Super Rugby Pacific: Reds loss raises area of concern for Chiefs

The Reds beat the Chiefs 25-22 in New Plymouth. Photo / Getty Images

In ending the Chiefs’ 10-game winning streak, the Reds might have helped their Kiwi counterparts in the long run.

The Chiefs suffered their first loss of the Super Rugby Pacific season on Friday night in New Plymouth, going down 25-22 to the Queensland side, with the Reds benefiting from a well-executed and tactical game.

In assessing the match, Chiefs coach Clayton McMillan told Sky Sport there was one area in particular where the Reds were able to get the better of his side, and that was a good thing to have seen at this point in the competition.

“They won the kick battle, they seemed to have an extra 10 or 15m on their kicks in comparison to ours, so we spent a lot of time at the wrong end of the field,” McMillan said.

“We’ve got to find some solutions around that because other teams will see some opportunities there. If there’s a positive, it’s that we can start finding those things out about our game now rather than in a few weeks.”

While the Chiefs’ counter-attack was a sight to behold as they tore through the Highlanders a week ago, that was far from the case against the staunch Reds defence.

Although the side were without several regular starters including influential leaders Brad Weber and Sam Cane, there was not a lot of change to the backline, but they struggled to really get into their work.

Coming into the game, the Reds had not won on New Zealand soil since they tipped up the Chiefs in Hamilton in 2013, but made the most of some massive performances from their forward pack, as well as craft halfback Tate McDermott.

Defence ultimately played a major role. Every player at lock or loose forward for the Reds made double-digit tackles – blindside flanker Liam Wright leading the way with 23 – while centre Filipo Daugunu impressed with his work around the breakdown to secure two turnovers.

That defensive effort didn’t let up until the final whistle – with the Reds seeing off more than 20 phases inside their own territory before holding Chiefs hooker Tyrone Thompson up to secure the win.

“I couldn’t single out any of our boys that played poorly, the Reds just played better. We’ve got to give them some credit for that,” McMillan admitted.

“They looked like a desperate side and more desperate than us. It’s disappointing, but it’s a good reality check.”

The loss will provide plenty of incentive for the Chiefs in the coming weeks as they work towards the playoffs. Now their unbeaten streak has been broken, others in the competition will be confident of getting the better of them.

They remain atop the table with a 10-1 record, but matches against two of the competition’s best in the Hurricanes and Brumbies up next, before a tough away trip to Perth, will provide them with a stern test leading into the knockout stages.

“We had no internal pressure around the winning streak; we didn’t really even talk about it much. But there’s no doubt this creates a different sort of pressure. It brings us closer back to the pack,” McMillan said.

“That might be a good thing too. We’ll just sharpen the sword and look forward to the last couple of weeks.”