Damian McKenzie during the Chiefs v Blues, Super Rugby Pacific match, FMG Stadium, Hamilton. Photo: Aaron Gillions/ActionPress
Analysis - It's official: the defending champion Blues are now rooted to the bottom of the Super Rugby Pacific table. However, they're there by virtue of a one-point loss to the Chiefs - the team that's currently in first place.
That, more than anything, shows just how tight the competition is this year. The Hurricanes' win over the Highlanders on Friday moved them five places up the ladder, Clark Laidlaw's men have now re-energised their campaign despite being one kick away from a fourth defeat in five games.
While that certainly was a tense affair, the Chiefs' 32-31 win was the match of the round. The thick spread of All Blacks played leading hands for both sides, some good young talent was on display and the result was anyone's right up till the final whistle.
And the Blues played the whole game dressed like Spiderman.
Marvel Superhero round meant the five New Zealand teams had special jerseys for the weekend, something that probably baffled older rugby fans, made Gen X ones roll their eyes a bit but hopefully would've interested their kids. Because really, that's what the idea was about and while it did create some decent debate about the designs, if it means more kids want to play or go to the rugby then that box was ticked.
Whatever the effect, it resulted in a decent 16,000-strong crowd in Hamilton for the Chiefs' win. Belief is starting to mount once again, and with Clayton McMillan leaving at the end of the season, the fairy-tale finish is starting to take shape.
Highlanders blow it, Crusaders looking ominous
Jamie Joseph will be ruing his side's inability to take their chances at the end of their 20-18 loss to the Hurricanes. The Highlanders marched into the Canes' half several times in the last 10 minutes, only to leave empty-handed and frustrated when a late drop goal attempt by Sam Gilbert slid away to consign them to their second loss of the season.
But were they hard done by? It's fair to say a lot of the refereeing interpretations throughout the game were liberal, but the Canes did seem to get away with a high shot at the death that could've decided the result in the home team's favour. It's fitting that they were wearing Hulk-themed jerseys because it would've been enough to turn their fans green with rage.
Meanwhile, the Iron Man-Crusaders were looking a lot more like the side they used to be, in a game with a score line from the early days of Super Rugby. Their 55-35 win over the Force included one very rare stat: Macca Springer and Sevu Reece scored natural hat tricks (three tries in a row), possibly the only time that's ever happened. What makes it even more remarkable is that Springer almost did it twice after he'd scored the first two of the game.
The Waratahs' promising start to the season came to a shuddering halt in Brisbane, where the Reds racked up a big lead to eventually win 35-15. Even the Tahs' most impressive play of the night, when winger Andrew Kellaway demolished his Wallaby captain Harry Wilson in a tackle, went the other way when it was adjudged Kellaway had lifted Wilson above 90 degrees and he was yellow carded.
Things are about to get a bit more difficult for the Tahs with two trips to New Zealand and one to Fiji in their next five games.
