McKenzie magic keeps Chiefs' 100 percent record intact
Damian McKenzie has boosted his claim to a place in New Zealand’s World Cup squad by leading the Chiefs to a 34-24 win over the defending Super Rugby Pacific champion Crusaders.
McKenzie kicked five penalties among 19 points for the Chiefs, who extended their winning start to the campaign to nine matches and beat the Crusaders for the second time this season.
The Chiefs enjoyed a 9-7 lead at half-time in Hamilton on Saturday but the Crusaders were up 24-22 when McKenzie engineered a try for fullback Shaun Stevenson that put the Chiefs ahead for the final time.
“The Crusaders have one of the better scrums in the competition so credit to the boys up front, they’ve been putting in a lot of work this season,” Chiefs captain Sam Cane said.
“Considering we didn’t have too much possession in that first half, to keep the scoreboard ticking over was a massive part of us getting the job done.”
The Crusaders had surpluses of territory and possession in the first half but had only a single try to show for it, to prop Tamaiti Williams after only five minutes.
The Chiefs managed to get out of their half on a few occasions and each time McKenzie kicked a penalty to eventually earn their halftime lead.
McKenzie helped set up a try for lock Brodie Retallick in the 45th minute which stretched the lead to 19-7.
He forced his hands through a tackle and off-loaded to Stevenson who passed inside for Retallick to score.
The Crusaders fought back with a penalty try from a collapsed maul and a contentious try to Fergus Burke who received an infield pass from a teammate who seemed in touch.
McKenzie kicked a penalty to give the Chiefs a 22-21 lead, then his opposite Richie Mo’unga landed a goal which put the Crusaders ahead 24-21.
McKenzie dashed through a hole in the Crusaders’ backline to create Stevenson’s try and cap a game in which he was clearly the dominant figure.
The Chiefs’ success followed their 31-10 win over the Crusaders in the tournament’s opening round.
The Chiefs’ 9-0 record is their best ever and hasn’t been achieved since the Crusaders last managed the same winning streak.
* Earlier in the day, the Blues took 25 minutes to get on the scoreboard but went on to build a comfortable 30-14 win over the Fijian Drua in Lautoka, Fiji.
The Blues’ third victory in a row lifted them into fourth place, two points ahead of the Crusaders who now have a 6-3 record.
* In an earlier match on Saturday, the Rebels scored seven tries to five in a 43-33 win over Moana Pasifika in Auckland to snap their three-match losing run.
The home team had three players sin-binned by referee Angus Mabey and were on the wrong end of a 12-2 first-half penalty count that added to their woes.
Strong in the set pieces, the Rebels scored seven tries to five in an entertaining scrap at Mt Smart Stadium between the two lowest teams on the ladder.
All four of Melbourne’s first-half tries came while Pasifika was a man down, and their first five-pointer of the second half also came while the hosts were down to 14 men.
* In the all-Australian derby the Reds produced an important win against the Western Force with a 31-17 victory.
It put the Queensland franchise well on its way to a play-off spot.
All the Saturday scores and scorers follow below …
Fijian Drua 14-30 Blues
The scorers
For Fijian Drua
Tries: Canakaivata 2
Cons: Tela, Valetini
For the Blues
Tries: Ioane, Suafoa, Papalii
Cons: B Barrett 3
Pens: B Barrett 2, Plummer
Teams
Fijian Drua: 15 Ilaisa Droasese, 14 Selestino Ravutaumada, 13 Iosefo Masi, 12 Kalaveti Ravouvou, 11 Eroni Sau, 10 Teti Tela, 9 Frank Lomani, 8 Elia Canakaivata, 7 Kitione Salawa, 6 Vilive Miramira, 5 Te Ahiwaru Cirikidaveta, 4 Isoa Nasilasila, 3 Samuela Tawake, 2 Tevita Ikanivere (captain), 1 Haereiti Hetet.
Replacements: 16 Mesulame Dolokoto, 17 Emosi Tuqiri, 18 Jone Tiko, 19 Chris Minimbi, 20 Joseva Tamani, 21 Peni Matawalu, 22 Kemu Valetini, 23 Apisalome Vota.
Blues: 15 Zarn Sullivan, 14 Mark Telea, 13 Rieko Ioane, 12 Harry Plummer, 11 Caleb Clarke, 10 Beauden Barrett, 9 Finlay Christie, 8 Hoskins Sotutu, 7 Dalton Papalii (captain), 6 Adrian Choat, 5 Sam Darry, 4 Cameron Suafoa, 3 Marcel Renata, 2 Soane Vikena, 1 Ofa Tuungafasi.
Replacements: 16 Ricky Riccitelli, 17 Jordan Lay, 18 James Lay, 19 James Tucker, 20 Akira Ioane, 21 Sam Nock, 22 Bryce Heem, 23 AJ Lam.
Referee: Ben O’Keeffe
Assistant referees: Stu Curran, Jackson Henshaw
TMO: Shane McDermott
Moana Pasifika 33-43 Rebels
The scorers
For Moana Pasifika
Tries: Fomai, Aumua, Funaki, Inisi 2
Cons: McClutchie 4
For the Rebels
Tries: Anderson, Kemeny, Gordon, Feliuai, Mafi 2, Ioane
Cons: Hodge 4
Teams
Moana Pasifika: 15 William Havili, 14 Timoci Tavatavanawai, 13 Levi Aumua, 12 Danny Toala, 11 Neria Foma’i, 10 Christian Lealiifano, 9 Ereatara Enari, 8 Solomone Funaki (captain), 7 Jonah Mau’u, 6 Miracle Faiilagi, 5 Mike McKee, 4 Michael Curry, 3 Isi Tu’ungafasi, 2 Samiuela Moli, 1 Abraham Pole.
Replacements: 16 Luteru Tolai, 17 Ezekiel Lindnemuth, 18 Chris Apoua, 19 Alex McRobbie, 20 Lotu Inisi, 21 Jonathan Taumateine, 22 Lincoln McClutchie, 23 Fine Inisi.
Melbourne Rebels: 15 Andrew Kellaway, 14 Lachie Anderson, 13 Reece Hodge, 12 David Feliuai, 11 Monty Ioane, 10 Carter Gordon, 9 Ryan Louwrens, 8 Vaiolini Ekuasi, 7 Brad Wilkin (captain), 6 Josh Kemeny, 5 Trevor Hosea, 4 Angelo Smith, 3 Sam Talakai, 2 Alex Mafi, 1 Matt Gibbon.
Replacements: 16 Jordan Uelese, 17 Cabous Eloff, 18 Pone Fa’amausili, 19 Tim Cardell, 20 Tamati Ioane, 21 James Tuttle, 22 Joe Pincus, 23 Lukas Ripley.
Referee: Angus Mabey
Assistant referees: Brendon Pickerill, Marcus Playle
TMO: Glenn Newman
Chiefs 34-24 Crusaders
The scorers
For the Chiefs
Tries: Retallick, Stevenson, Thompson
Cons: McKenzie 2
Pens: McKenzie 5
For the Crusaders
Tries: Williams, Penalty try, Burke
Cons: Mo’unga 2, penalty try does not require a conversion
Pen: Mo’unga
Yellow card: Luke Jacobson (Chiefs, 54 – repeated infringements, collapsing a maul illegally)
Teams
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 Samipeni Finau, 5 Tupou Vaa’i, 4 Brodie Retallick, 3 George Dyer, 2 Samisoni Taukei’aho, 1 Aidan Ross.
Replacements: 16 Tyrone Thompson, 17 Ollie Norris, 18 John Ryan, 19 Naitoa Ah Kuoi, 20 Pita Gus Sowakula, 21 Cortez Ratima, 22 Bryn Gatland, 23 Lalomilo Lalomilo.
Crusaders: 15 Fergus Burke, 14 Dallas McLeod, 13 Braydon Ennor, 12 David Havili, 11 Leicester Fainga’anuku, 10 Richie Mo’unga, 9 Mitchell Drummond, 8 Cullen Grace, 7 Tom Christie, 6 Dom Gardiner, 5 Sam Whitelock, 4 Scott Barrett (captain), 3 Tamaiti Williams, 2 Codie Taylor, 1 Joe Moody.
Replacements: 16 Brodie McAlister, 17 Finlay Brewis, 18 Oliver Jager, 19 Quinten Strange, 20 Christian Lio-Willie, 21 Willi Heinz, 22 Jack Goodhue, 23 Macca Springer.
Referee: Angus Gardner
Assistant referees: Dan Waenga, Mike Winter
TMO: Richard Kelly
Reds 31-17 Western Force
The scorers
For the Reds
Tries: McReight 2, Faessler, Blake
Cons: Creighton 3, Lynagh
Pen: Lynagh
For the Western Force
Tries: Kibirige 2, Wells
Con: Prior
Teams
Reds: 15 Jordan Petaia, 14 Suliasi Vunivalu, 13 Josh Flook, 12 James O’Connor, 11 Jock Campbell, 10 Lawson Creighton, 9 Tate McDermott (co-captain), 8 Harry Wilson, 7 Fraser McReight, 6 Liam Wright (co-captain), 5 Seru Uru, 4 Connor Vest, 3 Zane Nonggorr, 2 Matt Faessler, 1 Sef Fa’agase.
Replacements: 16 Richie Asiata, 17 George Blake, 18 Peni Ravai, 19 Ryan Smith, 20 Jake Upfield, 21 Kalani Thomas, 22 Tom Lynagh, 23 Filipo Daugunu.
Western Force: 15 Chase Tiatia, 14 Zach Kibirge, 13 Sam Spink, 12 Hamish Stewart, 11 Manasa Mataele, 10 Bryce Hegarty, 9 Issak Fines-Leleiwasa, 8 Michael Wells (captain), 7 Carlo Tizzano, 6 Tim Anstee, 5 Jeremy Williams, 4 Felix Kalapu, 3 Santiago Medrano, 2 Tom Horton, 1 Charlie Hancock.
Replacements: 16 Feleti Kaitu’u, 17 Marley Pearce, 18 Siosifa Amone, 19 Ryan McCauley, 20 Rahboni Vosayaco, 21 Gareth Simpson, 22 Bayley Kuenzle, 23 George Poolman.
Referee: Reuben Keane
Assistant referees: Nic Berry, Jordan Way
TMO: Brett Cronan
