Chiefs 46 (Kaylum Boshier tries 11min, 60min, Cortez Ratima try 16min, Daniel Rona try 32min, Etene Nanai-Seturo try 43min, Shaun Stevenson try 72min; Damian McKenzie 5 con, 2 pen) Fijian Drua 29 (Iosefo Masi tries 7min, 22min, Te Ahiwaru Cirikidaveta try 70min, Kemu Valetini try 80+1min; Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula 3 con, pen). HT: 24-17. Yellow card: Ollie Norris (Chiefs) 80+1min
- Chiefs return to winning ways, with big victory over the Fijian Drua in Hamilton.
- Clayton McMillan’s side miss bonus point thanks to visitors scoring after the siren.
- Anton Lienert-Brown carted off in second half after sustaining concussion.
The Chiefs are back to winning ways in Super Rugby Pacific, romping to a 46-29 win over the Fijian Drua in Hamilton on Saturday night.
Seeking a strong response to last week’s shock defeat to the Reds in Brisbane, coach Clayton McMillan got that and then some, as his charged-up troops sent the Drua flying back to earth after their win over the Crusaders in Lautoka.
Indeed, it was more of the same for Mick Byrne’s men, proving an absolute different team at home to what they are away, and now 0-8 against Kiwi sides outside of Fiji.
The only stinger for the hosts, though, was a Drua try after the fulltime siren that erased their bonus point, while they also had Anton Lienert-Brown carted off the field in the 64th minute due to concussion.
Having just made a brilliant run upfield, the All Blacks midfielder, in what had been a high-quality display until that point, fell onto his face, and there was a heap of concern as medics rushed to his aid and there was lengthy delay, the 13,660 holding their breath.
Thankfully, Lienert-Brown was soon later up on his feet sideline and waving to the crowd who had given him a huge cheer on seeing the positive news. Ironically, less than 10 minutes earlier, fellow All Blacks midfielder Quinn Tupaea had just made his return from concussion.
In a game which featured a kickoff time 25 minutes later than usual due to the desire for it to be dark for New Zealand’s first-ever drone light show at halftime, there were plenty of bright moments on the paddock, too.
In fact, many of the crowd may have just been re-finding their seats after the halftime break when it was another Chiefs backline move lighting things up and had Etene Nanai-Seturo − missing last week as a precaution with injury − going over to extend the 24-17 advantage the hosts took to the sheds.
Damian McKenzie had the ball on an absolute string, sending numerous passes wide with unerring accuracy to help rip the Drua defence apart, while he was equally on target off the tee, slotting seven, and very very close to eight, from eight, in what was a splendid display from the No 10.
His connection with halfback Cortez Ratima continues to get better and better, while outside him, Lienert-Brown was involved in a number of powerful carries and regular midfielder Daniel Rona proved something of a revelation in the more unfamiliar spot of right wing, with a brilliant performance, which included a fine try in the corner.
It was all on the back of a fine set-piece foundation, where the Chiefs forwards enjoyed a decent advantage at scrum time, didn’t lose a lineout, and the defence was rock solid, having had to make a whopping 208 tackles to the Drua’s 98, but missing just 21 compared to 32.
That was highlighted by a great trysaver from Shaun Stevenson − remember, the man the All Blacks wanted to see more on defence from? − on rampaging flanker Etonia Waqa, which then paved the way for Samisoni Taukei’aho to win a ruck turnover penalty.
The silky fullback followed it up with a stunning chip and chase try in the 73rd minute to send further reminders of his class.
Earlier, the Drua raced out of the blocks for an early lead, when McKenzie couldn’t collect a high ball, Michael Naitokani knocked the ball back and Iosefo Masi ran half the length.
And if the roar for the visitors wasn’t loud enough when they ran out for the game (louder than that for the hosts), then the sights and sounds after that score would have given the Drua players chills, as a sea of blue flags flew wildly in the stands. Had it been 15 degrees warmer, you could have been forgiven you’d been transported to Suva.
The Drua’s lead lasted all of five minutes, though, and then it was largely one-way traffic, with the Chiefs within a blade of grass of a fourth first-half try, with Iliesa Junior Ratuva’s shove on Samipeni Finau seeing the flanker ground the ball touch-in-goal in the final moments.
But it didn’t prove game-changing enough, for a side who were guilty of too many unforced errors and are still in need of finding a magic recipe on the road.
