Chiefs: Looking to bounce back
Related links
Teams
Also see
It's Round Five and we're already a quarter way through the Super 14 with precious little separating the mid-table placed teams from the top - so far, it's anyone's for the taking!
The Bulls, refreshed from a bye, are remarkably still leading the race after being given a helping hand following last week's upset wins for the Reds and Cheetahs over the Chiefs and Hurricanes respectively.
With the Chiefs and Hurricanes both losing, the defending champion Bulls are the only unbeaten team after four rounds, while the Lions, Sharks and bottom-of-the table Western Force are still in search of a win.
Chiefs vs Crusaders
Hamilton will host its first New Zealand derby of the 2010 Super 14 when the Chiefs take on the Crusaders at Waikato Stadium on Friday.
This match has rightly been billed as the one to watch this weekend and the hosts will be hoping to get back to winning ways, following their shock loss to the Reds in Round Four.
On the back of an impressive three-game tour sweep, it was the worst of homecomings for a side that loves nothing better than playing in front of its cowbell-clanging faithful. This will no doubt put the Crusaders on high alert for a team still smarting from surrendering a big lead to lose at home.
On the other end of the scale, the Crusaders hit top gear in the second half against the Blues last week for a well-earned 33-20 win.
Big defence was a feature of the Crusaders, as was the class of All Black star fly-half Dan Carter who was a crucial difference. He landed 18 points with the boot, drove the Blues back with some immaculate tactical kicking and was incisive with the ball in hand on attack.
Carter's opposite number on Friday and All Black back-up, Stephen Donald, had a rather forgettable game for the Chiefs last weekend. His break which led to setting up Sona Taumalolo's try was the only real contribution on a night where - uncharacteristically - only one out of five kicks at goal were accounted for.
Donald will need to step it up big time if the Chiefs wish to make amends against their Kiwi rivals in Hamilton, where Crusaders coach Todd Blackadder expects the hosts to vent their frustrations on the seven-time Super Rugby champs.
With the Chiefs chasing redemption, and the Crusaders, as always, chasing victory the game coming up in New Zealand's North Island shapes as a classic.
"They're last year's finalists and a good side. We know what it is like to get one shoved up you and I'm sure this week, with the chance to make amends, can't be too long for them," said Blackadder.
"We expect it to be a confrontational and physical contest as they always are."
The Chiefs have won two of the last three matches between the teams, ending a record home winning run by the Crusaders with a 30-24 victory in Christchurch in 2007 and prevailing 18-5 at Hamilton last year.
Overall, the Crusaders have had most success, winning ten of the fourteen clashes, including a record 50-18 score in Christchurch five years ago and had eight successive wins from 1999 to 2006.
Super head to head: Richard Kahui v Robbie Fruean. Two young, aspiring centres with promising All Black futures ahead will take centre stage at Waikato Stadium in this mouth-watering midfield battle. Fruean has fitted in well at the Crusaders since his move from Wellington, and the strapping 1.90m, 104kg outside centre proved last week he is a match-winner in the making. He'll need a repeat performance against the Chiefs, because Kahui is not a bad player to be marking.
Prediction: The history books heavily favour the Crusaders, and it's hard to rule out another victory for the men in red and black - especially with the team disruptions caused by the whole Sione Lauaki incident. It will be a close affair, but we feel the Crusaders hold the ace up their sleeve to edge this one. Crusaders to win by four points.
The teams:
Chiefs: 15 Mils Muliaina (c), 14 Lelia Masaga, 13 Richard Kahui, 12 Callum Bruce, 11 Sitiveni Sivivatu, 10 Stephen Donald, 9 Brendon Leonard, 8 Colin Bourke, 7 Tanerau Latimer, 6 Liam Messam, 5 Romana Graham, 4 Craig Clarke, 3 Nathan White, 2 Aled de Malmanche, 1 Sona Taumalolo.
Replacements: 16 Vern Kamo, 17 Ben Afeaki, 18 Culum Retallick, 19 Luke Braid, 20 Junior Poluleuligaga, 21 Mike Delany, 22 Dwayne Sweeney.
Crusaders: 15 Jared Payne, 14 Sean Maitland, 13 Robbie Fruean, 12 Ryan Crotty, 11 Zac Guildford, 10 Dan Carter, 9 Kahn Fotuali'i, 8 Kieran Read, 7 George Whitelock, 6 Richie McCaw (c), 5 Isaac Ross, 4 Brad Thorn, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Ti'i Paulo, 1 Wyatt Crockett.
Replacements: 16 Corey Flynn, 17 Ben Franks, 18 Sam Whitelock, 19 Thomas Waldrom, 20 Willi Heinz, 21 Adam Whitelock, 22 Colin Slade.
Date: Friday, March 12
Venue: Waikato Stadium, Hamilton
Kick-off: 19:35 (06:35 GMT)
Referee: Mark Lawrence (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Chris Pollock (New Zealand), Matthew Stanish (New Zealand)
TMO: Ben Skeen (New Zealand)
Waratahs vs Lions
The Lions will be aiming to record their first victory in this year's Super 14 when they take on the Waratahs in Sydney on Friday.
Once again, history isn't on the tourists' side and the Waratahs will feel confident knowing they have never lost to the Jo'burg-based outfit in previous Super Rugby encounters - home or away.
However, the Lions have improved with every outing and a win cannot be far away for a side that has run the Stormers, Chiefs, Hurricanes and the Brumbies close. They defended well last weekend in the wet, but again the finishing of opportunities cost the Lions who were also repeatedly penalised for early engagement up front. The scrum, generally, was not great until the senior scrummagers were brought on.
The Lions will also have to give more attention to restarts that cost them possession and territory. But with game-breaking scrum-half Jano Vermaak joining the Lions in Sydney, Dick Muir's team has received a timely boost.
The side needs an injection - and Vermaak could be the man to provide that. He is a top-class player and in addition is one of the senior players and a leader in the side, with captaincy experience for the Lions testimonial of his leadership qualities.
The Waratahs, meanwhile, will be buoyed by their 25-21 victory over the Sharks last weekend but a contentious refereeing decision might have been the difference between winning and losing the match at the Sydney Football Stadium.
The hosts, playing their first match at home after a losing two-match South African tour, scored three tries to two but had luck on their side to keep the spirited Durban team at bay in the final stages. The Sharks had their big winning chance with two minutes left with an overlap, before replacement Kurtley Beale intentionally knocked down Stefan Terblanche's intended pass to Ryan Kankowski with the try-line beckoning.
Australian referee Paul Marks sent Beale to the sin bin but turned down the Sharks' pleas for a penalty try which would have broken the Sharks' losing four-match start to the season.
The Waratahs have often been criticised by their own media and fans as a boring and conservative outfit. They were booed in last week's win over the Sharks for their kick-first policy, but up against the Lions - who have the worst defensive record in the Super 14 - they're likely to keep more ball in hand.
Muir said he expected the Waratahs to vary their play with men like Berrick Barnes kicking for field position, but is nevertheless preparing his charges for an attacking onslaught.
"I'm sure there will be a little cat and mouse around it," said Muir.
"The Waratahs have got a specific style that they are willing to adapt.
"They've shown us they can vary it quite considerably. They can play a quick game or they can play a slower game. They can carry it. They have a good kicking game as well.
"We just have to have our wits about us and play the situation as it presents itself."
Super head to head: Wycliff Palu v Todd Clever. For those who inhabit the world of impact, he who dominates the collision wins. That will almost certainly be the case when these two hard-hitting ball carriers collide in Sydney. Palu is a block-busting loose forward who finds that running over people is more effective than side-stepping, while his American counterpart brings a set of Sevens skills coupled with strength and pace that can't be ignored. Let the battle begin!
Prediction: Believe it or not, but this quite a tough one to call. Both sides have shown glimpses of their potential at times this season, but need to cut out the errors in execution, make good decisions on the run and put it together for a full 80 minutes - the team that can do that, will come out on top. The Waratahs to win by seven points.
The teams:
Waratahs: 15 Sosene Anesi, 14 Lachie Turner, 13 Tom Carter, 12 Berrick Barnes, 11 Drew Mitchell, 10 Daniel Halangahu, 9 Luke Burgess; 8 Wycliff Palu, 7 Phil Waugh (c), 6 Dave Dennis, 5 Kane Douglas, 4 Dean Mumm, 3 Al Baxter, 2 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 1 Benn Robinson.
Replacements: 16 Damien Fitzpatrick, 17 Sekope Kepu, 18 Will Caldwell, 19 Ben Mowen, 20 Josh Holmes, 21 Kurtley Beale, 22 Rob Horne.
Lions: 15 Earl Rose, 14 Tonderai Chavhanga, 13 Walter Venter, 12 Doppies la Grange, 11 Wandile Mjekevu, 10 Carlos Spencer, 9 JP Joubert, 8 Todd Clever, 7 Derick Minnie, 6 Cobus Grobbelaar (c), 5 Willem Stoltz, 4 Franco van der Merwe, 3 Kevin Buys, 2 Hannes Franklin, 1 Heinke van der Merwe.
Replacements: 16 Charles Emslie, 17 JC Janse van Rensburg, 18 Jacques Lombaard, 19 Robert Kruger, 20 Jano Vermaak, 21 Burton Francis, 22 Wigan Pekeur.
Date: Friday, March 12
Venue: Sydney Football Stadium
Kick-off:19:40 AEDT (08:40 GMT)
Referee: Vinny Munro (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Ian Smith (Australia), James Leckie (Australia)
TMO: George Ayoub (Australia)
Comments
Be the first to comment on this story..