Chiefs score fastest-ever Super Rugby try in 52-29 win over Moana Pasifika

At AAMI Park, Melbourne: Chiefs 52 (Rameka Poihipi try 1min, Liam Coombes-Fabling try 13min, Brad Weber tries 19min, 34min, Shaun Stevenson tries 23min, 54min, 68min, Damian McKenzie try 38min; Damian McKenzie 5 con, Bryn Gatland con) Moana Pasifika 29 (Timoci Tavatavanawai try 43min, Samiuela Moli try 51 min, Solomone Funaki try 68min, penalty try 75min; Christian Lealiifano 2 con, pen). HT: 38-3

Yellow cards: Brad Weber (Chiefs) 50min, Cortez Ratima (Chiefs) 68min, Bryn Gatland (Chiefs) 75min

The Chiefs have re-written the record books, scoring the fastest try in Super Rugby history during their big win over Moana Pasifika in Melbourne on Saturday night.

In a barely believable start to their Super Round clash at AAMI Park, Rameka Poihipi coasted over within nine seconds of referee Angus Gardner blowing time on, sparking the Chiefs to a massive first half in their 52-29, eight-tries-to-four, romp.

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On the back of their incredible humbling of the Crusaders in Christchurch in round one, Clayton McMillan would have been praying his players didn’t come too far down from that high, up against the still new, raw and vulnerable Pasifika lightweights.

He barely would have parked himself in the coaches’ box when he had any anxiety immediately eased. After Damian McKenzie kicked off, Moana left winger Anzelo Tuitavuki took down the ball, but then had his infield pass intercepted by Poihipi, with the second-five then surging through the shell-shocked defence, 10 metres to the tryline.

The previous fastest-try record was 12 seconds, by former Fiji international Vula Maimuri, for the Highlanders in their 26-21 win over the Crusaders at Carisbrook, Dunedin, in 2001.

From there, the Chiefs put on an attacking clinic in the first 40, living with just 45% possession and making double the amount of tackles of their opponents, yet cantering in for half a dozen eye-catching tries as they went to the break with a commanding 38-3 lead.

They fell just four points short of their club record of points in a half (42 v Highlanders in their 45-22 win in Suva in 2018) after McKenzie fluffed a penalty kick for the line after the halftime siren.

But prior to that, the mercurial No 10 was at his electric best. After copping an early knock to the face he soon after sent a lovely long ball to set up Liam Coombes-Fabling’s maiden try for the club, and later he produced a 35-metre individual stunner with his jinking feet and searing speed.

In between, Shaun Stevenson coasted over out wide and Brad Weber had bagged a double off the back of fine work from big boys Pita Gus Sowakula and Samisoni Taukei’aho, as Moana captain Christian Lealiifano twice botched kickoffs, not sending them 10 metres.

Facing nowhere but up, Aaron Mauger’s side, who had coughed up a handy lead to lose at home to the Fijian Drua last weekend, at least steeled up in the second stanza.

Just three minutes in, Timoci Tavatavanawai powered over in the corner, then after Weber was sin-binned for slowing the ball down on the line, Samiuela Moli cashed in off a rolling maul to further reduce the large deficit.

But while the Chiefs’ discipline – two further yellow cards, one resulting in a penalty try for a knock down – and execution slipped, McMillan had the luxury of getting his key All Blacks off early, and they still gave glimpses of their danger as Stevenson notched a hat-trick and raised the half century, the silky fullback chasing through kicks from Alex Nankivell then Poihipi.

The big moment

It’s hard to go past Poihipi’s early heroics. The nine-second stunner to open the scoring, thanks to some great anticipation on his behalf, set the tone immediately, having Moana Pasifika on the back foot and always chasing.

MVP

No real player head and shoulders above, but Stevenson can take it for his hat-trick. On the back of a brilliant display in round one, the 26-year-old continues to push his All Blacks claims in World Cup year.

Match rating

5/10: There were some terrific tries to take in, but it was never going to be much of a contest after the Chiefs began to run amok in the first half. Moana Pasifika at least came back into it to go 26-14 in a stop-start second stanza and ended up bettering the Chiefs in metres carried, defenders beaten and offloads.

The big picture

With two bonus-point wins from two, the high-flying Chiefs now head home to host the hapless Highlanders in Hamilton next Friday night, while the 0-2 Moana Pasifika will head to Perth to take on the Force next Saturday night.