Rugby
1News

Super Rugby playoffs: Outstanding McKenzie displays All Black credentials

Chiefs first-five Damian McKenzie celebrates Anton Lienert-Brown's try against the Reds.

Analysis: Playmaker's maturity in leading the Chiefs to a semifinal against the Hurricanes will be rewarded by the All Blacks, writes Patrick McKendry.

The Chiefs' reward for their excellent performance in dispatching the Reds 43-21 in their Super Rugby Pacific quarter-final is a semifinal against the high-flying Hurricanes, but there will be confidence that with All Blacks' No.10 elect Damian McKenzie leading their attack they can beat anyone.

There can be no doubt that, if fit, McKenzie will be given the job of navigating the All Blacks around the pitch in Dunedin for the first Test against England on July 6 and the second a week later at Eden Park.

The only other serious rival will be Beauden Barrett, now back training with the Blues (but not allowed to play) after a season in Japan, and one of the more intriguing selections for head coach Scott Robertson will be where Barrett fits into the match-day squad for the two-Test series against the tourists.

Barrett could still lay claim, in the continued absence of Will Jordan (shoulder injury), to being one of the best fullbacks in New Zealand, and that's probably where his future lies – a continuation of his place as No.2 in the playmaker pecking order despite previous No.1 Richie Mo'unga's departure to Japan.

It appears the 29-year-old McKenzie's time is nigh.

He been guilty in the past of trying to do it all for both the Chiefs and All Blacks – to his detriment, something previously admitted by Robertson – but the playmaker's decision-making has improved significantly and he is clearly the best first-five in the country.

He didn't overplay his hand at Waikato Stadium on Friday against what was a good Reds team and he appears ready to pick up the mantle left by Mo'unga, presumably safe in the knowledge he will get an extended run.

McKenzie's pace, ability to see space and pass equally well off both hands, along with his goalkicking form, will make him a constant threat against the English and his partnership inside the equally rapidly maturing Jordie Barrett will be eagerly anticipated.

Significantly, McKenzie will be helped by coach Scott Hansen, who also worked under Robertson at the Crusaders.

One of Hansen's roles will be to advise the halfback-first-five combination, and it will be the first time in recent memory that the All Blacks will have a specialist halfback coach beyond Aaron Smith.

McKenzie will also be helped at the All Blacks by kicking coach David Hill, with whom he has worked in the past.

McKenzie kicked five from six against the Reds, his final conversion to Anton Lienert-Brown's try (for which he provided the assist) taking him to a season-high 157 points.

Meanwhile, the Chiefs – who have been a little inconsistent in the regular season – turned up with a new attitude on Friday night in racing out to a 31-0 halftime lead against the Reds who were well worth their fifth place on the table.

The Queenslanders had pushed the Hurricanes close in the super round in Melbourne, had beaten the Chiefs in Brisbane, pushed the Brumbies extremely close and lost by only seven in a high scoring affair at home against the Blues.

The Hurricanes celebrate hooker Asafo Aumua's try against the Rebels at Sky Stadium.

Like several teams this season, they had beaten the defending champion Crusaders in Christchurch but they were blown away by the home side's intensity on Friday.

Perhaps the hard-nosed approach was fostered by the Chiefs officially farewelling former skipper Sam Cane, the veteran loose forward signing a new contract in Japan where he will likely finish his professional career.

Some other observations from a weekend of high-quality Super Rugby:

  • The Reds did well to "win" the second half by outscoring the Chiefs 21-12 despite the contest being virtually over at halftime.
  • All Blacks coach Robertson has a huge amount of depth at hooker, with Chief Samisoni Taukei'aho and Hurricane Asafo Aumua impressing hugely, and Crusader Codie Taylor rolling back the years following his extended break. Unfortunately for Taylor and the Crusaders, he now has another one during the playoffs.
  • The Rebels deserve credit for their resistance against the Hurricanes during the home side's 47-20 quarter-final victory in Wellington. That's it now for the Melbourne side after Rugby Australia pulled their financial support but the Rebels battled till the end and scored a couple of outstanding tries in two minutes through wing Lachie Anderson.
  • Are the Blues the new Crusaders? Their composed 36-5 demolition of the Fijian Drua carried echoes of the forward dominance and ruthless edge that propelled the Crusaders to seven consecutive titles. Head coach Vern Cotter was once an assistant in Christchurch under Robbie Deans.
  • The Highlanders, perhaps the best chance of an upset this weekend along with the Reds, twice led the Brumbies in the first half in Canberra only to succumb to a 32-16 quarter-final defeat. They didn't score a point in the second half.

Super Rugby Pacific semifinal draw:

Blues v Brumbies, Eden Park, Friday, June 14, 7.05pm

Hurricanes v Chiefs, Sky Stadium, Saturday, June 15, 4.05pm

SHARE ME

More Stories