Tremendous Rugby Pacific spherical eight received underway at a moist FMG Stadium in Hamilton on Friday night time. The moist circumstances and floor performed a large half within the top-of-the-table conflict, with the Chiefs finally beating the Queensland Reds 27-15.
A late flurry of tries by the Chiefs bench proved to be the distinction in an error-ridden 80 minutes of Super Rugby Pacific motion.
The Reds travelled to Hamilton main the competitors after three straight wins, whereas the Chiefs acquired thrilling information this week, with star playmaker Damian McKenzie re-signing with the membership and New Zealand Rugby until 2029.
Listed here are 5 takeaways.
The Rassie Erasmus affect
Chiefs head coach Clayton McMillan received’t admit it, however his bomb squad is among the huge causes his facet at the moment are high of the Tremendous Rugby Pacific desk.
On a number of events within the 2025 season, the Chiefs’ bench affect has been the distinction between successful and dropping video games. Friday night’s contest with the Reds was no totally different, with Samipeni Finau, Samisoni Taukei’aho, Tupou Vaa’i and Xavier Roe all coming into the sport within the forty seventh minute.
This was when the Chiefs began to shift the momentum their means, as a few of their All Blacks contingent rolled up their sleeves and took the sport by the scruff of the neck.
Substitute playmaker Josh Jacomb’s introduction additionally helped the Chiefs put extra strain on the Reds defence, highlighted completely when he kicked a long-range 50/22 shortly after approaching the sphere.
Taukei’aho’s introduction additionally helped their lineout effectivity, because the Chiefs alternative hooker was on the coronary heart of their lineout maul attempt within the seventieth minute, extending the result in ten factors with beneath ten minutes to go.
Erasmus may not be the one pulling the strings for the Chiefs, however it’s protected to say his means of teaching has modified the way in which groups use their bench.
Reds follow their plan
The Reds are the one workforce in Tremendous Rugby Pacific to not take a penalty to this point within the first seven rounds of the competitors, and so they saved it that means in Hamilton on Friday night.
All of it went to plan the primary time of asking, as they opted to go to the nook as an alternative of taking the straightforward three, earlier than a Matt Faessler lineout particular put the Reds in for his or her first attempt.
Within the second half, they went for a similar choice, this time the Chiefs pack held robust by holding up the deadly Reds lineout drive. This proved expensive for head coach Les Kiss’s facet, because the Chiefs went down the opposite finish to capitalize on the Reds’ missed alternative.
The Reds taking the lineout choice didn’t value them the sport, however it certain might have been a distinct final half-hour if they’d taken the factors on provide early within the second half when all the way down to 14 males.
Fascinating battle of free ahead trios
It solely took lower than three minutes for All Blacks free ahead Luke Jacobson to cross the road for the sport’s first attempt, exhibiting followers at house that his free ahead trio was up for the duty.
There’s been loads of dialogue relating to the Reds free ahead trio of Fraser McReight, Harry Wilson and Joe Brial, who in their very own proper, are among the finest mixtures within the competitors. The again row matchup in Hamilton was one of the vital vital on the night time, the place all six free forwards have been closely concerned.
McReight was busy across the park making a sport excessive 23 tackles, and Wilson was ever current on either side of the ball, carrying 15 occasions.
Joe Brial, the uncapped worldwide from the Reds trio, scored an excellent solo attempt within the dying minutes of the primary half. After a excessive ball drop by McKenzie, Brial kicked the ball forward and located himself in a foot race with Chiefs speedster Emoni Narawa. Brial reached the ball first because it stopped completely proper earlier than the lifeless ball line, the place Brial dived and used the moist floor to his benefit, levelling the scores heading into halftime.
Each groups’ free forwards have been bodily all through, and regardless of the difficult circumstances, they nonetheless managed to impose themselves on the sport.
A sport for the rugby purists
It wasn’t a reasonably sport. The backs had little to no ball, and set-piece time was the distinction.
There have been errors, a yellow card, and a number of TMO interventions, a lot to the despair of the 9,882 house followers, who, for big elements of the match, have been pissed off with the stoppages and errors from either side. Each groups revamped 15 errors.
The highlights bundle received’t be essentially the most thrilling watch of the season, however McMillan might be greater than happy along with his facet’s effort. Particularly after bye week, the place groups typically battle to hit the bottom working after every week off.
Milestone man struggles
Shaun Stevenson would have hoped the nasty climate wouldn’t affect the sport as a lot because it did, as the electrical fullback’s abilities weren’t on present in his one centesimal sport for the Chiefs.
Stevenson is the eleventh Chiefs participant to achieve 100 caps, alongside membership legends like Liam Messam, Brodie Retallick and Sam Cane.
On high of an early deflected kick that fell straight into Filipo Daugunu’s arms, Stevenson had two errors within the first 25 minutes, not beginning his milestone sport in addition to he would’ve appreciated.
The Chiefs fullback had little affect with ball in hand, largely to do with his facet’s angle to roll the sleeves up and assault the Reds with decide and go’s.
Will probably be a sport to recollect for Stevenson and his household, however he may not wish to keep in mind a lot of the motion on the park.
