Anton Lienert-Brown of the Chiefs reacts during the round four Super Rugby match between the Crusaders and Chiefs. Photo / Getty Images.
Anton Lienert-Brown of the Chiefs reacts during the round four Super Rugby match between the Crusaders and Chiefs. Photo / Getty Images.
When you're laughing, most of the world outside the Waikato smiles with you.
While beating the Chiefs, 57-28, the Crusaders of 2019 already look as if they might be better than the Crusaders of 2017 and 2018.
Great All Black captain Graham Mourie believed the secret to rugby was astate where your brain was as calm as if you were sitting in a chair, while your body was going at 100mph.
There were many moments in Christchurch, especially in the superb offload from David Havili for Codie Taylor's first try, when that state of athletic Zen was reached.
Even a coach infinitely more repressed than Scott Robertson would have beamed and fist bumped.
Be very afraid. In the stands watching the massacre of the Chiefs by the Crusaders were a couple of handy footy players in Kieran Read and Sam Whitelock. When they're added to the squad that Crusader forward pack will have eight All Blacks to call on, as well as a huge bunch of hungry, tough players bursting for a chance.
Andrew Makalio of the Crusaders celebrates his try during the Super Rugby match. Photo / Photosport.co.nz
Class is permanent
Finally unleashed by the Blues, Rieko Ioane showed why he is, bar none, the best left wing in world rugby. Four tries on the way to the Blues beating the Sunwolves, 28-20, underscored the fact in big, bold, strokes.
It's a family affair. It was a big weekend for the Ioane family. No.8 Akira had some superb touches, such as the pass off the scrum for Rieko's second try, and, just as importantly for his All Black chances, got deeply involved in the heavy lifting around breakdowns.
Tight calls
"Highlanders, three cheers for the ref. Maybe a round of applause? No? Okay, let's just walk away quietly."
Years ago one of our best referees, Colin Hawke, told me how he thought near the end of a tight game. "Let's not have a situation where I call a penalty that's pretty nondescript, which can have a major influence on the match."
Queensland ref Damon Murphy, in the last minute of the Hurricanes-Highlanders game, made the desperately tight, but correct, decision to penalise Luke Whitelock for hands in a ruck.
Beauden Barrett's penalty sealed the game for the Canes, 25-22. The pity, without any blame falling on Murphy, was that it was an anticlimactic end to a game which was way better than the wind tunnel conditions suggested it would be.
You can chase but you might not catch him
Hurricanes fullback Chase Tiatia backed up a sparkling debut last week, with another dynamic performance against the Highlanders. Tiatia is not only an elusive runner, but 22 minutes into the game he also made a tackle on powerful Highlanders lock, Josh Dickson, that was not only brave (Tiatia was spotting Dickson a lazy 16kg) but vital, as Dickson's run had the potential to end with a five pointer for the Canes.
It's Dickson with a "k". It gets a bit confusing, but as good as Ash and Elliot Dixon, are, Josh Dickson was the star of the Highlanders forward pack in Wellington. Dickson was a basketball star at Otago Boys' High School, so his ball handling skills, and ability to run angles is hardly surprising. What's just as impressive is the 24-year-old's workrate. He was a towering Energiser bunny at the Caketin.
How do you mend a broken heart? Not that long ago to say the Chiefs showed courage by scoring some consolation points late in a game would have been deeply patronising. Now it's the best anyone can offer. In the next fortnight they have to play the Canes in Wellington, and then the resurgent Bulls in Pretoria. Only a sadist would enjoy the prospect.
The Welsh-Scotland game kicked off at Murrayfield at 3.15pm on Saturday UK time. On that afternoon a Kiwi documentary film crew wanted to film a Welsh club game in the valleys. Despite numerous phone calls, and searching of club websites, aided by former Welsh Lion John Taylor and Manurewa Welshman Phil Kingsley-Jones, it was impossible to find ONE club game being played.
At Ebbw Vale, Brynmawr, Blaina, Treadgar and Abertillery they'd closed down so they could watch the test. As well as rugby clubs, will all Welsh shops be closed when they play Ireland?
Finally, a squad picked only on form in the weekend: Fullback: Chase Tiatia (Hurricanes). Right wing: Sevu Reece (Crusaders). Centre: Jack Goodhue (Crusaders). Left wing: Rieko Ioane (Blues) Second five: Ngani Laumape (Hurricanes). First five: Richie Mo'unga (Crusaders). Halfback: Aaron Smith (Highlanders). No.8: Whetu Douglas (Crusaders). Flanker: Billy Harmon (Crusaders). Flanker: Jordan Taufua (Crusaders). Lock: Scott Barrett (Crusaders). Lock: Josh Dickson (Highlanders). Tighthead prop: Michael Alaalatoa (Crusaders). Hooker: Liam Coltman (Highlanders). Loosehead prop: Karl Tu'inukuafe (Blues). Reserves: Will Jordan (Crusaders), Beauden Barrett (Hurricanes), TJ Perenara (Hurricanes), Akira Ioane (Blues), Brodie Retallick (Chiefs), Nepo Laulala (Chiefs), Tyrel Lomax (Highlanders), Dane Coles (Hurricanes).
