Chiefs storm to Super title win
4 Aug 2012
JON CARDINELLI watched the Chiefs deliver a masterclass in power and composure to crush the Sharks 37-6 in Saturday’s Super Rugby final.
Some will list travel fatigue as decisive. Some will complain that referee Steve Walsh was too lenient on the hosts. Some might say the clamour of cowbells and the driving rain made for a perfect storm of pressure that squeezed the fight out of the Sharks.
But the external factors were never decisive.
The Chiefs rocked up in rampant mood. Their forwards absorbed the early pressure, and their inside backs played outstanding finals football. They ran away with the game in the second half, but the result was secured in the first.
The Sharks needed to bank early points if they were ever going to win this final. Their forwards clattered into the collisions during a bruising first quarter and their line speed on defence kept the Chiefs on the back foot.
But a three-point return during that period was never going to be enough. They coughed up too much possession on attack, and it was a series of missed opportunities early in the piece that they were made to regret.
The Chiefs’ performance in that first half highlighted the tactical nous of the coaching staff, as well as the efficiency of the team’s key decision makers. They played for territory but they also kept the Sharks’ defence guessing with a series of grubbers and chip kicks.
It was a deft nudge by Aaron Cruden that sparked the Chiefs’ first try. Sharks fullback Pat Lambie was caught in two minds, and in the end he made the wrong decision in allowing Cruden’s chip kick to bounce.
The Chiefs, as they have done all season and managed to do on several occasions during this final, chased well and forced the breakdown turnover. From here, the Sharks’ defence was compromised, and centre Sonny Bill Williams took full advantage, breaking two tackles to take play up to the opposition 22.
From there the ball flew out to the left where it was Chiefs backs versus Sharks forwards. Tim Nanai-Williams obliged with a score that spelled trouble for the Sharks, even at that early stage.
For all the talk of fatigue, the Sharks’ intensity at the collisions never seemed to flag. And yet, they struggled to adapt to Walsh’s calls at the breakdown.
Their defensive work was outstanding for the most part, but they made some poor decisions with ball in hand and failed to stretch the Chiefs’ defence.
Their set piece was expected to rattle that of the Chiefs, but the hosts overcame some early lineout wobbles to compete strongly and force several turnovers of their own.
The Sharks also struggled to win set-piece possession in the Chiefs half, and were completely outplayed in the battle for territory. The Chiefs peppered the Sharks in the first half, and the pressure told.
Cruden, who would miss a couple of goal kicks later in the game, was accurate in front of poles during those first 40 minutes. It allowed the Chiefs to build a commanding lead, and before the Sharks knew it, they were 13-3 down.
It was a massive deficit considering the conditions. It was a gap they were never going to close with the Chiefs dominating the collisions and winning the kicking game.
The Sharks suffered a further setback when Kane Thompson crashed over from a five-metre scrum early in the second half. At 20-3, the visitors were dead and buried.
They attempted to play more expansively in an effort to close the gap but, as the final scoreline suggests, this only played into the Chiefs’ hands. The Waikato outfit fed off the Sharks’ errors and scored two more tries.
The performance was emphatic, and the victory well deserved. The Chiefs have played some brilliant rugby at times this season, but they have also shown themselves to be one of the best defensive teams.
The tactical excellence of their halfback pairing hasn’t received enough credit, and Cruden and Tawera Kerr-Barlow certainly played a decisive role in winning this final.
It’s an embarrassing end for the Sharks, who have also produced some encouraging and balanced performances in 2012. In the end, they will lament the early season failures that forced them to travel so extensively in the play-offs.
The Chiefs are the Super Rugby champions for the first time in the competition’s history. They are worthy of the title. They won the New Zealand conference. They won the right to host a semi-final and, thanks to the Stormers’ home defeat, a final.
Their consistency allowed them to do so, and it was also a consistent performance that allowed them to beat the Sharks in the decider.
603 Comments
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4 Aug 2012, 10:25 am
Difficult to win a Cup final with 36% possession. Sharks are playing the conditions and kicking it whereas the Chiefs are just playing their natural game and running it.
4 Aug 2012, 10:26 am
@>^..^< katman-144:
There is a clever as* David who said the site actually been UPGRADED
Told him the Keo’s site displays all the symptoms of cost cutting and reduced capabilities
4 Aug 2012, 10:26 am
@Boertjie-148: Leave him – he’s like that. All he has in life is a bit of flaming on a SA site. Sad, but that’s some people’s reality.
4 Aug 2012, 10:26 am
I think the sharks were just kicking too much ball away. Force the Chiefs to make tackles and put pressure on them and mix up the kicking game with a bit of continuity. Soon as the Chiefs kept ball in hand they got a try.
btw, **** this new improved site
4 Aug 2012, 10:27 am
Daniel having a shocker.Lambie like a deer caught in headlights.
4 Aug 2012, 10:27 am
cmon sharks…
you can still do it…!
just imagine it’s the stormers on the other side…!!
fyi…
stomp till i die = dusky … playing games with his multinics again and trying to create controversy so he has something to talk about afterwards… no real stormers supporter is going to call himself stompie anything…
4 Aug 2012, 10:27 am
Rennie first year as super 15 coach. This guy is one coach worth poaching.
4 Aug 2012, 10:28 am
sharks now have to do it the HARD way. go guppys.
4 Aug 2012, 10:28 am
I said this last night.
If sharks are losing, refs fault.
So tyipcal from some of you. Have a look. The ref is missing alot. In fact he is missing Sharks offside, Sharks interfering with jumpers in lineout and interfering with the Chiefs halfback.
But of course i also see the Chiefs constantly holding onto players. Thyey have been doing it all year as a few other teams do but they Steve seems to have noticed it in the final lol.
Anyway still a good game at the moment and still anyones game
4 Aug 2012, 10:29 am
@155 – true. The Sharks big names are struggling. Thats what happens when you get an easy semi, you start to think you are better than what you actually are.
4 Aug 2012, 10:29 am
@Hurricane – ref is not a factor. Sharks being outplayed. Simple as.
4 Aug 2012, 10:30 am
@TAJ BAR-157: Every Kiwi coach seems better than the next.
RWC champs.
Currie Cup
Heineken Cup
Sevens
Six Nations
The list goes on al coached by Kiwis
4 Aug 2012, 10:30 am
@Hurricane-159:
you can see it coming Hurri poor old Walshy will get the blame if the Sharks lose, it will never be because the other team was better
4 Aug 2012, 10:31 am
@>^..^< katman-153: That’s Boet. Shame though…Poor bloke…Still it must be lonely in China… especially if you’re a doos.
4 Aug 2012, 10:31 am
Capo out on parole again.
What is the justice system coming to?
4 Aug 2012, 10:32 am
The writing is probably on the wall
Sharks will have to play catch up and try and open the game up and that will play futher into the hands of the Chiefs.
4 Aug 2012, 10:32 am
forward pass to the prop.
4 Aug 2012, 10:33 am
Sharks getting rattled they better hold their nerve
4 Aug 2012, 10:33 am
@Boertjie-164: I guess the Chinese don’t suffer fools.
4 Aug 2012, 10:33 am
Sharks scrum starting to look ‘Cape-ish’
4 Aug 2012, 10:34 am
The fat lady busy selecting her outfit for her solo performance!
4 Aug 2012, 10:34 am
@Dawn-146: lol its teh black and white sharks
4 Aug 2012, 10:35 am
Zai jian Sharkies
4 Aug 2012, 10:35 am
@BULLET-161:
Yep, Chiefs out playing them for sure.
@NZINCHINA-163:
I know, Steve will be another hated ref.
4 Aug 2012, 10:35 am
@>^..^< katman-169:
SBW man of the match
4 Aug 2012, 10:36 am
Lattimer took Daniel out. Very deliberately and very cynical and very unnoticed.
4 Aug 2012, 10:36 am
Sharks look done!
4 Aug 2012, 10:36 am
I really dont want to make excuses but its just to obvious Chiefs looks better than they are against acutely fatigued team with no steam left after 15min!!. Definitly not worthy of a final the way this system works.. Keo is 100% spot on.
4 Aug 2012, 10:36 am
Chiefs 7 takes out two defenders for his buddy.
That is an absolute shocker.
4 Aug 2012, 10:37 am
Such a pity I’m unable to watch.
Keep track of who’s winning by reading certain posts…
And Keo, this is my first post so cut the c$&p & fix this site please.
4 Aug 2012, 10:37 am
feckkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk decaptitation and nothing
4 Aug 2012, 10:37 am
Funny how the commentators love the hit, and it’s high as anything.
4 Aug 2012, 10:38 am
This is the end, got few business things to do this morning
The Sharks will never win with that kind of passengers they carry,
4 Aug 2012, 10:38 am
@178 – GUNS.
This is true. Keo is correct. It hurts to admit it.
4 Aug 2012, 10:39 am
@>^..^< katman-169: LOL…I have done lots of business with them and I can assure you of that. Well said.
What our little NZ instigators are getting confused about is that because we know the refereeing is kuk they assume that we aslo think that the Chiefs are playing well. Let me say it slowly for you Kiwi’s with Saffa hating issues. Chiefs winning because they are playing MUCH better….still does NOT…take away that Kiwi Steve Walsh is having a shocker….again….Perhaps he’s on the turps again…..or maybe….on the TAKE like Bryce Lawrence…KIWI WC 2011 HERO!!! GO SHARKS!!!!
4 Aug 2012, 10:39 am
Chiefs are playing so much better than us …..FACT…….. so why is ref being such a poepal.
4 Aug 2012, 10:40 am
Sharks number 8 is tough as teak he got walloped.
4 Aug 2012, 10:40 am
That is a shocking shot.
You are looking at a lengthly period on the sidelines my buddy.
Walshy left his cards in the changing room in the safe with his brown envelope.
4 Aug 2012, 10:40 am
@>^..^< katman-182:
Funny not a menton of the forward pass from any of you the Sharks got away with.
4 Aug 2012, 10:41 am
Deliberate and cynical from Cruden. Luckily Walshie’s such a good pal.
4 Aug 2012, 10:41 am
@the artist formerly known as gunther-188: Spot on Mr Gunther..
4 Aug 2012, 10:42 am
Getting klapped silly……
4 Aug 2012, 10:42 am
Should have gone for more than 3…wrong call
4 Aug 2012, 10:42 am
@TAJ BAR-187: He has stepped up well that Kanko finally starting to use the extra weight he put on and using his hight in lineouts.. Something Spies has forgot exists..
4 Aug 2012, 10:43 am
Here come the sharks reserves didn’t see who replaced who
4 Aug 2012, 10:43 am
@Treehugger-186: he aint no peophol. The guppies are just useless can’t believe how kak Lambie is at 15.
Did you really expect a guppy victory?
4 Aug 2012, 10:43 am
I think Peterson is playing his heart out
Have to repost comments 3 or 4 times before they go through, very irritating.
4 Aug 2012, 10:44 am
as expected Sharks played their final last week and in the process of beating the best team in sa and the best chance of the trophy, handed the chieftans a gift trophy easy gallop round the paddok.
Looks like it’s going to be 40 as expected – and everyone left scratching their collective arses wondering what happened after all the supposed jubilation of last week
4 Aug 2012, 10:44 am
@Boertjie-185:
Not confused.
All i see is a whinging little boy.
I know the Chiefs are getting away with a bit, i admit that but the Sharks are also getting away with alot and guess what, you dont notice it or say nothing about it.
Chiefs outplaying Sharks, we agree ok?
4 Aug 2012, 10:44 am
@Hurricane-189: That’s comfortably vague.
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