Super Rugby Pacific: How Chiefs mounted stunning comeback to topple Crusaders

Shaun Stevenson and the Chiefs celebrates Rameka Poihipi of the Chiefs winning try during the Super Rugby Pacific match, Crusaders Vs Chiefs. Photo / Photosport.co.nz

It seems Chiefs coach Clayton McMillan was just as impressed as everyone with his side's come from behind win over the Crusaders in Christchurch on Saturday night.

In the game of the season so far, the Crusaders got out to a 21-10 lead early in the first half, before the Chiefs mercilessly attacked. For the best part of the ensuing half hour, the Crusaders' defence held strong. But the impact piled up and the Chiefs were able to burst through with five minutes remaining to draw close, before scoring the match-winning try at the hooter.

"I don't know what to think actually," McMillan said after the match.

"I'm obviously really happy that we won and really stoked for our young guys that got an opportunity today. When the game was in those big minutes, they all contributed to a pretty proud team effort. We showed a lot of grit; my overwhelming feeling was that we were gritty, stuck in there and that was enough to get us across the line today."

Shaun Stevenson of the Chiefs scores a try in the tackle of Braydon Ennor of the Crusaders during the Super Rugby Pacific match. Photo / Photosport.co.nz

While the Crusaders enjoyed the bulk of the possession early in both halves, the Chiefs finished strong. A glance at the tackling stats tells the story; the Crusaders made 215 tackles to the Chiefs' 96, with only 27 missed – a 89 per cent tackling success rate. As the Chiefs kept coming, the Crusaders kept tackling.

But the Chiefs remained poised and, most importantly, took care of possession which allowed them to continue to put the blowtorch to the Crusaders' defensive walls. As the half went on, first five-eight Bryn Gatland began to orchestrate the game superbly, looking for tiring players and attacking with intent, ultimately guiding the team to an impressive win.

"We sat up in our coaches box and actually applauded the effort and the accuracy of their defence," McMillan said.

"We threw a number of challenges at them and just kept getting repelled. Nine times out of 10, that's enough to turn the game in their favour or enough to close it out. Today, we just kept coming back, managed to get over and with five mins to go, that was the critical moment."

For the Chiefs, it was an important win and one that proved their continuing growth. With several key players missing, young players like Cortez Ratima and Tom Florence stood up when called upon – showing the depth in the squad.

Crusaders down and out. Super Rugby Pacific rugby match Crusaders vs. Chiefs at Orangetheory Stadium in Christchurch. Photo / Photosport.co.nz

At the start of last season, this was a team who had been struggling to find wins and the talk around them was about losing streaks, rather than title hopes. They went on to challenge for the Super Rugby Aotearoa title – losing to the Crusaders in Christchurch – and getting some senior players back has only help them progress.

"You've got to remember this team has been through a lot of adversity," McMillan said. "Just 12 months ago people were talking about losing records and that sort of carry on. We got some growth and managed to come down here and got beaten in a final by a better team. I said we'd learn from that experience.

"It's pretty early doors, but I think with being able to put guys like Brodie Retallick out on the field, Sam Cane fit and healthy, Anton (Lienert-Brown), when we get our bigger guys out on the field regularly, that really helps with the composure and the leadership for what is relatively still a young squad."