This article originally appeared on Stuff and is reproduced with permission
With Ian Foster watching in the stands, brilliant Chiefs playmaker Damian McKenzie won, not just his much-anticipated battle of the world-class No.10s against Richie Mo’unga, but a pivotal Super Rugby contest against the Crusaders to preserve their nine-match unbeaten record in 2023.
Mckenzie was simply sublime as the Chiefs soaked up a heap of pressure and struck when it mattered to out-Crusader the Crusaders with a brilliant 34-24 victory that takes them to 9-0 for the season (40 competition points), and now nearly uncatchable in the race for the all-important No 1 spot. At 6-3, and fifth spot on 28, the red and blacks still have plenty of work in front of them.
And McKenzie, the nifty Chiefs No.10, played a massive part in this second victory over the Crusaders for ’23, outplaying Mo’unga with a superb display that mixed steely goalkicking (five penalties and a pair of conversions), astute tactical play and breathtaking attack as he featured prominently in two of his team’s three tries.
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Mo’unga, who wins most of his battles, was simply outshone by McKenzie who was far more influential, far more decisive and far more threatening with ball in hand. Just whether it’s enough to force a rethink on the All Blacks pecking order, only Foster probably knows. He likely requires more evidence, but there can be no doubt McKenzie’s fabulous form will have been noted.
The Crusaders had enough ball, and enough opportunity, to win this splendid contest twice over. But the Chiefs dug in brilliantly on defence (making 176 tackles to 79 but missing just 18 to 17) and owned the big moments to take control of a contest that was in the balance until the final minute.
The visitors had surged into what looked like a decisive 24-22 lead into the final 10 minutes of the match, wresting control after they had trailed 19-7 early in the second spell. But the Chiefs finished with a wet sail, with in-form fullback Shaun Stevenson finishing in the corner from a McKenzie break (of course) and then replacement hooker Tyrone Thompson sealing the deal when he powered over from close.
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McKenzie aside, the Chiefs got big attacking efforts out of Stevenson and Emoni Narawa, a typically excellent all-round display from the dynamic Samisoni Taukei’aho and outstanding defensive shifts from Luke Jacobson, Sam Cane and Brodie Retallick, among others.
The Crusaders offered plenty but would have been gutted to again lose the big moments against these bitter rivals. Leicester Fainga’anuku, as he does, carried well, Scott Barrett got through his usual bucketload of work, Cullen Grace made some serious impact and the pack battled hard against staunch opponents.
The Chiefs would have been rapt with the 12-7 lead they took into the sheds at half time, courtesy of four McKenzie penalties, after spending much of the opening 40 striving hard to keep the Crusaders out. The visitors, on the other hand, would have been kicking themselves they didn’t have anything more than giant prop Tamaiti Williams’ early try to show for a relatively dominant first spell.
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The Crusaders had 63% of the possession through the opening stanza, ran for nearly 100 more metres (273-175) and forced their opponents to make twice as many tackles (86-42), but must have been scratching their heads that they could only come up with the single seven-pointer. To be fair, they were unlucky to have two other touchdowns ruled out by the TMO, especially what looked a legit 23rd-minute score by Barrett which was pulled back for a knock-on by Dom Gardiner that appeared to go backwards from his hands.
You had to admire the Chiefs’ grit and stickability, though. Lesser teams would have caved beneath the red and black wave, but these guys dug in, made the tackles that mattered and collected their points when they presented (via McKenzie’s boot) to scratch out an unlikely half time lead. They also got a big first 40 out of wing Narawa (84 metres on 4 carries) who continued his eye-catching form of 2023.
It was the Chiefs, too, who made the first move of the second spell, big Retallick over less than five minutes in, for the 19-7 lead, on the back of hard yards up front from Taukei’aho and then some fabulous skill out wide by McKenzie and Stevenson.
But, of course, the Crusaders responded. With 14 straight points, no less, to take the 21-19 lead into the final quarter of the contest. A 53rd-minute penalty try, when Jacobson brought the maul down and was also yellow-carded for it, provided half those points and fullback Fergus Burke the rest when he was in the right place to gather Braydon Ennor’s inpass while being dragged into touch.
So, it came down to who held their nerve when it mattered. That was the Chiefs as they put Stevenson and then Thomson over to grab a victory that means, almost without doubt, the road to the 2023 title runs through Hamilton.
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