Crusaders v Chiefs: Clayton McMillan laments the ‘big moment’ that swung Super Rugby Pacific final

Chiefs co-captain Sam Cane dejected after losing the final. Photo / Photosport

Not everyone gets their storybook ending.

Leading into the Super Rugby Pacific season, the Chiefs felt like this would be their year; that 2023 would be their moment in the sun.

For 17 weeks, it looked like that would be the case as the side shot to the top of the table early in the competition and set the pace for the competition all year.

But those 17 weeks count for little if they aren’t on the right side of the ledger when fulltime is blown on the 18th week.

Rather than sending off their departing stalwarts on a high, they were left to thousand-yard stares as the Crusaders hoisted yet another title.

“We really felt deep down that it was our time,” Chiefs coach Clayton McMillan said, fronting the media alone as his players came to terms with the result.

“I remember coming in here three years ago. We looked at our roster and even though we came close a couple of times, we always thought that this year was going to be the year that was our time. A couple of moments and it could’ve been.”

It seemed throughout the contest the Chiefs, who finished on the wrong side of a 15-8 penalty count, were also on the wrong side of those big moments. The Crusaders scored 22 of their 25 points while the hosts were down to 14 men – three yellow cards making life tough on the Chiefs.

Chiefs co-captain Sam Cane dejected after losing the final. Photo / Photosport

Of the game-changing moments, there were two that stood out. Just before halftime, the Crusaders got away with a forward pass, and went on to score moments later to lead at halftime. Midway through the second half, a try to Emoni Narawa from what looked to be a brilliant lineout move was pulled back for an offside on the throw. It was the right call, but a deflating one for the Chiefs.

For McMillan, the forward pass not being called was a pivotal moment.

“I think the biggest call, momentum swinger, was what I thought was a clear and obvious forward pass before halftime. That gives us a scrum [and] we can apply some pressure down that end of the field. They score the play after – that’s a big moment.

“I don’t want to bag the referee. The crowd did that at the end of the game – maybe that says something.”

But while the Chiefs were left to question where things went wrong while Crusaders coach Scott Robertson danced on their turf, the season was full of positives.

After finishing 0-8 in the 2020 Super Rugby Aotearoa season, the team has developed a core group of young athletes who are starting to hit their stride. While they have confirmed the departures of Brodie Retallick, Brad Weber, Alex Nankivell and Pita Gus Sowakula, the next generation are primed and ready to step into the voids filled by the stalwarts moving on.

That leaves the Chiefs in a good position for the next few seasons; a mere silver lining on a night where the primary feeling was hurt.

“We’ve got some pretty special players leaving our environment. They’ll be hard to replace, but tonight won’t define them. They’re legends of the game, especially in this part of the world. We’re sad to see them go, but they’ve paid their dues here. We couldn’t quite get it done for them and the next chapter of their rugby career kicks off,” McMillan said.

“The future is positive, and that’s the one positive to take out. We’ll keep fighting, but we’ll turn our attention to that a lot later down the track.”