fiji Drua just got out to a really hot start,” Rebels skipper Brad Wilkin told Stan Sport.
“We knew they would but we just didn’t aim up in the contact zone and we allowed them to play the rugby that they want to play.”
Melbourne stunningly had 61 per cent of territory in the first half and also dominated possession but only had one try to show for it, with hooker Alex Mafi burrowing across in the 21st minute.
Rebels coach Kevin Foote rang the changes early, bringing Wallabies back Andrew Kellaway into the match after halftime for his first match of the season due to a foot injury.
Kellaway made an immediate impact, scoring in the 41st minute, while he was confident in using his kicking game to improve Melbourne’s field position.
Some heat went out of the home side’s game while the Rebels, coming off a gritty win over Queensland, started to find their groove.
But the Drua continued to make the most of their opportunities.
Realising the Rebels had no-one at fullback, No.9 Peni Matawalu chipped over the defensive line with former Sevens star Elia Canakaivata able to gather up the ball and crash over the line.
Although a win was out of reach, Melbourne improved the scoreline with two further tries to at least take the second half.
Young Melbourne playmaker Carter Gordon ran on to a Wilkin pass to cross in the 65th minute while World Cup hopeful Pone Fa’amausili rolled over with two minutes remaining.
The Rebels host the Blues in Melbourne next Saturday and Wilkin said they would need to heed lessons from this defeat.
“The Blues are a little bit similar. They’re very good at unstructured play as well so we’ve just got to tighten things up, especially around our defence and our breakdown work,” the flank said.
“We’ve got to move on quickly. It’s a very tough trip to come over here and play in front of this electrifying crowd so we’ve going to have to front up and go again next week.”
The results and scorers:
Chiefs 20-13 Blues
The scorers:
For Chiefs:
Tries: Narawa 2
Cons: McKenzie 2
Pens: McKenzie 2
For Blues:
Tries: Riccitelli, Clarke try
Pen: Barrett
Chiefs: 15 Shaun Stevenson, 14 Emoni Narawa, 13 Daniel Rona, 12 Rameka Poihipi, 11 Etene Nanai-Seturo, 10 Damian McKenzie, 9 Brad Weber, 8 Luke Jacobson, 7 Sam Cane, 6 Samipeni Finau, 5 Tupou Vaa’i, 4 Brodie Retallick, 3 John Ryan, 2 Samisoni Taukei’aho, 1 Ollie Norris
Replacements: 16 Tyrone Thompson, 17 Aidan Ross, 18 George Dyer, 19 Naitoa Ah Kuoi, 20 Pita Gus Sowakula, 21 Cortez Ratima, 22 Bryn Gatland, 23 Liam Coombes-Fabling
Blues: 15 Stephen Perofeta, 14 AJ Lam, 13 Rieko Ioane, 12 Harry Plummer, 11 Caleb Clarke, 10 Beauden Barrett, 9 Finlay Christie, 8 Hoskins Sotutu, 7 Dalton Papalii (captain), 6 Anton Segner, 5 Sam Darry, 4 Cameron Suafoa, 3 Nepo Laulala, 2 Ricky Riccitelli, 1 Jordan Lay
Replacements: 16 Kurt Eklund, 17 Ofa Tuungafasi, 18 James Lay, 19 Patrick Tuipulotu, 20 Tom Robinson, 21 Sam Nock, 22 Corey Evans, 23 Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens/Zarn Sullivan
Fijian Drua 38-28 Melbourne Rebels
The scorers:
For Fijian Drua:
Tries: Droasese, Ravutaumada, Miramira, Masi, Salawa, Canakaivata.
Cons: Tela 4
For Melbourne Rebels:
Tries: Mafi, Kellaway, Gordon, Fa’amausili;
Cons: Hodge 4
Fijian Drua: 15 Ilaisa Droasese, 14 Selestino Ravutaumada, 13 Iosefo Masi, 12 Kalaveti Ravouvou, 11 Eroni Sau, 10 Teti Tela, 9 Frank Lomani, 8 Meli Derenalagi (captain), 7 Kitione Salawa, 6 Vilive Miramira, 5 Te Ahiwaru Cirikidaveta, 4 Isoa Nasilasila, 3 Jone Tiko, 2 Tevita Ikanivere, 1 Emosi Tuqiri
Replacements: 16 Zuriel Togiatama, 17 Livai Natave, 18 Kaloipasi Uluilakepa, 19 Joseva Tamani, 20 Ella Canakaivata, 21 Peni Matawalu, 22 Michael Naitokani, 23 Taniela Rakuro
Melbourne Rebels: 15 Joe Pincus, 14 Lachie Anderson, 13 Reece Hodge, 12 Stacey Ili, 11 Monty Ioane, 10 Carter Gordon, 9 Ryan Louwrens, 8 Vaiolini Ekuasi, 7 Brad Wilkin (captain), 6 Josh Kemeny, 5 Josh Canham, 4 Tuaina Taii Tualima, 3 Sam Talakai, 2 Alex Mafi, 1 Matt Gibbon
Replacements: 16 Jordan Uelese, 17 Cabous Eloff, 18 Pone Fa’amausili, 19 Angelo Smith, 20 Daniel Maiava, 21 James Tuttle, 22 David Feliuai, 23 Andrew Kellaway
Brumbies 40-36 Waratahs
The scorers:
For Brumbies:
Tries: Lonergan, Samu, Slipper 2, Ikitau
Cons: Lonergan 2, Lolesio 3
For Waratahs:
Tries: Nawaqanitawase, Foketi, Holloway, Porecki, Pietsch
Cons: Donaldson 4
Pen: Donaldson
Brumbies: 15 Tom Wright, 14 Andy Muirhead, 13 Len Ikitau, 12 Tamati Tua, 11 Corey Toole, 10 Noah Lolesio, 9 Nic White, 8 Pete Samu, 7 Rory Scott, 6 Rob Valetini, 5 Cadeyrn Neville, 4 Nick Frost, 3 Allan Alaalatoa, 2 Lachlan Lonergan, 1 James Slipper
Replacements: 16 Rhys Van Nek, 17 Fred Kaihea, 18 Sefo Kautai, 19 Sam Thomson, 20 Jahrome Brown, 21 Ryan Lonergan, 22 Jack Debreczeni, 23 Ben O’Donnell
Waratahs: 15 Max Jorgensen, 14 Mark Nawaqanitawase, 13 Izaia Perese, 12 Lalakai Foketi, 11 Dylan Pietsch, 10 Ben Donaldson, 9 Jake Gordon (captain), 8 Will Harris, 7 Michael Hooper, 6 Taleni Seu, 5 Ned Hanigan, 4 Jed Holloway, 3 Harry Johnson-Holmes, 2 Mahe Vailanu, 1 Te Tera Faulkner
Replacements: 16 Tolu Latu, 17 Tom Lambert, 18 Dan Botha, 19 Zac Von Appen, 20 Hunter Ward, 21 Harrison Goddard, 22 Joey Walton, 23 Harry Wilson
