Rugby: Extra training paying dividends

Brendon Leonard of the Chiefs. Photo / Getty Images)

Chiefs halfback Brendon Leonard combined well with first-five Aaron Cruden in Friday's 23-19 warm-up loss to the Hurricanes - suggesting they will be the franchise's inside back combination in the Super Rugby home opener against the Highlanders.

Leonard faces competition from 21-year-old up-and-comer Tawera Kerr-Barlow but showed that the hours of pre-season training could give him the early nod in the nine jersey.

"I sat down with Dave [coach Rennie] pre-season and agreed I needed to be fitter, more explosive and use my speed better around the park, especially for line breaks, playing with width and for the last 20 minutes," Leonard said.

"Basically I needed to play more like when I made the All Blacks [in 2007 and 2009] but a recurring knee injury means I'm limited in terms of base training like road running.

"So I've worked hard at repeated speed exercises as well as the accuracy of my passes and kicks - the usual stuff for halfbacks."

Leonard's case was helped shortly after kick-off when the Chiefs turned over Hurricanes ball and worked their way to the tryline. A Chiefs scrum saw No 8 Fritz Lee open up space on the blindside, enabling Leonard to score the first try.

Thunder, lightning and torrential Taupo rain provided poor conditions for new coach Rennie to gauge his first XV, especially with plenty of Super Rugby, particularly in South Africa on the high veldt, being played in drier climes.

Leonard says the input of Rennie and the addition of Wayne Smith to the staff - who worked with Leonard during his 14-match All Blacks tenure - has helped.

"Wayne and Dave have been trying to get us [Leonard and Kerr-Barlow] to maintain a fast tempo. That means getting to a ruck quick, delivering passes under pressure, and using our speed.

"Wayne is rugby-smart. He has vast experience as an All Black inside back and as a coach. I'm enjoying being back working with his professionalism. Hopefully he can help return us to the heights of 2009 [when the Chiefs made the Super 14 final]."

Leonard says Cruden has taken the early steps to filling the boots of latter-day All Black hero Stephen Donald: "I also had half a game inside Aaron last week and he's offering a good voice.

"He's done a fine job so far calling the shots and that's understandable. He's expected to be a leader in our team."

Meanwhile, Sonny Bill Williams played a full 80 minutes in the midfield as he returns to the rugby ranks after a spell preparing for his recent heavyweight boxing victory over Clarence Tillman.