Super Rugby Pacific: Damian McKenzie shines on return as Chiefs record biggest-ever win

The Chiefs have bounced back from their loss to the Crusaders with a 68-12 bonus-point win over Moana Pasifika in Hamilton.

It was a record winning margin for the Chiefs in the Shop N Save Super Rugby Pacific with Damian McKenzie back, and so was the Chiefs’ mojo.

The stats with and without their linchpin No 10 were already damning, and this round-seven ‘contest’ only enhanced them further, the Chiefs now boasting a combined scoreline of 234-95 with him on the field this season, compared to their 70-32 deficit with him off.

Desperate to atone for their surprise slip-up to the Crusaders last weekend, Clayton McMillan’s side did just that, in cruising to a 10-tries-to-two bonus-point victory that ended up re-writing the record books.

The Chiefs’ previous biggest winning margin was 51, achieved against the Sunwolves in Tokyo in 2018 and also the Rebels in Melbourne in 2019.

And after Emoni Narawa went over after the siren for his hat-trick after Moana’s Miracle Faiilagi had scored just before it, it put the victory back into record territory.

Even more magic was to follow when McKenzie gathered a ball on his 22, scooted across-field, sped through a gap and left the small smattering of 10,375 at Waikato Stadium gasping as he unleashed an amazing behind-the-back pass to Etene Nanai-Seturo a split second before being poleaxed by Fine Inisi.

McKenzie’s goalkicking boots were also on fire, banging over nine from nine to equal the record of conversions in a game, held by Stephen Donald (2010 against the Lions in Johannesburg), before finally proving himself human and missing his final shot, 15 metres in from the right-hand touch, which denied him the record outright.

It became absolutely ugly for Moana through the second half, as the Chiefs turned up the heat and almost scored at will.

They had many a hero on the night, but another to really catch the eye was young No 8 Wallace Sititi, who proved a standout on his starting debut, racking up 94 metres, a game-high seven defenders beaten and two clean breaks with his fancy footwork.

With their win, the Chiefs head back into the top four, slotting into third spot, four points behind the Blues and Hurricanes, and one point ahead of the Brumbies, who were in action later on Saturday night.

The Chiefs are away to the Hurricanes next Saturday, in a clash that could have big ramifications for the finishing order at the top of the ladder.

In the other game played last night the Brumbies beat the Waratahs 40-16.

Source: Stuff.co