Super Rugby Pacific: Two-try Tupou Vaa’i propels slick Chiefs past Hurricanes in wet

At FMG Stadium Waikato, Hamilton: Chiefs 23 (Samisoni Taukei’aho try 6min, Tupou Vaa’i 2 tries 22min, 47min; Damian McKenzie 2 pens, con), Hurricanes 12 (Josh Moorby try 58min, Brayden Iose try 68min; Aidan Morgan con). HT: 10-0.

Normal service resumed. The Chiefs, after their first misfire of the Super Rugby Pacific season last round, returned to their winning ways behind a standout display from lock Tupou Vaa’i on a wet and slippery Saturday night in Hamilton.

They may have taken their eye off the ball last week, but Clayton McMillan’s runaway competition leaders, who had a 10-match win streak snapped in New Plymouth by the Reds, were back on their game this one. In conditions that allowed little margin for error, the Chiefs delivered a precision and powerful display of wet-weather footy to cruise to victory behind a big-time contribution from two-try Vaa’i.

It was impressive stuff from the minor premiers-elect as they knuckled down well, played the percentages, fed off their opponents’ errors (there were a few of them) and disintegrating lineout, and accumulated the points at reasonably regular intervals.

The Chiefs easily won the tactical battle behind the educated boots of Shaun Stevenson and Damian McKenzie, whose uncharacteristic wobbles with the ball in hand could probably be forgiven, but on a night all about the grind, it was the home forwards who very much paved the way.

Samisoni Taukei’aho picked up a try and was strong on the drive, Pita Gus Sowakula carried hard, Vaa’i was dominant and Sam Cane put in an excellent shift on both sides of the ball. They feasted off the hesitant Canes lineout and won the breakdown battle too.

The Canes had their moments. Kini Naholo produced one special run to highlight his promise, powerful No 8 Brayden Iose had an excellent match, James Blackwell (20 tackles) was a beast on defence and Josh Moorby (with a dazzling individual try) and Aidan Morgan shook off their issues fielding deep kicks to produce some telling carries.

In belting rain, the Chiefs dealt much the better with the challenge that conditions served up, scoring two first-half tries en route to a 10-0 lead. Predictably both came from forwards, with hooker Taukei’aho notching the first off the lineout-drive and Vaa’i the second when the home side pounced on an over-thrown lineout, surged forward and put the second-rower within reaching distance of the line.

The Canes were not out of it at the break, but in the slippery conditions they just hadn’t been able to work the territory their hosts did through the first 40. Some sloppy work at the back from Moorby and Morgan hadn’t helped their cause either, and nor had an early injury to hooker Jacob Devery that brought late callup Hame Faiva into the fray much earlier than anticipated, with lineout wobbles resulting.

The Chiefs looked much the more likely on the back of their pack’s ability to work their way to the right parts of the park, their superior kicking game and their slicker execution under the high degree off difficulty in play.

Vaa’i’s second try early in the second spell probably sealed the deal for the home side, though the Hurricanes did show some steel as they produced second-half scores for Moorby and Iose and stayed in the race to the finish.

The big moment

Vaa’i’s second try, early in the second spell, assuredly put this thing on ice for the home side as it plummeted the visitors into a 17-0 hole that was always going to be too tough to climb out of in the wet.

Match rating

5/10: It was very wet and very slippery, which made this contest more grind than glorious. And so it played out as the Chiefs tightened up their game and did what they had to, and the Canes battled away around just too many errors.

MVP

With the All Blacks coach watching in the stands, big Vaa’i produced a timely reminder of his qualities with a standout, and match-winning, two-try effort. At the moment he sits round 4 on the second-row depth chart, but performances like this won’t do his prospects any harm

The big picture

This all but seals the minor premiership for the Chiefs as they improve to 11-1 and on to 50 points. A tricky trip to the Brumbies is next. The Hurricanes, without even a bonus point from a tough night, are now 8-4 and remain a point behind the Blues in fifth. Those two battle at Eden Park on Saturday with a lot on it.