Rugby: Loss overshadows otherwise strong campaign

Waikato halfback Brendon Leonard. Photo / Getty Images

Brendon Leonard admits it will be hard to find much Christmas cheer around Mooloo country this year.

Friday night's emphatic 33-13 loss to Canterbury in the ITM Cup final left a dark stain on what had been an otherwise strong campaign.

"It has been a very positive season but unfortunately we are going to remember this game the most," says Leonard. "It is what we will think about all summer and it is probably what we are going to be judged on.

"We turned the ball over far too much and when you are chasing games in that weather, things either come off or they don't. It is disappointing but it is a learning curve; we have to make sure we are consistently in the finals from this point on."

Waikato last took the provincial title in 2006 but Leonard is upbeat about the prospects for next season.

"Most of the guys here are pretty young. I'm 25 and I am one of the oldest, so it is a good sign for the future of the province. A couple of guys are just one or two years out of school and they are very promising."

Waikato coach Chris Gibbes was equally optimistic: "We have achieved a hell of a lot as a group this season. There is a lot going on behind the scenes in the union - past years have taught us that we need to build depth and that has been a major focus this year. It is onwards and upwards and we are only going to improve next year."

Leonard has endured an injury-disrupted season and will be watching the All Blacks on their Northern Hemisphere tour with mixed feelings.

"You have to look at the positives when you don't make a team," he says. "I love playing for Waikato and I was playing well, week-in week-out before I got my injury."

"Being a New Zealander, I love seeing the All Blacks win and I will watch them from a supporter's point of view. I don't really worry too much about this season and whether I could have played any better."

There is not much time to reflect for Leonard, as the Chiefs will assemble for pre-season training in just a few weeks. The halfback is unsure of the correlation between provincial and Super rugby success.

"In the past, one team has done well and then the other hasn't," says Leonard. "There are definitely learnings that the boys can take through and know what works and what doesn't. I guess it is a matter of coming back fresh for the Chiefs and trying to remember the lessons from this competition."

"It is quite early to say, but there is no reason why the Chiefs can't have a good campaign. There will be some guys from this team that will be looking forward to getting back on the horse again."