[2018 Super Rugby] Round 7: Chiefs vs. Highlanders (30/03/2018)

[TRF_heineken]

Venue: FMG Stadium Waikato​

Time: 08:35 CAT (SA, GMT+2)​

 

[Radsy]

This will be a nice clash. Can't take anything from last week's results into this one. Chiefs won the only meeting last year, but generally the Highlanders have given them big problems. Naholo especially. I'm glad Osbourne is gone at least.

For the Chiefs...

Ngatai will possibly be back for this one. His inclusion would be a huge boost, as he is by far the most experienced back in the squad and Marty McKenzie is a terrible option at 15. If Ngatai can't go, Cooper will be tempted to slot Falcon back in at flyhalf. Weber will likely start based on experience, but TTT is in better form. Dom Bird is out for the year, so the rampaging Canuck Tyler Ardron will likely start at lock again. Cooper has clearly made mauling and red zone offense a major point of emphasis for this season (which was always terrible under Rennie), and it's paying dividends.

For the Highlanders...

The question remains- who up front will give the Highlanders stellar backline front foot ball? Cohesion and tremendous work rate can only get you so far. Coltman should be less banged up this week. Whitelock and Dixon need to carry the ballcarrying load better. Hunt and Hemopo are great prospects that struggle with bigger opposition, but are dangerous with a gap. Sapoaga and Smith tend to do a great job of insulating their forwards with great direction and territorial play around the park, and game management is an area where they should have the advantage over the Chiefs. Another area is in the back 3- Naholo looks back to full speed (see him leave Perenera in the dust last week?) and could bump off Alaimalo a few times. Tevita Li is very hit or miss, so the battle with a rusty (but dangerous) Toni Pulu could go a long way in deciding the score.

 

[Kiwiwomble]

i have to say our backs are they're own worst enemy, the forwards do a great job providing quick ball but our backs seem to think every backline play is going to open the opposition up. I think if some times they just stepped back infield to their support and took the tackle to keep the ball we would be unstoppable. we dont need to chip it or throw the 50/50 ball every single time

 

[Captain_Az]

Highlanders

15: Ben Smith (c-c), 14: Waisake Naholo, 13-Matt Faddes, 12-Rob Thompson, 11-Tevita Li, 10-Lima Sopoaga, 9-Aaron Smith, 8-Luke Whitelock, 7-Dillon Hunt, 6-Elliot Dixon, 5-Josh Dickson, 4-Jackson Hemopo, 3-Siate Tokolahi, 2-Ash Dixon (c-c), 1-Daniel Lienert-Brown.

The Highlanders have lost their last three away games, the last t

ime they lost

more in a row was a four-game drought to round out their 2014 c

ampaig

6. Greg Pleasants-Tate 17. Aki Seiuli 18. Tyrel Lomax 19. Tom Franklin 20. Shannon Frizell 21. Josh Renton 22. Fletcher Smith 23. Patelsio Tomkinson

 

[Kiwiwomble]

 

[Radsy]

Chiefs: Solomon Alaimalo, Toni Pulu, Anton Lienert-Brown, Johnny Fa'auli, Sean Wainui, Damian McKenzie, Brad Weber, Taleni Seu, Sam Cane (co-c), Liam Messam, Tyler Ardron, Brodie Retallick, Angus Ta'avao, Nathan Harris, Aidan Ross. Reserves: Liam Polwart, Karl Tu'inukaufe, Jeff Thwaites, Pita Gus Sowakula, Lachlan Boshier, Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, Marty McKenzie, Charlie Ngatai (co-c).

Interesting to see Sowakula's name. A former Fijian basketball player, with apparently great size and speed. Tough task for Wainui marking Naholo this week. Chiefs scrum showed some cracks last weekend, and will be an area the 'Landers will target. Chiefs have gone with experience with Messam and Weber. Very important match for Weber's AB hopes.

I thought Ash Dixon was excellent in relief last week, so the dropoff from Coltman is negligible. Walden is the notable omission, but he seemed to come back to earth after his wild debut. Faddes adds pace, but usually thrives off the bench.

Should be a beauty!

 

[Larksea]

Chiefs have done well against the blues and visiting teams but going against another top NZ team is going to be a real stretch with the massive injury list they have.
of the guys that are left a good number have been in very good form so they should still be competitive.

Nathan Harris looks to be in his best form for a long time
Johnny Fa'auli was so-so in the first game but since then he has been constantly improving, showing more skills and easily a much improved player compared to last year.
Tyler Ardron looks a good player that suits chiefs style of rugby.
Aidan Ross has been a huge find, critical considering the loss of most of the chiefs front line props.
Sam Cane is in career best form, arguably the best 7 in the world right now. 100th game and still getting better...

highlanders are in good form though and less injury concerns. Naholo has been scary. Elliot Dixon is enjoying a bit of a revival. and the midfield is looking good. Plus they have a Ben Smith >.<

highlanders should be favorites IMO.

 

[Radsy]

Sam Cane is in career best form, arguably the best 7 in the world right now. 100th game and still getting better...

There's no real argument

 

[SomeOke]

There's no real argument

No offense guys, but I'd rather have Hooper , better ball carrier and fetcher.

This Chiefs team is not to be underestimated! Despite their injuries they still look very good, D-mac had a great game at 10 last week which is really promising, Alaimano is the most promising young wing in the comp at the moment and other than Fauuili (who sorry I still think offers nothing except mistakes) the rest of their backs are are borderline world class. Tight five is really coming together and I've been impressed with Seu as well.

That said the Highlanders are a really well organised outfit, still got to give it to the home team for me, it seems to matter a lot this year, and I don't think the Highlanders are that much better that they can steal a win away.

 

[Kiwiwomble]

Does anyone else thing it’s pushing thinks a little having Jackson ref a team he played 60 games for?

 

[Radsy]

Entertaining, but odd match. Seemed that it was humid, with an inordinate amount of knock-ons. Glen Jackson seemed to lean a little towards the Chiefs given the occasion. The announcer was wrong on the crucial late turnover by the Highlanders right in front of the posts though. The ball was pulled out in the tackle, there was no ruck, and no need for the Chiefs players to come from the hindmost foot.

For the Chiefs...

They go as McKenzie does. His open play kicking was a disaster and really gave the Highlanders life. When he was gifting them possession, he was electric, and continues to show elite playmaking. He's worth being patient. Harris had an off-game. They really don't trust the bench props, so Ta'avao and Ross played way too long again. Seu was outmuscled all game. Great usage of Messam as a pseudo-first receiver. Weber was decent, but he's simply not back to 100% and TTT is the better option at the moment. Fa'auli looked like last season's Fa'auli, and it seems the Ngatai at fullback experiment ended as he came on in relief. ALB was solid, and excellent on defence as usual. Alaimalo can attack from anywhere, but his defense there was a liability. Wainui held his own against a tough mark. All Boshier does is make plays. Sowakula didn't look shy when he came on late, and he looks like a specimen. Cane and Retallick put in their usual shift. Cane is such a class act, and was clearly trying his best to deflect the attention away from himself in the interviews.

For the Highlanders...

Probably would have got the win without losing Sapoaga so early. Fletcher-Smith did fine, but the Highlanders looked aimless at times on attack. Rob Thompson was excellent, and looks better in his natural position. Ben Smith was incredible. The Highlanders back row put in a huge shift and I thought Hunt in particular was everywhere. Hemopo continues to grow his game and punches above his weight. When he fills out, he could be an All Black. Matt Faddes was not good, and likely won't see a start again. I think a big difference between the sides was set piece, which saw the Highlanders starting front row struggling in the scrum, and the lineout sputtering late.

 

[mania]

Cane was immense. BenSmith tried everything he could. DMac whilst creates tries also gives them away on D.

 

[Radsy]

Cane was immense. BenSmith tried everything he could. DMac whilst creates tries also gives them away on D.

Fair enough. Dmac also stood up Naholo a couple times late inside his 22. He was gifting possession away with his boot more than struggling on defence.

 

[mania]

Fair enough. Dmac also stood up Naholo a couple times late inside his 22. He was gifting possession away with his boot more than struggling on defence.

week before he gave away 2 tries with missed tackles.
cannot argue that he is a fount of opportunity but he needs to tidy his game up and stop creating the opposition opportunities. dMac is going to be a great player one day. he's just gotta find his balance.

 

[mania]

Fair enough. Dmac also stood up Naholo a couple times late inside his 22. He was gifting possession away with his boot more than struggling on defence.

dMac also kicked that ball into the back on his own player that led to a try for the chiefs a minute later