Chiefs: Impressive start
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The Chiefs kicked off their Super Rugby title defence with a thrilling 41-27 victory over the Highlanders at Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin on Friday.
This was the perfect way to start the weekend in what was a highly entertaining spectacle between two class acts that left you begging for more.
Both sides showed plenty on attack which led to seven spectacular tries and were solid enough on defence, but in the end the Chiefs were ultimately deserved winners - though the Highlanders can hold their heads high.
Chiefs wing cum centre Tim Nanai-Williams showed he can cut the mustard in midfield, and bagged a brace of tries for his efforts while unwanted former Blues pivot Gareth Anscombe showcased his kicking skills by providing half the team's points from the tee.
The Chiefs struck first thanks to an early Anscombe penalty. But the Highlanders hit back when, in their first excursion into Chiefs territory, crossed for the first try which set the tone for the rest of the match.
Full-back Ben Smith did tremendously well to collect an offload from Lima Sopoaga at his boots before spinning out the tackle to score under the posts. Sopoaga added the easy extras, and the Highlanders were in front.
The Chiefs wasted little time in retaking the lead when Nanai-Williams burst clear and beat Ben Smith for pace to touch down for his first try of the match. Anscombe raised the flag with his conversion and then added two three-pointers to put the Chiefs into a handy lead.
The Highlanders then started to dominate possession as well as territory and were rewarded before the break with a crucial score through captain Hosea Gear who made a difficult try look easy as he brushed aside two Chiefs players to power over in the corner. Sopoaga converted to cut the deficit to two points at half-time (14-16).
The free-flowing game continued in the second half, with the Highlanders leapfrogging the Chiefs once more after Sopoaga added a penalty. The intriguing see-saw battle then saw Chiefs wing Patrick Osborne over in the corner for his first Super Rugby try, before Kade Poki exposed some weak defence from Nanai-Williams to keep his side in the hunt.
Sopoaga nailed the conversion and a penalty to make it 27-21.
The Chiefs weren't done yet, however, and hit the front yet again through winger Asaeli Tikoirotuma.
The game was still anyone's for the taking, with both teams throwing the ball about. But it was the Chiefs who took their chances when Nanai-Williams scooped up a dropped ball from the Highlanders inside his own 22, and raced 80m for the decisive try.
Anscombe converted and then added two more penalties to put the game out of sight.
The scorers:
For Highlanders:
Tries: B Smith, Gear, Poki
Cons: Sopoaga 3
Pens: Sopoaga 3
For Chiefs:
Tries: Nanai-Williams 2, Osborne, Tikoirotuma
Cons: Anscombe 3
Pens: Anscombe 5
Highlanders: 15 Ben Smith, 14 Kade Poki, 13 Phil Burleigh, 12 Ma'a Nonu, 11 Hosea Gear (c), 10 Lima Sopoaga, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Nasi Manu, 7 John Hardie, 6 Joe Wheeler, 5 Josh Bekhuis, 4 Jarrad Hoeata, 3 Ma'afu Fia, 2 Brayden Mitchell, 1 Tony Woodcock.
Replacements: 16 Liam Coltman, 17 Bronson Murray, 18 Elliot Dixon, 19 Tim Boys, 20 Fumiaki Tanaka, 21 Hayden Parker, 22 Buxton Popoali'i.
Chiefs: 15 Gareth Anscombe, 14 Patrick Osborne, 13 Tim Nanai-Williams, 12 Bundee Aki, 11 Asaeli Tikoirotuma, 10 Aaron Cruden, 9 Tawera Kerr-Barlow, 8 Fritz Lee, 7 Sam Cane, 6 Liam Messam, 5 Brodie Retallick, 4 Craig Clarke, 3 Ben Afeaki, 2 Rhys Marshall, 1 Pauliasi Manu.
Replacements: 16 Toby Smith, 17 Ben Tameifuna, 18 Michael Fitzgerald, 19 Tanerau Latimer, 20 Augustine Pulu, 21 Charlie Ngatai, 22 Lelia Masaga.
Referee: Steve Walsh
Comments
kitch says...
chiefs got rub of green here..walsh couldve penalised chiefs prop all game as his head and shoulders were always lower than his waist.. when there was a birds eye view of the scrum woodcocks position was always dead flat with his head up which was in stark contrast to the chiefs. Chiefs always a bit slow to roll away from a tackle which messed up the highlanders flow on a number of occasions. Their 2nd try was clearly 1-2m forward.. anscombe passed from just after the 5m and the winger clearly caught it 2m from the line...and there was no momentum (as you get when you pass while running at pace) as anscombe pretty much flicked the ball on strait away.
highlanders did themselves no favours... sopoaga shouldnt take the ball to the line as he never made a single break and lost all momentum.. gear needs to back himself .. one time gear was in the clear with only anscombe to beat but chose to cut inside instead of using his pace and power to go around anscombe ..gear does this too often and often something so promising leads to nothing! Nonu had a so so game ..his passing was great and when he took the ball to the line he was always a handful.. but it comes to nothing if the highlanders dont quickly recycle.
having said all that it was a good skillful fast game to watch.
Posted 09:08 22nd February 2013