The first 50 minutes of the game in Hamilton, in which the Chiefs beat the Highlanders 28-7, was basically Mogadon in boots. In what deserves to be a hugelyinfluential article in the Herald this week, educationalist Alwyn Poole highlighted safety issues in rugby, and his points about age and player welfare raise massively important issues.
He also noted how the style of rugby has changed for the worse. Playing, as he did, against the great All Black-laden Auckland side of 1987, he found their game was “about deception, pace, and ball skills — at times it was simply hard to find someone to tackle”.
The contrast with what he described as teams now “pummelling the opposition into submission with repetitive bullrush runs” was perfectly illustrated in Friday night’s tedious first half as both sides relied on either one-off crash runs, or kick and chase.
The pity, for those of us who have loved the game all our lives, is that today’s teams, when daring to do so, can still produce thrilling tries, aided by the amazing levels of skill professionalism brings.
The speed of passing, the precision with which Rameka Poihipi fed Shaun Stevenson, and the perfect line Stevenson ran for his 51st-minute try, was sublime rugby. If lawmakers, coaches, and players could find a way to make that the norm there wouldn’t be a sport that was better to play or watch.
They are the real deal
The Chiefs have chopped and changed coaches since the glory days of Dave Rennie and two Super titles a decade ago.
Settled now, with Clayton McMillan in charge, they’re strong and composed; from Stevenson at the back through to Samisoni Taukei’aho at hooker. They will be a huge threat when finals time arrives in June.
Yet more talent out wide
Stevenson, whether at fullback or on the wing, joins a crowded field of hugely-talented players vying for a spot in the All Blacks’ back three. His display in Hamilton made it three out of three man-of-the-match level performances so far this season.
The All Blacks selectors can already call on Mark Telea, quicksilver on the burst, powerhouses Leicester Fainga’anuku and Caleb Clarke, the hugely resourceful and energetic Sevu Reece and, when he’s restored to full health, the astonishingly gifted Will Jordan.
Add in the possibility of using Beauden Barrett at fullback and the competition becomes intense. But if Stevenson keeps playing the way he has been, it’d be extraordinary if he didn’t get his international chance this year.
This nugget is still gold
Aaron Smith’s nickname of Nugget was entirely appropriate as the 34-year-old played in Hamilton like the perky kid, who 12 years ago, stopped working as a hairdresser in Feilding’s Cut Loose salon and moved to Dunedin to play for Jamie Joseph’s Highlanders.
He tackled, he bulleted out accurate passes, he charged down a Damian McKenzie kick and he even looked pretty handy at first-five when a nasty-looking shoulder injury forced Mitch Hunt off.
France will be Smith’s last World Cup. He’ll be ready.
Aaron Smith showed plenty of class despite his side losing on Friday. Photo / Photosport
Playing like an All Black
Highlanders No 8 Hugh Renton isn’t a name that crops up when All Blacks speculation occurs. But in Hamilton the 26-year-old was relentless in everything he did, still flinging himself into tackles and breakdowns in the dying minutes of a match already lost.
Sam Cane’s work rate for the Chiefs was immense but, and I can’t offer higher praise, Renton was just as committed.
Welcome back old friend
Rugby fanatics will be delighted to hear that the 2023 edition of the Rugby Almanack, covering the game in 2022, has been released.
As a reflection of the huge boost the Black Ferns winning the World Cup gave women’s rugby, Ferns co-captains Ruahei Demant and Kennedy Simon are on the cover and there’s extensive coverage of the women’s game in the record 520-page edition.
As well as exhaustive records from club to test level, there’s basically everything you might want to know in the almanack, from the fact a burnt cheese roll started a fire in the stand in Invercargill that stopped the Southland-Auckland game for 20 minutes, to how All Black prop Tyrel Lomax, whose father John was a great league player, became fully committed to rugby while at St Edmunds College in Canberra - because rugby was the school’s winter sport for boys.
