Sat 15th May 2021 | 08:10 PM
Christchurch, New Zealand, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 15th May, 2021 ) :The Canterbury Crusaders scrapped to a 31-29 win over the ACT Brumbies and Western Force pushed Waikato Chiefs to the wire Saturday as New Zealand teams clung on to ensure an unbeaten start to the trans-Tasman Super Rugby competition.
After trailing 19-7 at half-time in Christchurch the Brumbies had the chance to snatch a draw when Rob Valetini scored in the last play of the game, only for Noah Lolesio to send the conversion left of the uprights.
It was a similar scenario in Perth, where Domingo Miotti scored a try on the hooter, but then hooked what would have been a winning conversion right of the posts in a tense 20-19 loss.
The 26-year-old Southlander started the first nine matches, playing mostly at fullback while occasionally switching to first five-eighth, before being rested against the Blues last Saturday as the Chiefs, who were already in the decider, gave their stars a break. He struggled to hit top form in 2020 on his comeback from a serious knee injury the previous year, which ruled him out of the Rugby World Cup in Japan, but he has been back to his best in the Chiefs’ resurgence under coach Clayton McMillan. The debate about whether he’s better at fullback or first-five will never cease, but the All Blacks will have a selection headache when considering how to fit McKenzie into their squad after he rediscovered his mojo. He has played 27 tests since his All Blacks debut in 2016 but hardly featured last year.
The Chiefs Arihiana Marino-Tauhinu makes a break against the Blues on Saturday.
OPINION: Watching the Blues v Chiefs women play on Saturday was like an antidote to the embarrassing finger pointing and leaking that has been going on between New Zealand Rugby and the New Zealand Rugby Players’ Association over the past week. The row over the Silver Lake deal is ‘not about the money’, we are assured, although when either side is pressed about why a deal has not been done it quickly degenerates into a fight over player pool percentages, what goes where, and who gets what. In other words, the money.
Marcel Renata (left) and Hoskins Sotutu
Photo: Photosport
A fourth win of the season put the Blues level on points with the Chiefs but the visitors were already assured of second place and a spot in next week s championship final because of their five previous wins.
Tries from hooker Kurt Eklund and flanker Adrian Choat gave the Blues a 14-9 half-time lead and debutant fullback Zarn Sullivan added another soon after the break.
The Chiefs, who had six debutants in their matchday squad as they rested 11 players for the title decider against the Crusaders, drew level at 19-19 when winger Shaun Stevenson crossed the line in the 61st minute.