Rugby: Frustration Mounts as Chiefs Deliver a Stinging Rebuttal to Moana Pasifika
It was not the result that Moana Pasifika was looking forward to - humiliated by the Chiefs 85-7 at the FMG Stadium in Hamilton on Saturday evening.
"Frustrating," was how head coach Fa'alogo Tana Umaga described the 80-minute Super Rugby Pacific round 15 battle - for them, that was.
Captain Ardie Savea mentioned it was like getting something shoved up their nostrils.
The match was one where North Harbour had to secure victory to solidify their position within the top six. However, instead, it turned into an exhibition of power, sheer ferocity, and accuracy by the home team. This propelled them back to the summit of the leaderboard, shattering their previous benchmarks as they went.
There were double hat-trick scorers for the Chiefs in winger Leroy Carter and halfback Cortez Ratima. That saw the side ran in 13 tries to Moana Pasifika's one, the side making history in what was their biggest win, and a game where they scored the most points - and tries - in the franchise's history.
Historical records indicate that their earlier top margin stood at 56 points when they crushed Moana with a scoreline of 68-12 at the exact venue slightly more than twelve months back. This was also the match during which they scored their record-breaking tally of ten tries previously. Additionally, before this latest performance, their peak point total was set in their thrilling 72-65 victory against the Lions in Johannesburg all the way back in 2010.
Dominant Chiefs
Umaga mentioned that their opponents were simply too skilled and accurate.
When we attempted to gain ground, they didn’t concede even an inch," Umaga stated to reporters during the post-game briefing. "They continually pushed back, which truly complicated things for us. It’s hard to add anything more to that.
Umaga mentioned that his fighters faced a difficult setback, with morale plummeting in the locker room following the significant defeat. He expressed their disappointment, noting that they barely managed to get a shot off throughout the game.
He mentioned about the Chiefs' performance that evening, saying they were unstoppable as they rolled along with the game. With only around 17,666 spectators watching, he admitted, 'We disappointed ourselves, and it truly stings.'
Captain Ardie Savea, who crossed for the team’s sole try shortly after halftime, stated that they needed to take many insights from the match – foremost among these was figuring out strategies to improve when facing intense pressure.
"It's a great lesson on what is actually our mental state when we are under pressure like that, how to find solutions to get us back in the game," he said. "We tried a lot of things and the Chiefs were just too good and they squeezed us out, and they were just ruthless all around the park and smacked us on the nose."
Savea mentioned that the players' heads were lowered due to their genuine concern, which was exactly what he hoped they would experience going into the upcoming week. With just one match remaining against the Hurricanes, this sentiment could secure them a spot in the top six.
"He remarked, reflecting on the match to identify where improvements are needed," as he swiftly shifted his attention towards the upcoming encounter with the Hurricanes in Wellington.
A concern for Savea were the two yellow cards issued to flyhalf Patrick Pellegrini and lock forward Samuel Slade.
“When handing out penalties and issuing two yellow cards against a team like the Chiefs, who showed their capabilities tonight, it presents a significant challenge for us,” he stated. “This issue needs addressing. While it’s frustrating, we believe it’s something correctable.”
Preparation the key
The Chiefs' head coach, Clayton McMillan, recognized their victory and mentioned that the preparations they made over the past week provided the outcome witnessed by the spectators during the game.
He commented, 'It was quite dominant. We had an excellent training week. Our play mirrored how well we prepared, I suppose. We excelled at set pieces, recycling the ball, maintaining possession and forcing them into retreat. When they got some chances, we managed to stifle their performance.'
Macmillan stated that Moana Pasifika didn’t play as well as they had been in prior matches and feels the squad will bounce back.
Chiefs captain Luke Jacobson said it was "alertness" from everybody and the team is moving in one direction.
"Awesome," he said. "Tonight was real alertness from everybody and I fell overall we were moving in on direction, cohesive and on the same track."
The Chiefs notched two hat-tricks courtesy of winger Leroy Carter and halfback Cortez Ratima.
Other try scorers included Shaun Stevenson, who kicked off the scoring with a touchdown in the ninth minute, Tupou Vaa'I, Quinn Tupaea, Damien McKenzie, Samisoni Taukei'aho, and Daniel Rona.
This victory put the Chiefs ahead at the top, whereas Moana Pasifika stayed in the sixth position.
The following weekend, the Chiefs head over to face the Highlanders, whereas Moana Pasifika will clash with the Hurricanes at Sky Stadium. A victory for them would secure their place among the top six teams vying for the playoffs.
In FMG Stadium Waikato located in Hamilton, the match saw the Chiefs scoring with an impressive total of 85 points through various players including Shaun Stevenson who scored at minute 9, Tupou Vaa'i at minute 17, Cortez Ratima achieving two tries each at minutes 21, 63, and 68, Quinn Tupaea getting his score at minute 34, followed closely by Damian McKenzie’s contribution at minute 40, Leroy Carter securing three consecutive scores at minutes 45, 54, and 60, Samisoni Taukei'aho adding another point at minute 51, Daniel Rona contributing one more at minute 75 along with a penalty try, all converted successfully except for some by McKenzie. On the opposing side, Moana Pasifika managed only 7 points from Ardie Savea's effort at minute 49 which was duly converted by Patrick Pellegrini. At halftime, the scoreboard read 31-0 favoring the Chiefs.
In other outcomes from Round 15, Crusaders beat Highlanders with a score of 15-12, Hurricanes defeated Reds 31-27, and Waratahs triumphed over Force with a result of 22-17.
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