ANALYSIS: The Chiefs and Crusaders did more than just send a much-needed rocket through Super Rugby Pacific last Saturday night.
They also proved to audiences, whether they be in Iceland or Namibia, that when the best teams in SRP tear at each other, that his competition deserves respect.
Even neutral observers may have had to cling to their seats as they observed how players coped with the test match-like intensity in Hamilton, proof that these games can still be a ratings bonanza if the top sides from New Zealand step inside the arena.
Because, and the other seven sides shouldn’t take umbrage to this, it’s the teams from Aotearoa that are the big ticket items. Okay, maybe that’s being generous to the luckless Highlanders, but that’s a conversation for another day.
All Blacks coach Ian Foster and his co-selectors Joe Schmidt and Jason Ryan should have welcomed what unfolded as the Chiefs prevailed 34-24 at FMG Stadium Waikato, and how several fringe players handled the heat in front of a sell-out crowd may yet prove decisive when the All Blacks 33-man squad for the World Cup in France is announced later this year.
There’s still plenty to come from SRP; five rounds of the regular season, followed by the playoffs.
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The All Blacks forwards coach is spending a week with his beloved Sydenham Rugby Club before returning to focus on the RWC.
But that’s a fair way off. In the short term Foster must assess those hitting the sweet spot, or otherwise, and it’s not just the performances on the field that will be taken into account.
Foster will be monitoring players’ fitness levels, how the All Blacks react to taking their enforced breaks and whether the men on the casualty lists are recovering properly.
Right now, though, it’s time to assess who is doing enough to feature in his plans ahead of the trip to France.
Given his productivity in recent weeks, a place had to be found for Chiefs wing Emoni Narawa on the right flank.
Perhaps this picture would be different if 2019 World Cup wing Sevu Reece was available, but a serious knee injury had ruled him out for the rest of the year and another dynamite finisher from the Crusaders, Will Jordan, is still yet to be sighted because of an inner-ear issue.
Time is running out for the latter, which is a worry. The sooner he gets on the park, the better, because if he’s fit and in decent nick with his skills, Foster will surely be unable to resist picking him for the global tournament.
Uncapped fullback Shaun Stevenson is another to benefit from the Chiefs’ unbeaten run. He’s getting better as each week unfolds.
Leicester Fainga’anuku, having made a much-awaited return for the Crusaders, displayed glimpses of his awareness and power on attack in Hamilton. For the purposes of this exercise he goes on to the left flank.
Although David Havili was one of the best backs for the Crusaders in Hamilton, the temptation to stick with Jordie Barrett at No 12 is too great. Generous to the latter? Maybe.
Barrett was relatively quiet, and he’s probably still wondering how he miscued a sitter in front of the sticks when he attempted an early penalty kick, during the Hurricanes win over the Brumbies in Wellington.
Yet he’s been consistent. He keeps his place alongside Blues centre
Rieko Ioane. One of the most impressive newcomers on the SRP circuit has been the Chiefs No 13 Daniel Rona. He’s one to keep tabs on.
Experienced test player Jack Goodhue is still building his way into form after a long layoff due to injury, and the coming weeks could be crucial to his chances of playing for the All Blacks for the first time in several years.
It’s time to talk about injuries. Anton Lienert-Brown, Quinn Tupaea and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck are still unavailable.
Moana Pasifika centre Levi Aumua is a blockbuster with the ball, and gives the impression he could run through sheets of metal when he carries. Aumua, a member of the All Blacks XV squad to Ireland and England last year, could yet be a bolter for the All Blacks.
Put a warm towel around Damian McKenzie’s shoulders, play his favourite tunes on the decks, and direct him to the top table.
McKenzie remains the defending champ when it comes to No 10s in New Zealand. It’s a no contest, not up for debate.
The Crusaders did their best to negate McKenzie’s threats in Hamilton, yet he still outplayed All Black first five-eighth Richie Mo’unga. Which is a big deal. Mo’unga often raises his standards for the big occasions, but on this occasion it was McKenzie who dominated.
The latter wasn’t perfect and his clearance kick into the back of team-mate Luke Jacobson’s head wasn’t one of his finest moments. Yet he delivered when it mattered. McKenzie hunts for opportunities with the ball, and when he glides through a gap you can see the fear in his opponents’ eyes.
Mo’unga and Beauden Barrett continue to be McKenzie’s deputies.
If Aaron Smith had remained on the field in Sydney last Friday night, maybe the Highlanders could have held on to beat the Waratahs. He didn’t and they couldn’t.
While he was on the grass Smith was a Napoleon-like figure; he remained composed and tried to keep those around him in the same frame of mind, and scored a vital try in the second spell. It should also be remembered he plays behind a forward pack that, for all their tireless endeavour, isn’t exactly bashing others into submission.
Meanwhile, it’s hard not to keep liking what Cameron Roigard is doing with the Hurricanes. He’s a dangerous geezer when he spots a chink in the defensive lines.
Last week visitors to the Crusaders training base in Christchurch could watch Ethan Blackadder stretching out under the watchful eye of a trainer. He showed few ill-effects from the calf injury that forced him off the park against the Brumbies on March 24, but wasn’t risked against the Chiefs.
Blackadder hasn’t been considered for this squad due to his absence.
All Blacks flanker Sam Cane remains the in-form No 7. Yes, Cane has had his critics in the past. He’s a worker, and you can’t question his commitment but he proved for the Chiefs what an asset he can be.
Ardie Savea is doing enough to stay at No 8, albeit without any recent epic performances for the Hurricanes over the last few rounds.
The absence of Blackadder enables Shannon Frizell to lock down the blindside flanker job. Frizell, like Smith, is having to exit in a Highlanders team that desperately wants to win but is down on confidence.
It’s time to put the old firm of Sam Whitelock and Brodie Retallick back together.
Whitelock didn’t get any reward for his 350th first-class outing when the Crusaders met the Chiefs, but what he did do was reinforce that he’s still got the ability to rise for the big games.
At the end of the taxing 2021 season there were fears that Whitelock was starting to run on fumes. He’s since proved he’s had his fuel tank topped-up, and alongside Retallick continues to be one to be an efficient and reliable lineout option.
Crusaders captain Scott Barrett is right up there, but it’s hard to shake the feeling that Foster may yet ask him to play at No 6 this season. If not, what a player to bring off the bench as a fresh set of legs into the second row.
Tighthead prop Tamaiti Williams deserves recognition for his efforts for the Crusaders last weekend. When you get a big rig like Williams, listed at around 140kg, bounce off guys such as Retallick you feel like asking the bar staff if they’ve added some extra zip to your tomato juice.
So Williams is on this list of props. However, we’ve retained Tyrel Lomax as the starting No 3, with Ethan de Groot as the other bookend. For the record, loosehead prop George Bower is unavailable for the rest of the year because of a serious knee injury.
His Crusaders team-mate and tighthead Fletcher Newell has also been overlooked because a foot injury has ended his Super Rugby Pacific season.
The combative duel between Samisoni Taukei’aho and Codie Taylor in Hamilton was something to savour. Taukei’aho retains his spot as the top No 2.
Asafo Aumua was good (again) when he started for the Hurricanes during the win over the Brumbies in Wellington and Foster must be asking forwards coach Ryan for his option on Aumua after each round.
Imagine how good the latter could be if he was offloaded during a test, against tired opposition. When Auma runs hard at a defender, you almost want to reach for the rugby prayer book to murmur a few quick words to wish all parties luck prior to the inevitable collision.
He’s that sort of player.
