Chiefs maintain 100 percent Super record
SATURDAY WRAP: The unbeaten Chiefs overcame a nine-point deficit at half-time to beat the Hurricanes 33-17 on Saturday and reclaim the top spot in Super Rugby Pacific.
A Hurricanes side who have been the best-attacking outfit in the competition were kept scoreless for the last 50 minutes as the Chiefs extended their start to seven wins from seven.
The teams were level at the top of the standings after the Chiefs sat out a bye last week, and their perfect record looked set to be tested when scrumhalf Cameron Roigard crossed to put the Hurricanes 17-8 clear after half an hour.
That remained the score at the interval before momentum swung in favour of the visitors, who played with more control and scored three unanswered tries.
Chiefs co-captain Brad Weber said his team took time to rediscover the form that has carried them to a best-ever start to a season.
“Coming off the bye, we were a little bit slow out of the blocks, but we just stuck to what’s worked all season,” Weber said.
“We told the boys to trust it and it’d start coming and sure enough it did.
“The Hurricanes in that first half, their attacking prowess was bloody tough to stop, so we’re pretty happy with that second 40 minutes.”
The Chiefs’ slow start included conceding the game’s first five penalties, although they did cross first through outside centre Daniel Rona before the Hurricanes responded through tries to flanker Devon Sanders and Roigard.
Pita Gus Sowakula and Cortez Ratima gave the Chiefs the advantage entering the final quarter and fly-half Damian McKenzie grabbed the final try to complete an 18-point haul.
Hurricanes captain Ardie Savea admitted his team opened the door to the visitors in the second spell.
“The first half was really good, we did the simple things well,” All Blacks No.8 Savea said.
“The second half let us down. There were back-to-back mistakes and you can’t do that to a team like the Chiefs and they punished us.
“Obviously, we’ve got the bye week next week, so that’ll be a good time to reflect, reset and come back.”
The Chiefs top the standings on points differential from the ACT Brumbies, who have played an extra game.
The Hurricanes are guaranteed to be third at the end of round eight, four points off the pace.
* In the other Saturday match the Waratahs snapped a four-game losing streak with a 36-16 bonus-point win over the Western Force to keep their Super Rugby Pacific play-off hopes alive.
Spurned skipper Jake Gordon and former Wallabies captain Michael Hooper were the stand-outs as the Waratahs ran in five tries to two to record a desperately needed victory on Saturday.
Overlooked by Eddie Jones for his first Wallabies squad of the year, Gordon scored a 40-metre solo try and set up another for centre Izaia Perese as the Tahs tasted success for the first time since round two six weeks ago.
Jones preferred Brumbies pair Nic White and Ryan Lonergan as his two halves to go into camp on the Gold Coast on Sunday, but Gordon would have caught the coach’s eye with his man-of-the-match showing.
Unsure about his playing future beyond this World Cup year, Hooper has been below his brilliant best so far in 2023 but the champion flank also produced his finest game yet just when the Tahs needed it with their season on the line.
Saturday scores and scorers follow below …
Hurricanes 17-33 Chiefs
Scorers
For the Hurricanes
Tries: Flanders, Roigard
Cons: Barrett 2
Pen: Barrett
For the Chiefs
Tries: Rona, Sowakula, Ratima, McKenzie
Cons: McKenzie 2
Pens: McKenzie 3
Teams
Hurricanes: 15 Josh Moorby, 14 Julian Savea, 13 Peter Umaga-Jensen, 12 Jordie Barrett, 11 Salesi Rayasi, 10 Aidan Morgan, 9 Cameron Roigard, 8 Ardie Savea (captain), 7 Du’Plessis Kirifi, 6 Devan Flanders, 5 Dominic Bird, 4 James Blackwell, 3 Tyrel Lomax, 2 Asafo Aumua, 1 Xavier Numia.
Replacements: 16 Dane Coles, 17 Tevita Mafileo, 18 Pasilio Tosi, 19 TK Howden, 20 Brayden Iose, 21 Peter Lakai, 22 Jamie Booth, 23 Harry Godfrey.
Chiefs: 15 Shaun Stevenson, 14 Emoni Narawa, 13 Daniel Rona, 12 Rameka Poihipi, 11 Etene Nanai-Seturo, 10 Damian McKenzie, 9 Brad Weber (co-captain), 8 Luke Jacobson, 7 Sam Cane (co-captain), 6 Pita Gus Sowakula, 5 Tupou Vaa’i, 4 Brodie Retallick, 3 George Dyer, 2 Samisoni Taukei’aho, 1 Aidan Ross.
Replacements: 16 Bradley Slater, 17 Ollie Norris, 18 John Ryan, 19 Naitoa Ah Kuoi, 20 Samipeni Finau, 21 Cortez Ratima, 22 Bryn Gatland, 23 Peniasi Malimali.
Referee: Jordan Way
Assistant referees: Dan Waenga, Mike Winter
TMO: Richard Kelly
Waratahs 36-16 Western Force
The scorers
For the Waratahs
Tries: Perese 2, Nawaqanitawase, Gordon, Johnson-Holmes
Cons: Donaldson 4
Pen: Donaldson
For the Western Force
Tries: Mataele, Kibirige
Pens: Strachan 2
Teams
Waratahs: 15 Max Jorgensen, 14 Mark Nawaqanitawase, 13 Izaia Perese, 12 Lalakai Foketi, 11 Dylan Pietsch, 10 Ben Donaldson, 9 Jake Gordon (captain), 8 Taleni Seu, 7 Michael Hooper, 6 Lachie Swinton, 5 Ned Hanigan, 4 Jed Holloway, 3 Harry Johnson-Holmes, 2 Dave Porecki, 1 Tom Lambert.
Replacements: 16 Mahe Vailanu, 17 Te Tera Faulkner, 18 Dan Botha, 19 Zac Von Appen, 20 Will Harris, 21 Teddy Wilson, 22 Joey Walton, 23 Harry Wilson.
Western Force: 15 Chase Tiatia, 14 Manasa Mataele, 13 Sam Spink, 12 Hamish Stewart, 11 Zach Kibirige, 10 Jake Strachan, 9 Gareth Simpson, 8 Jacob Norris, 7 Ollie Callan, 6 Tim Anstee, 5 Jeremy Williams, 4 Jackson Pugh, 3 Santaigo Medrano, 2 Tom Horton, 1 Tom Robertson.
Replacements: 16 Feleti Kaitu’u, 17 Angus Wagner, 18 Siosifa Amone, 19 Ryan McCauley, 20 Felix Kalapu, 21 Issak Fines-Leleiwasa, 22 Bayley Kuenzle, 23 George Poolman.
Referee: Angus Gardner
Assistant referees: Graham Cooper, Matt Kellahan
TMO: David Conway
Sources: AFP & AAP
