Chiefs extend unbeaten run with convincing win over Drua
The Hamilton-based Chiefs have showcased their handling skills in teeming rain to beat the Fijian Drua 50-17 and stretch their winning start in Super Rugby Pacific to eight games.
The Chiefs scored their first try after only three minutes and added another four to lead 31-12 by halftime.
Seven tries were scored in a fast-paced first half despite the constant rain and a slippery field.
The rain abated in the second half and the flow of tries also slowed.
The Drua began the half with a length-of-the-field try to cut the Chiefs' lead to 31-17. Almost 25 minutes elapsed before the Chiefs were able to add to their tally of tries and re-establish a bonus point advantage.
In the interim, they had been forced by the Drua defence to kick for goal - unsuccessfully.
Fullback Damian McKenzie had a poor night off the tee but scored a try and kicked five conversions for 15 points, becoming the leading point-scorer for the season with 86.
The Chiefs stretched their lead with three tries in the last 10 minutes, two going to All Blacks locks Brodie Retallick and Tupou Vaa'i and the last to winger Etene Nanai-Seturo just after the fulltime siren.
"It's definitely satisfying (to win eight from eight)," Retallick said. "There were plenty of good tries. It was a bit messy at times but we're proud of that effort tonight.
"It just shows the skill level and belief the boys are playing with at the moment. At times we might have kicked to put a bit more pressure on the Drua but there was some outstanding work, especially by the outside backs."
Scrumhalf Cortez Ratima scored the Chiefs' opening try, going alone from an attacking breakdown, and winger Shaun Stevenson added the next to remain the leading try-scorer of the season with nine.
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Spot on Ben. Dead right. Havili looked great at 10. Easily the highest rugby IQ of any NZ player these days. Getting a kick charged down is a result of getting used to adjusting your depth to the line at 10, which he will sort out with time. But other than that it was an outstanding first effort in that position this year. I think the NZ media has misunderstood this directive from Razor. Havili might rank behind B Barrett this year, but Beuden is 33 this month and won't last much longer. DMaC is great but flaky and not really a test match animal (his efforts in Dunedin versus Aus last year for example). If Razor can't have Mounga, DMaC is too unstructured for Razor (and is just too small for test rugby). Havili will end up our first choice first five, and in partnership with Jodie will be excellent. Two triple threat operators in tandem, and big bodies and tough tacklers to boot. Jordoe will be the ABs goal kicker. I am an Aucklander and Blues (and Warriors) fan, but Havili at 10 is going to be sensational in time… he can be the best first five in the world by the end of this year. No question.
Go to commentsSharks deserved to be far further back by the last quarter. Their tackling was awful, their set pieces were disappointing, their defensive organization was poor (especially on the Kok side of the D line), they kept making unnecessary errors, and they never looked like cracking the Clermont defense during those first 60m. Masuku kept them in touch, with some help from the Clermont generosity on penalty opportunities. Agree with the writer of this article. It was belligerence, and ability to raise their pressure game just enough, that turned the last quarter into a Bok-style shutout. Clermont have a reputation of not playing the full 80m, and there was a bit of that for sure. But, quite often when the intensity of a team drops off in the last quarter credit is due to the opponent for tiring them out. At 60m, with the Kok try, you thought that just maybe the game was on. At 70m, with the Mapimpi contribution, one felt that Clermont were fading, while facing a team that would maintain the pressure game through the final whistle. Good win in the end, but the Sharks are still playing way below their potential. And with their resources, and a coach that has had enough time to figure things out, they are running out of excuses.
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