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‘My last chance’: Brad Weber eager to end Chiefs career ‘on a high’
By Finn Morton
For Chiefs co-captain Brad Weber, this is it. Weber’s decorated Super Rugby career in Hamilton will come to an end this month, and the All Black is intent on going “out on a high.”
It was revealed earlier this week that Weber had signed a deal with French heavyweights Stade Francais in the prestigious Top 14 – confirming a report from L’Equipe in January.
Weber made his Chiefs debut in 2014, and has contributed to some famous wins over the years. But, at least so far, the All Black has been unsuccessful in his pursuit of Super Rugby glory.
So again, for Chiefs co-captain Brad Weber, this is it.
Many modern-day greats will farewell their franchises over the next few weeks, including the likes of Richie Mo’unga, Sam Whitelock and Dane Coles.
They’ll all want to end their illustrious careers as champions, and Weber is no different.
“I’ve known for a while, I guess,” Weber said. “I’ve been trying to win Super Rugby every year.
“I knew this day was going to have to come eventually. I’m just trying not to think of it.
“It’ll be a bit of a sad day when it happens – hopefully it’ll be in there weeks’ time.
“It definitely puts the pressure on. I want to go out on a high, I want to win.
“I’ve been chasing it for 10 years and haven’t gotten there. This is my last chance at it.”
It’s fitting – almost poetic in a rugby sense – that this is arguably Weber’s best chance at Super Rugby glory.
The Chiefs have been sensational this season, and deserve to carry the ‘favourites’ tag into this year’s playoffs.
Led by the likes of Weber, Damian McKenzie and Shaun Stevenson, the Chiefs claimed the minor premiership – winning all but one game during the regular season.
But they have a chance to right the wrongs of that sole defeat this weekend, when they host the Queensland Reds in Hamilton on Saturday.
The Reds shocked the rugby world with a win in New Plymouth last month, and they’ll be hoping that that famous victory haunts the minor premiers heading into a blockbuster quarter-final.
“It definitely gives you that knot in your gut,” he added. “The table doesn’t really matter.
“Any team, on their day, can beat you. They proved that last time.
“We’ve got a lot to prove.”
The Chiefs host the Reds at FMG Stadium at 4.35pm NZST on Saturday in a highly anticipated Super Rugby Pacific quarter-final.
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Latest Comments
Points for clever repartee ….
Go to commentsI actually think Ulster are showing a few green shoots this year. The fact that they ahve the second biggest Provincial population of 2.3 million is misleading. Half the population are unlikely to play due to background. The other half have seen a fall off in private school attendance preferring to school in GB esp Scotland and lost to the system. That will reverse in time.
The solution to the thorny issue of participation based on political background can be solved by breaking Rugby as a truly mainstream sport in the rest of Ireland and thus a sport for all no matter what background.
The QF defeat to NZ in 2023 was a devastating blow to that potential but the IRFU must truly put a lot of resources into this via coaching in ‘regular’ schools and pathways though AIL league etc.
The URC standings of Irish provinces needs a little mitigation. Each club in URC plays their home clubs twice. As Leinster have decided the best strategy to win the URC and challenge in Champions Cup is to decisively have the league phase in the bag so resources can be spared later and home matches in all KOs assured. That means Munster, Ulster and Connaught will score a combined total of zero points against Leinster. Compare that to Welsh teams who will score a combined total of 30 points against Dragons.
There is no weak Irish team so no easy points on offer. The standard has dipped a little but Connaught are good as their European campaign shows and all three will improve next year including Ulster.
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