He turned just 21 in April this year, but Chiefs fullback Damian McKenzie looms as the big danger man for the Stormers in Saturday’s Super Rugby quarter-final at Newlands.
McKenzie features near the top of most of the 2016 Super Rugby statistics, according to the official Sanzaar website:
- Second on try-scorers: 9
- Second on most carries: 193
- Second on most clean breaks: 27
- Joint top on defenders beaten: 62
- Third most kicking metres: 1 190
- Second on most offloads: 26.
That’s seriously impressive numbers, and with the weather forecast having improved – while there is some light rain expected on Saturday morning, it should clear up by the 7pm kickoff – McKenzie is going to be a talisman for the Kiwis with ball-in-hand and with the boot.
He kicks as well tactically as to the posts, so it’s not just as a runner that McKenzie will be a factor. Stormers captain Schalk Burger, though, says his team has hatched a plan to deal with the threat posed by the opposition No 15, who was part of the All Blacks squad in June, but didn’t earn a first Test cap against Wales.
“It’s pretty tough to keep him out of the game. Yes, we can maybe use one or two tricks up our sleeves to maybe try and isolate him a bit, but it’s very tough as he has proven this season. We will try to keep him quiet, but going out and enjoying it is the message to my team,” Burger said this week.
“If you look at the (New Zealand) games, it’s all a spectacle – high-paced games, the Chiefs probably have the most intensity of the New Zealand teams. They’re also aggressive and the guys come out to physically confront you – they’ve always been like that.
“There’s a lot been said about their backs and style, but they are tough sides to play against upfront. They don’t have a weakness, but it’s all about us and if we can play well, we’ve proved this year that we can put teams under pressure.”
The match may well be Burger’s farewell to Newlands – depending on what happens with the Hurricanes and Lions in their quarter-finals on Saturday – as the Springbok loose forward is leaving for Saracens in England at the end of the tournament.
The 33-year-old has seen it all at the famous old ground, but still has one last shot at an elusive Super Rugby trophy. “I haven’t really thought about it. I suppose, every now and then… when your ex-teammates (Robbie Fleck) become your coaches, you realise that it’s probably a good time to move on!” Burger said.
“I’m delighted to have another game at Newlands – it has been good for me over the years. The crowd, the spectators… I’ve been a favourite of theirs for a long, long time. Hopefully there is still life in the old bones, and I can put up a great performance.
“But it’s not about me, but the team and the journey we are on this season. Newlands is going to be packed and hopefully the weather holds out. It doesn’t get much bigger than playing the Chiefs in a quarter-final at Newlands – I think that’s why we all play rugby, to play big teams on the big stage.”
Meanwhile, Chiefs coach Dave Rennie has picked 2011 World Cup-winning flyhalf Stephen Donald at inside centre following the injury to All Black centre Seta Tamanivalu, which sees Anton Lienert-Brown line up at No 13.
Sam McNicol replaces Toni Pulu at right wing, while Brad Weber edges out Tawera Kerr-Barlow at scrumhalf from the team that lost 25-15 to the Highlanders last week.
Chiefs Team
15 Damian McKenzie, 14 Sam McNicol, 13 Anton Lienert-Brown, 12 Stephen Donald, 11 James Lowe, 10 Aaron Cruden (co-captain), 9 Brad Weber, 8 Tom Sanders, 7 Sam Cane (co-captain), 6 Taleni Seu, 5 Brodie Retallick, 4 Dominic Bird, 3 Atu Moli, 2 Nathan Harris, 1 Kane Hames.
Bench: 16 Hika Elliott, 17 Siegfried Fisi’ihoi, 18 Mitchell Graham, 19 Tevita Koloamatangi, 20 Lachlan Boshier, 21 Tawera Kerr-Barlow, 22 Toni Pulu, 23 Shaun Stevenson.
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