So it was entirely fitting that it was dynamic running from two of the Blues’ world-class backs that sealed the victory.
Tele’a’s 69th-minute try originated from 30m inside the Blues’ half. Fullback Beauden Barrett chose not to return a Canes’ kick with a kick, but instead sprinted past five defenders, in a way that sparked memories from a decade ago, when as a fresh-faced newcomer he set the 2015 World Cup final at Twickenham alight.
Finally cornered, Barrett passed left to wing Clarke on the Blues’ 10m line. Clarke headed infield and set up a ruck. Three passes later Tele’a had the ball 40m from the tryline. He flew past Riley Hohepa on the outside, and a despairing dive by Harry Godfrey couldn’t prevent Tele’a’s touchdown.
Next Friday’s game with the Brumbies at Eden Park will show us whether the extra dimension to the Blues’ tactics we saw in Wellington is locked in for the season.
Stars on the loose
There were some terrific performances from the Canes in the hard-fought match, most notably from their loose forward trio of Du’Plessis Kirifi, Brad Shields and Peter Lakai.
Kirifi yet again looked international class, Shields, 33, had the energy of a rookie, and Lakai’s work rate was outstanding, demonstrating why he became an All Black last year.
Game of the round
Once again there were some exciting clashes, but the most exhilarating match of the round was played in Hamilton sunshine, where the Chiefs needed all they could get from their stars to beat the Brumbies, 49-34.
On the downside, fullback Damian McKenzie had to limp off after 72 minutes, just three minutes after second-five Quinn Tupaea had left injured. McKenzie, as always, was a sparkplug for the Chiefs, and Tupaea showed how ready he is to add to his 14 test appearances for the All Blacks — his last being in 2022.
Kudos too for Samipeni Finau at blindside flanker. At 115kg (slightly heavier than the great Jerome Kaino), he has the size. And his steely attitude has more than a touch of Kaino’s mindset too. Cheeky halfbacks might think twice about running the blind knowing that Finau is lurking to make the tackle.
Hard won
The Chiefs now top the Super Rugby table, unbeaten after three matches.
They deserve their rewards. The 15-point margin over the Brumbies doesn’t really reflect how well-organised the men from Canberra were. They scored tries in the 19th and 29th minute from coolly calculated moves that set up overlaps for first-five Declan Meredith, and then wing Corey Toole, to almost stroll over the tryline.
There were hints of the icy control the Brumbies’ coach Stephen Larkham used to exercise when he was a player. For the Chiefs to pull away in the second half was a measure of how well rounded a team they are in 2025.
We can’t keep everyone
Chiefs coach Clayton McMillan deserves to leave for Munster after Super Rugby feeling nothing but goodwill from Kiwis. He’s been a terrific coach, and a grounded, likeable figurehead for the Chiefs.
The departure of someone with his gifts does evoke some nervousness about the loss of institutional knowledge, but in a professional game the simple reality is that we don’t have the population to sustain enough teams to keep every good coach in New Zealand.
And the list of Kiwi coaches who have come back from European positions to take charge of the All Blacks runs from Wayne Smith to Graham Henry to Steve Hansen.
It’s most unlikely that McMillan’s time in Ireland means we won’t see him here again.
Player of the round
Moana Pasifika captain Ardie Savea played like a movie superhero in Friday night’s game at Albany against the Highlanders. But the unscripted theatre of sport can be very cruel.
Despite Savea’s inspirational player-of-the-round performance, the Highlanders clung on to beat Moana, 31-29.
At halftime, with the Landers ahead 31-10, the chances of a hometown victory for Moana looked as unlikely as a moment of decency from Donald Trump.
But Savea, who had already been industrious in the first half, then switched to an even higher level in the second. You name it, he did it.
At 45 minutes, he took a high ball, and sprinted 45m for a try. He battled for, and usually won, breakdown possession. His tackles brought runners to a shuddering halt. At 74 minutes, he set up a try from a tap kick for Semesi Tupou Ta’eiloa.
Nineteen unanswered points in the second spell would prove not quite enough; and so, next Saturday night at Albany against the Hurricanes, Moana will still be looking for their first win in 2025.
Taking stock
The Highlanders are at the top end of the table, but a coach as clear-headed as Jamie Joseph won’t be luxuriating in what’s been a very good start to the season. His reaction after the win at Albany was a perfect example of his straight-shooting.
“We were fortunate,” he said. “We got ahead with some relatively soft tries and we managed to hang on.”
It was a short turnaround for the Highlanders after upsetting the Blues in Dunedin a week ago. A bye next weekend shapes up as a perfect time for the Landers to recover and reset.
