Super XV Big Match Review - Chiefs 37 - 29 Sharks

One of the games that I like to watch on youtube on a rainy day (or on a sunny day for that matter – I am that sad), is the 2000 test between the Wallabies and the All Blacks, played in Sydney in front of 110'000 people.  Aside from the staggering attendance, this was a monumental game where the All Blacks raced into a 24-0 lead, only for the Aussies to come back and lead by a point before a last minute Lomu try brought back for the Kiwis.  They said it was a once in a lifetime sort of game, and because of that – because it was so special – we should cherish the images of that game and just be grateful it happened.  Well, sod that.  I want more – ideally at least one "once in a lifetime" game a week (of course, that would mean it's actually around "4'000 times a lifetime", but it would still be great).  Unfortunately, they don't come around very often at all (hence the name I guess), but this weekend, we got something pretty close.

The Sharks and Chiefs are two heavyweights of Super Rugby stuck in a bit of a rut.  Both having lost 2 games on the bounce, with the Chiefs chucking the ball around like children on a sugar binge and the Sharks unable to score a try for neither love nor money.  You might have struggled to see this one being a high-scoring epic, especially given the Sharks' scoring impotence and the lack of precision of late from the hosts, but you could bet your bottom dollar it would be tight.

After 20 minutes though, you thought you had a rout on your hands.  Through a combination of the Chiefs playing scintillating rugby and the Sharks displaying all the aggression of a new born bunny, the tries came raining in thick and fast.  After Gareth Anscombe had nudged the hosts ahead through a sweetly struck penalty after 5 minutes, the Chiefs crossed the whitewash after a lineout on the visitor's 22, with Asaeli Tikoirotuma taking a simple pass from Liam Messam to burst through a non-existent defence and slide in beneath the posts.  2 minutes after Anscombe's conversion, they were at it again, with Messam once again the creator.  The big blindside wriggled and powered his way through some Sharks tackles that Bambi would have been ashamed of, before offloading to the onrushing Bundee Aki, who galloped over the line unopposed.  Anscombe once again converted, and the crowd tried to catch their breath – only to be blown away by another 5 pointer pretty much straight away.  This time the electric Tim Nanai-Williams was the beneficiary of abysmally generous South African side, with Pieter-Steph du Toit throwing an awful pass that Odwa Ndungane had no chance of catching – but the Chiefs centre was there to pick up and scoot in from 60 metres.  The score after 17 minutes read Chiefs 24, Sharks 0.  Game over?  Game on.

The visitors finally woke up and decided to go back to basics.  Whether the hosts switched off, or the Sharks found their 'manic aggression' setting, but 21 minutes into the game the South African outfit found themselves bundling over the Chief's line following an explosive 10 metre lineout drive.  The superbly named Derrick Minnie was the man to emerge from the bottom of the heap, and with Lambie's superb conversion you could almost feel the belief surge back into the side.  This was confirmed 10 minutes later when young number 8 Lubabalo Mtembu crossed after a well worked move from the back of a scrum, collecting a delightful offload from Lambie to cross on the right.  Lambie missed the 2 points, but they had 7 five minutes later when Minnie flopped over for his second following a colossal Sharks shunt in the scrum that had the Chiefs backpeddling over their own line.  That made the score 24-19 at half time, and the Chiefs and their fans looked bewildered. 

But not as bewildered as the Sharks, who hadn't scored in 260 minutes of rugby before this – and now they had 3 in 17 minutes.  Clearly they were still in shock at the start of the second half – especially fullback Riian Viljoen, who misjudged a teasing grubber from Aaron Cruden to allow the ball the bounce into the arms of the grateful Nanai-Williams, who grabbed his second of the night.  Anscombe converted and then added a penalty and the hosts were out of sight – or were they?  They appeared not to have learnt the lessons of the first half as the Sharks came roaring back with a try of their own to earn a thoroughly deserved bonus point, with Keegan Daniel galloping over following a lovely pass from prop Wiehahn Herbst.  Lambie converted and then, with 2 minutes to go, added a penalty to put the visitors within 7 and within striking distance.  Ultimately though, it wasn't to be and fullback Anscombe nudged over a penalty on the buzzer to deny the Sharks a losing bonus point and send the Chiefs' relieved fans home with a victory in the bag.

This was a cracking game, played at pace and at either ends of the pitch.  Not quite the standard of that legendary Australia v All Blacks game, but not far off – and it was brilliant to see.  Now for more, please.

 

What else was happening in Super Rugby over the weekend?

Hurricanes 16 – 18 Stormers:  The Stormers edged out the Canes in a tight affair in Wellington, with both sides scoring 2 tries apiece.  The hosts were left to rue their unconverted tries, which were scored through Matt Proctor and Andre Taylor, whilst the visitors grabbed scores through Michael Rhodes and Gio Aplon.

Reds 12 – 11 Blues:  The Reds squeaked past the increasingly impressive Blues with a tryless win in Brisbane.  The Kiwis scored the only try of the match through centre Jackson Willison, with Quade Cooper scoring the hosts' only points off the tee – including a late effort to seal the win.

Cheetahs 26 – 12 Southern Kings:  The Cheetahs continued their quest to finish a surprise top of the South African Conference with a solid home win against the Kings.  The home side scored tries through Raymond Rhule, Pieter Labuschagne and Willie le Roux, whilst the visitors had the boot of Demetri Catrakilis to thank for their points.

Bulls 30 – 19 Waratahs:  The Bulls overcame an enterprising Waratahs side at home, scoring tries through Francois Hougaard and Morne Steyn, whilst the free flowing visitors outscored the eventual winners with 3 scores from Israel Folau, Paddy Ryan and Bernard Foley.

Brumbies 41 – 7 Force:  The Brumbies reignited their drive to finish top of the Aussie conference with a bonus point hammering of the Force.  Jesse Mogg, Henry Speight (2), Christian Lealiifano, Joe Tomane and Siliva Siliva all scored for the ACT outfit, with the westerners managing a solitary late effort from Captain Matt Hodgson.

Crusaders 30 – 26 Rebels:  The Crusaders had the boot of Tom Taylor to thank as they were pushed all the way and outscored in their narrow victory over a determined Rebels side.  The hosts scored through Zac Guilford and Tyler Bleyendaal, but the Melbourne side scored three tries via Scott Higginbotham, James O'Connor and Ged Robinson.