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, 12:21 pm
UFO They have been at it since before the season started and they need to be reminded what it feels like when Karma brings around what goes around. If they can dish it out they should be able to take it too. You will notice that all the big mouths from last week kicking Stormers fans when they were down are conveniently not present to face the music and manup to what is due to them by Stormers fans out for a little kicking of their own.
PedigreeChum RobZim and Slappes give them what they deserve I am off to bed for some sweet dreams.
4 Aug 2012, 12:22 pm
@cane-395:
I think if ***, drugs rock and roll were an Olympic event Keo could be a contender for South Africa!
I think my best chance would be in the Rough Terrain Lawnmowing with my second discipline still to be decided!
Re the games, we do have a great backdrop for the events. Hope you have enjoyed the coverage and the locations.
4 Aug 2012, 12:23 pm
Ask el presidente to remove both his b&w eyepatches and say who had by far tge best chance to win this title..
Everyone knows who the best team was, even the greatest get upset.
4 Aug 2012, 12:24 pm
hehehehehe but they forget… you cannot “dish it out” to a team who walloped you just 7 days ago! hehehehehe! we all know deep down who has the “bragging rights” in SA rugby hehehehe!
4 Aug 2012, 12:25 pm
Stormers are a team that make up the numbers in super rugby.
4 Aug 2012, 12:25 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged by Mad Eye Productions.-374:
yes but at least the Sharks make SR finals, unlike the Stormers.
Come to think of it, when did the Stormers last win anything?
Sharks have quality players – as noted by HM. On the other hand HM rates Stormers players as?
Stormers – a team running on hype that’s already left the building.
Anyway, we had a make-shift mid-field that wasn’t going to help.
Now we have Frans back at #12 – the best centre in SA by far.
Don’t think the Stormers will do as well next year, must be running out of money to buy matches.
Great to have the Stormer’s support for an SA team though. Congratulations.
Hopefully we’ll have another earthquake in the Wp and the cancer will float off to the South Pole.
Mind you, there are bsome there that will hope it floats of to NZ.
Go on, make SA happy.
4 Aug 2012, 12:26 pm
@Wing Commander Raymond-405:
Gloating does get a bit tedious, just so you know!
4 Aug 2012, 12:28 pm
@carol-407: direct your ire to the “gloating” Stormer fans please! thank you for your co-operation, in advance.
4 Aug 2012, 12:28 pm
First of all to the Chiefs supporters – enjoy. You really deserve it. You played yourself into a good log position and played very well in the final. Cruden is a pleasure to watch – can see him causing SA serious grief in future.
To the gracious Stormers fans like ufo and co – thank you
To the Sharks for making the final from 6th on the log – well done boys. For that nonsense you served up today – let me rather say nothing. You cannot mindlessly kick the ball to the Chiefs and expect to win. I never expected the win to be honest, but I am really not happy with what I saw today.
To the other gloating idiots – your team lost their chance last week – deal with it
4 Aug 2012, 12:29 pm
Carol – quite correct – terrible gloaters.
4 Aug 2012, 12:31 pm
Vernon jou lekker ding…..
4 Aug 2012, 12:31 pm
@Wing Commander Raymond-408:
Just suck on that lemon. Is 37-6 a record score for a final?
4 Aug 2012, 12:32 pm
Am watching the REAL sporting event happening on the world stage, 400 m qualifying olympics track heats not that one sided pissinthewind nonevent that transpired this morning
Sharkshits got well and truly mutherfckd and molested just as the pre match sentiments kinda expected they would.
Only saffa hope for a S15 triumph would have been a fired up Stormers outfit with a DECENT go ahead coach who got some WINNING temperament Drilled into his chickenshit retrograde defense whims games brains.
4 Aug 2012, 12:34 pm
hehehehe check at them jumping up and down now! hehehehe they brought it on themselves with their sheer evident happiness at the Sharks loss, just took a bit of reminding about events 7 days ago to get them huiling and backtracking. hehehehe! now piss off Stormers for another year, the Sharks were better and own the bragging rights. deal with it hehehehehe!
4 Aug 2012, 12:34 pm
@fitz1ella-413:
Hoping our rowers can get another gold in a moment…… Tension again!
Did you see the ladies triathalon finnish? Those girls have such stamina and guts!
4 Aug 2012, 12:35 pm
“only saffa hope” well then they shouldn’t have lost last weekend! hehehehe! again it just reveals the magnitude of the epic choke! hehehehe!
4 Aug 2012, 12:36 pm
Wing commander having a meltdown?
4 Aug 2012, 12:37 pm
Another gold for us Brits…. Yee Haaa
My turn to have a little gloat!
4 Aug 2012, 12:38 pm
@Robzim-412: No, silly. The Chiefs lost 17-61 to the Bulls in Pretoria in 2009. And now here they are having won the thing at home. Makes you think, doesn’t it?
4 Aug 2012, 12:39 pm
@fitz1ella-413:
I hope you watched the women triathlon
Great sprint for the line- exhausted bodies laying all over the place afterwards.. Guts and glory and the pain and extacy- racing and sport at it’s best.
4 Aug 2012, 12:40 pm
What’s with all the hehehehehehehehehe
4 Aug 2012, 12:41 pm
@kaksioek-419:
Was it the second biggest hiding in a final then?
Or the biggest hiding the sharks ever got?
It must be some record
4 Aug 2012, 12:42 pm
Ladies 3000 steeplechase go Kenya and Ethiopia chickadees
Stormers fckd their season up with a chickenshit coach who CHOKES every time he looks down the pylvak into the headlights.
Stormers were the true Saffa hopes this comp, only with a dumbfk set of coaches who got ZERO clue about HOW to take the comp by Storm, better go get some lessons from Hammet at Chiefs for a taste of that WINNING type of mentality.
4 Aug 2012, 12:43 pm
@OCO-406: And after that 50000 word essay, you still have fuckall to show? Just like the other 14 teams.
4 Aug 2012, 12:44 pm
at least the Sharks make finals hehehehe! these Stormers are LOVING this result today! hehehehe! well done on your victory today! hehehehehe! Stormerchiefs!
4 Aug 2012, 12:45 pm
@Dawn-421: I was about to ask the same thing
4 Aug 2012, 12:46 pm
Commander. Pull yourself together.
4 Aug 2012, 12:46 pm
stormerchiefs! hehehehe!
4 Aug 2012, 12:47 pm
Congrats Stormers fans on a wonderful proxy victory in Hamilton.
4 Aug 2012, 12:48 pm
@Wing Commander Raymond-404: Bragging rights? Dear heavens.You were fisted,with barbed wire and electrodes. Leave ‘any’ bragging rights until the wounds have healed.
Then again,I thought the Sharks fans kept telling Stormers that winning means nothing unless you win the whole thing? Bragging rights for the Sharks: “we’re the only team in history to play in so many finals and never win…”
Kings of croke and choke, we Stormers,mere princes.
4 Aug 2012, 12:49 pm
@Dawn-421: I think this fellow has sucked all the helium out of the balloons he bought to celebrate the Sharks ‘victory’.(You know those balloons with CONGRATS plastered all over them?)
4 Aug 2012, 12:50 pm
@kaksioek-429: they don’t like it when you go “hehehehehehe!” but we know why our Stormer friends are out in such numbers today, over the moon, hehehehe!
4 Aug 2012, 12:51 pm
@Robzim-420: Did you watch Oscar run his heat? What an athlete,and what a role model. Through to the semi’s.
4 Aug 2012, 12:52 pm
@kaksioek-429:
Tough luck.
You will feel better tomorrow.
Just ask me, I know.
It’s only a game after all.
@kaksioek-429:
I think U freeky.
4 Aug 2012, 12:52 pm
@carol-415:
No didn’t see it, watching the athletics in main olympic stadium, your girly Ennis looking good through long jump in heptathlon
100 mts heats later on, Bolt, vs G’ay vs Blake vs the other Jamaican
Yip this the real sporting stage as Sharkshits showed what powder puff poeftas they are at the deep end when some real powerhouse rugby chieftains turn up for some sharkbroth for lunch.
4 Aug 2012, 12:52 pm
Sharks only making up the numbers in super finals???
4 Aug 2012, 12:53 pm
@Robzim-434:
@kaksioek-429:
@Wing Commander Raymond-432:
Sorry, the Commander is the freeky one
4 Aug 2012, 12:54 pm
Kaksoek lost his lustre and swagger???
4 Aug 2012, 12:54 pm
If Meyer picks Steyn at 10 and the little lamb at 15 for the Bokke you guys are farked.
4 Aug 2012, 12:55 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged by Mad Eye Productions.-433:
Sadly I missed it.
This Olympics is farking up my life.
Have been trying to get out of here to go and ride my mtb for the last hour or so but find it hard to leave the tv screen
Fantastic viewing I have to say.
4 Aug 2012, 12:56 pm
@Wing Commander Raymond-432: Most of your ‘Stormer friends’ were the realists,trying to warn you praise singing Sharkies in the week. You refused to listen,and instead wrote poems,movie scripts,odes to players wives and all sorts of totally off the wall and hysterical Bieber like things.
You forgot about reality….
Today she visited….BOOM.
4 Aug 2012, 12:58 pm
Well done for making the finals Sharks, Not a good score line but that’s rugby
4 Aug 2012, 12:59 pm
@NZINCHINA-439: Don’t fuckingtell me. Lambie starting today was a knobend of a decision. (Many thought so pre-game,but not the Sharkies….noooooooooooooooooo)
I also feel we are going to be fecked with our loose trio that is going to be selected…..
4 Aug 2012, 13:00 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged by Mad Eye Productions.-441: at least we can console ourselves by making the final, being the best of the SA teams and walloping your team in the semi, away from home! That makes it feel better!
4 Aug 2012, 13:00 pm
is 2 weeks enough for the battered and knacked sharkies to regroup and get fired up for the RC. or should heyneke look to rest and roatate at the start of the comp?
Just checked the draw and SA must feel it not as challenging as usual. being “paired” with argies works to our advantage. especially with last home match against kiwis, and having two weeks off between opening 2 games. I wonder if we’ll return to SA after going to argentina, or go to Aus and prepare there.
August 2012
18 Australia v New Zealand ANZ Stadium, Sydney
18 South Africa v Argentina DHL Newlands, Cape Town
25 New Zealand v Australia Eden Park, Auckland
25 Argentina v South Africa Estadio Malvinas Argentinas, Mendoza
September 2012
8 New Zealand v Argentina Westpac Stadium, Wellington
8 Australia v South Africa Patersons Stadium, Perth
15 New Zealand v South Africa Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin
15 Australia v Argentina Skilled Park, Gold Coast
29 South Africa v Australia Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
30 Argentina v New Zealand Estadio Ciudad de la Plata, La Plata
October 2012
6 South Africa v New Zealand FNB Stadium, Soweto
7 Argentina v Australia Estadio Gigante de Arroyita, Rosario
4 Aug 2012, 13:02 pm
The finial was like men against boys!!
4 Aug 2012, 13:05 pm
@Wing Commander Raymond-444: You sound more like a Lion’s supporter than a Shark? The Lion’s usually worry more about beating SAFFA teams,than what they do about actually winning the whole thing.
If last Saturday was the sole aim and purpose of the Sharks season,then you’re like the Lions….(their sole aim and purpose was to beat you fellows-and they did)
Ok, so THIS is why we play S15,to beat SAFFA teams, NOT Kiwi teams.Got it. Choke choke choke-use your choke Raymond….
4 Aug 2012, 13:06 pm
@Wing Commander Raymond-444: Bwaaahhhh!!Feeling better after just got walloped for the fourth time in a super final!!Don’t worry:Tomorrow the sun will shine again over Dirtbin.
4 Aug 2012, 13:07 pm
@Wing Commander Raymond-444:
Sharks peaked for the knockouts, but you cannot say they were the best SA team as they were not consistent enough across the comp. yes they won the semi last week, but the stormers were still the best SA team over the course of the comp. they lost only 3 games.
stormers would not have got beat like the sharks did today. sharks are champions of choking and nothing more. sad to say coz i love the sharks.
4 Aug 2012, 13:09 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged by Mad Eye Productions.-447: spin it any way you want to make yourself feel better! we lost an away final, as expected. your team lost a home semifinal hehehehehe! the 3rd time! there must be some sort of problem! it must hurt and I feel a little sorry for you! so as far as stormers fans being sanctimonious after todays result we take it with a pinch of salt, you have zero leg to stand on because we thumped you last week against the odds and returned a 2 from 3 against you this year. but keep spinning it any way you want it won’t wash! hehehehe!
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