Three weeks ago, a know-all media man (okay, it was me), predicteda Blues-Hurricanes Super Rugby Pacific final.
As sublime as the first 20 minutes of the Chiefs’ 43-21 dismantling of the Reds in Hamilton were, I’ll stick with that prediction, albeit with reservations that weren’t on my mind in May.
It’d be astonishing if the Blues don’t beat the Brumbies at Eden Park on Friday in the first semifinal. But in Wellington on Saturday night, the competition gets the nail-biting, dramatic semifinal it deserves when the Canes will need to be at their best to topple the resurgent Chiefs.
No question – the Chiefs opened quarter-final weekend with the sort of running, gunning, sensational play that could fairly be compared with the best opening salvo by the All Blacks in the past 50 years: the first eight minutes of the 2000 test in Sydney, which saw the All Blacks leading the Wallabies 24-0.
In Hamilton on Friday, the Chiefs were ahead 21-0 after 18 minutes, and Samisoni Taukei’aho had just scored a try so surreal in its brilliance, the only thing missing was a magic wand. If you missed it, the try involved a one-handed back-flip pass from Shaun Stephenson to Emoni Narawa, then a crazy no-look flick inside by an airborne Narawa that left Reds players bewildered and gawping as Taukei’aho ran 20m to the goal line.
The Chiefs, not being beings from another planet, could not sustain those early levels but showed they’re hitting form at exactly the right time.
There’s never been any questions about Damian McKenzie’s courage, elusiveness and speed. But on Friday, he demonstrated that, at 29, his match control has bloomed. A former Auckland All Black sent me a text last weekend: “McKenzie plays other sides like they’re violins”.
If he’s as masterful this weekend in Wellington, McKenzie is surely a lock to wear the All Blacks No 10 jersey this year.
Forget just the 10 jersey for Damian McKenzie, these fans see him destined for higher honours. Photo / Aaron Gillions, Photosport
Winning without flash
The Blues grinding down the Fijian Drua 36-5 at Eden Park illustrated how much they now rely on forward power to win the day.
Blues fans may remember that the last time they won a full Super title, in 2003, the Blues had (a) a hard-nosed coach in former forward Peter Sloane, who sometimes referred to backs as “little lizards” and (b) a world-class tight five that included Tony Woodcock, Ali Williams and Keven Mealamu.
Current coach Vern Cotter has elements of Sloane about him, and for the Blues of 2024, rolling mauls consistently provide tries for dynamic hookers Ricky Riccitelli and Kurt Eklund. There’s huge firepower in the three-quarters. But to beat the Brumbies on Friday, the Blues need to control the arm wrestle in the forwards, a task they look well up to.
Devastating for club and country
The All Blacks selectors, as well as every Blues fan, would have been disconcerted by the sight of Patrick Tuipulotu being heavily strapped up and then having to leave the field in the 19th minute with a right-knee injury.
Given the rocky run Scott Barrett has had with injuries this year, Tuipulotu has been the form lock in Super Rugby Pacific, with his huge workrate and coolness under fire. He’s the key man in the Blues in what’s become a crowded field.
And with the dearth of battle-hardened test locks, he shapes as being just as important for the All Blacks, which made yesterday’s news that he would be out for seven weeks devastating for club and country.
The Hurricanes’ 47-20 demolition of the Melbourne Rebels had the inevitability of night following day but it was a reminder the Canes have threats right through their squad.
Revitalised hooker Asafo Aumua and No 8 Brayden Iose, who at 26 is realising the potential that saw him captain the 2016 New Zealand Secondary Schools team out of Palmerston North Boys’ High, were outstanding.
But best of all was midfielder Jordie Barrett, who combined unrelenting defensive work with classy attacking skills, expressed perfectly when he made breaks that first sent wing Josh Moorby off for a try in the 39th minute and then Iose away to score in the 43rd.
There were some tense times for the Brumbies, down 16-10 after 32 minutes and ahead just 17-16 at halftime.
But there was enough talent in the form of powerful loose forward Rob Valetini and slick first five Noah Lolesio in the Brumbies to suck up the fierce resistance of the Landers. But the game was not put out of reach until the 46th minute when Brumbies wing Andy Muirhead channelled his inner Ronaldo and toed a bouncing ball past defender Cam Millar to give himself a clear run to the line.
It’d be foolish for the Blues to take a team coached by as deep a thinker as Stephen Larkham lightly, but right now, the TAB, with the Blues at $1.22 and Brumbies at $4, look to have nailed the right odds.
