Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

Watch: Damian McKenzie makes crucial try-saving tackle on Mark Telea

(Photo by Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images)

A brilliant individual effort from fullback Damian McKenzie has kept the Chiefs within touching distance of the Blues, in their round five Super Rugby Aotearoa match.

ADVERTISEMENT

In a game that started with plenty of end-to-end rugby, but with no points scored, the defensive effort was arguably the highlight of the first half.

The Chiefs had the better chances throughout the first half, but all were from long range. The hosts were making the most of their skilled backline, by breaking some tackles of Blues players and making some metres.

Video Spacer

Tony Brown interview after the Highlanders loss to the Hurricanes.

Video Player is loading.
Current Time 0:00
Duration 0:00
Loaded: 0%
Stream Type LIVE
Remaining Time 0:00
 
1x
    • Chapters
    • descriptions off, selected
    • captions off, selected
      Video Spacer

      Tony Brown interview after the Highlanders loss to the Hurricanes.

      But it was the Blues who went on to break the deadlock in the 25th minute through blindside flanker Akira Ioane. The Blues had looked settled in the Chiefs 22m in the minutes before the try, and made the most of a costly error at the set-piece.

      An overthrow at the lineout saw Blues scrumhalf, Finlay Christie, take possession, with the try-scoring play coming a few phases after.

      With the Blues up 7-0, that brings me to McKenzie’s try-saving tackle.

      The Blues were looking threatening with the ball in hand, as they mounted an attack from around mid-field. In the one phase, winger Mark Telea ran close to 40-metres but was stopped just short of the line.

      ADVERTISEMENT

      McKenzie seemed to line up the winger quite well, and made a solid tackle that not only put Telea into touch, but the winger also dropped the ball in contact. Also, if you watch the play back above, you’ll see the amount of work he put in to even get into the position to make the tackle.

      Outstanding work rate from McKenzie, but he wasn’t the only one.

      Special mention to prop Angus Ta’avao, who was another covering defender who cut off Telea’s angle, and arguably made it possible for McKenzie to make the crucial tackle.

      While it’d be far too early to say that it saved the game for the Chiefs, but in kept them within a score 10-minutes out from half-time.

      The Chiefs came close to scoring inside the last minute of the half, with McKenzie putting a crossfield kick across to Mitchell Brown. But the flanker couldn’t quite offload the ball in time, as Caleb Clarke came across in defence.

      ADVERTISEMENT
      ADVERTISEMENT

      Boks Office | Episode 41 | Investec Champions Cup final preview

      Hong Kong China vs Kazakhstan | Asia Rugby Emirates Women's Championship | Match Highlights

      Kubota Spears vs Tokyo Sungoliath | Japan Rugby League One 2024/25 | Quarter Final Replay

      Australia vs USA | Pacific Four Series 2025 | Full Match Replay

      New Zealand vs Canada | Pacific Four Series 2025 | Full Match Replay

      South Africa vs New Zealand | The Rugby Championship U20's | Full Match Replay

      Argentina vs Australia | The Rugby Championship U20's | Full Match Replay

      The Game that Made Jonah Lomu

      The gruelling reality behind one of the fastest sports in the world | The Report

      Trending on RugbyPass

      Comments

      0 Comments
      Be the first to comment...

      Join free and tell us what you really think!

      Sign up for free
      ADVERTISEMENT

      Latest Features

      Comments on RugbyPass

      S
      Solenn Bonnet 12 days ago
      Leinster cleanse palette with record URC scoreline against Zebre

      My name is Solenn Bonnet, and I am a single mother navigating the challenges of raising my two-year-old child while trying to make ends meet. I came across a trading platform that promised astonishing daily profits of 18%. The allure of such a high return on investment was too tempting to resist, and I found myself drawn into cryptocurrency trading. Excited by the prospect of financial freedom, I invested a significant amount of my savings, totaling over 5.7 BTC. However, what started as a hopeful venture quickly turned into a nightmare. The platform was a scam, and I lost everything I had invested. The emotional toll of this loss was immense; I felt devastated and helpless, struggling to provide for my child and keep up with my bills. In my desperate attempt to recover my funds, I sought help from various recovery experts. Unfortunately, I encountered numerous fraudulent individuals who claimed they could help me retrieve my lost money. Each time I reached out, I was met with disappointment and further scams, which only deepened my despair. Last year was one of the most challenging periods of my life, filled with anxiety and uncertainty about my financial future. Feeling overwhelmed and at a loss, I confided in a close friend from church about my situation. She listened compassionately and shared her own experiences with financial difficulties. Understanding my plight, she introduced me to Tech Cyber Force Recovery, a group of skilled hackers known for their expertise in recovering lost funds. Skeptical yet hopeful, I decided to reach out to them as a last resort. Their services came at a higher cost, but my friend generously offered to help me with a partial payment. I was amazed by how quickly they responded and began the recovery process. Their team was professional, efficient, and incredibly supportive throughout the entire ordeal. To my relief, they successfully recovered more than I had lost to those heartless scammers. This was truly transformative, and I felt a sense of relief and gratitude that I hadn’t felt in a long time. I strongly encourage anyone who has faced similar challenges or fallen victim to scams to reach out to Tech Cyber Force Recovery. If you’ve invested in a fraudulent platform like I did, they are highly capable of helping you reclaim your hard-earned money. Don’t lose hope; there is a way to recover what you’ve lost.

      CONSULT TECH CYBER FORCE RECOVERY

      EMAIL.. support@techyforcecyberretrieval.com

      WhatsApp.. +15617263697

      website.. https://techyforcecyberretrieval.com

      Telegram.. +15617263697

      0 Go to comments
      LONG READ
      LONG READ Fans flock to France’s ‘formidable’ ProD2 as English second tier plays catch-up Fans flock to France’s ‘formidable’ ProD2 as English second tier plays catch-up
      Search