A devastating second-half blitz saw the Chiefs overpower the Highlanders 46-10 at FMG Stadium Waikato to reclaim top spot in the Super Rugby Pacific standings.
Key moments:
4′ – Highlanders open scoring with Cameron Millar penalty (0-3)
8′ – Damian McKenzie levels with penalty for Chiefs (3-3)
9′ – Emoni Narawa scores try after brilliant break from Leroy Carter, McKenzie converts (10-3)
28′ – Sefo Kautai scores for Highlanders after superb Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens break, Millar converts (10-10)
31′ – McKenzie penalty puts Chiefs back in front at halftime (13-10)
43′ – Leroy Carter scores after Tupaea kick-chase, McKenzie converts (20-10)
51′ – Kaylum Boshier scores from rolling maul, McKenzie converts (27-10)
54′ – Samipeni Finau scores from McKenzie cross-kick, McKenzie converts (34-10)
58′ – Kaylum Boshier scores second try, McKenzie converts (41-10)
75′ – Samisoni Taukei’aho scores from rolling maul, McKenzie misses conversion (46-10)
Clayton McMillan’s men, smarting from last week’s shock defeat to the Waratahs in Sydney, emphatically responded with six tries – five coming in a rampant second-half display that underlined their title credentials.
After a competitive first half where the visitors trailed by just three points, the Chiefs ruthlessly exploited the tiring Highlanders defence with a clinical exhibition of attacking rugby that saw them run in 33 unanswered points after the interval.
The result sees the Chiefs move level on points with the Crusaders at the summit of the table, edging ahead on points difference following this commanding victory.
In damp conditions at Hamilton, following a miserable Easter weekend, it was the Highlanders who opened the scoring in the fourth minute through Cameron Millar’s boot after the Chiefs were caught offside following a contestable kick.
The home side responded quickly when Damian McKenzie – restored to his customary flyhalf position after last week’s experiment – slotted a penalty to level proceedings in the eighth minute. The Chiefs then clicked into gear almost immediately, with Leroy Carter igniting the crowd through a spectacular break. After gathering a loose ball near his own 22, Carter showcased remarkable footwork to slice through the Highlanders’ defence before being hauled down in opposition territory. Quick recycling saw Emoni Narawa dive over near the posts moments later, with McKenzie adding the extras to make it 10-3.
Despite struggling at scrum time and being pinned in their own half for extended periods, the Highlanders demonstrated remarkable resilience. Their equalising score in the 28th minute came against the run of play but was executed brilliantly. Timoci Tavatavanawai provided the spark with a perfectly timed short ball to Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens, who burst through a gap in midfield before finding lock Fabian Holland in support. Though Holland was dragged down metres short, quick ball from Folau Fakatava allowed prop Sefo Kautai to power through three defenders and crash over. Millar’s conversion levelled the scores at 10-10.
The Chiefs immediately reasserted themselves from the restart, earning a penalty directly in front which McKenzie duly converted to give his side a slender 13-10 advantage at the interval.
Whatever McMillan said during the break had the desired effect as the Chiefs returned with renewed purpose. Just three minutes after the restart, they extended their lead with a well-worked try that showcased their attacking prowess. The Chiefs won a scrum in the Highlanders’ territory after Xavier Roe’s kick was booted out on the full by Folau Fakatava. A big carry from Samipeni Finau got the hosts on the front foot, and Quinn Tupaea spotted space behind the Highlanders’ defence and executed a perfect grubber kick, with the electric Carter winning the race to dot down just before the dead-ball line. McKenzie’s conversion stretched the lead to 20-10.
From that point, the floodgates opened as the Chiefs’ relentless pressure began to tell. The Highlanders attempted to counter-attack, with Fakatava making a break upfield and chipping ahead into the Chiefs’ 22, but they couldn’t convert the opportunity into points.
The Chiefs’ dominance in the set-piece provided the platform for their third try. After Tupaea broke through the defense and kicked ahead, forcing Jona Nareki to take the ball into touch just 5 metres out, the Chiefs secured a lineout. A powerful rolling maul saw replacement loose forward Kaylum Boshier – who had just entered the fray – crashing over in the 51st minute. McKenzie’s conversion extended the lead to 27-10.
The Chiefs’ fourth try, which secured the bonus point, arrived just three minutes later through a moment of McKenzie brilliance. The All Blacks playmaker scanned the field and launched a pinpoint cross-field kick that found Samipeni Finau unmarked on the opposite wing, with the flanker gathering the bouncing ball and strolling over untouched.
Boshier added his second and the Chiefs’ fifth try in the 58th minute after excellent interplay between the forwards and backs, with Brodie McAlister providing the final pass for the loose forward to sprint clear. McKenzie’s conversion pushed the score to 41-10, effectively ending the contest with more than 20 minutes still to play.
The rout was completed in the 75th minute when replacement hooker Samisoni Taukei’aho drove over from another powerful rolling maul, though McKenzie – who had been flawless from the tee – finally missed a conversion, his only blemish in an otherwise commanding performance.
For the Highlanders, who had been competitive for much of the first half, this was a sobering reminder of the gap between the competition’s elite and the chasing pack. Despite the occasional flash of brilliance from Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens and the tireless efforts of Folau Fakatava, they simply couldn’t match the Chiefs’ intensity and execution after the break.
“We had our opportunities in the first half… they’re a good ‘Landers side defensively and hard to break down,” McKenzie told Sky Sports post-game. “I couldn’t get any worse (after last week)… we were disappointed last week and beaten by a better side. We were a lot better tonight.”
Highlanders co-captain Hugh Renton acknowledged his side had been outplayed: “They definitely played their game plan better than us in the second half. They starved us of playing footy, they made us carry lots, make errors, get tired… It’s tough for us when we’re not really playing any footy, so full credit to them.”
The Chiefs will look to build on this momentum when they host the Western Force at FMG Stadium Waikato next weekend, while the Highlanders face the daunting prospect of welcoming the table-topping Crusaders to Forsyth Barr Stadium.
