Sun 8 Jul 2018 | 05:52
All Blacks 10s one-up each other for sensational pass of the weekend

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Both Damian McKenzie and Beauden Barrett were in fine form over the weekend, and in a case of "what one can do, the other can do better", both playmakers pulled off these brilliant no-look passes to set up tries.

With the Chiefs already ahead 10-0 against the Brumbies, the hosts won a turnover ball that set the counter-attacking wizardry in motion. After some hard-earned metres, Sam Cane found McKenzie and the rest was down to his skill and pace. 

With a behind-the-back pass that would make any pro basketball star jealous, McKenzie set up Brad Weber beautifully in stride for a streaking run down to the 22, only to then follow the play and sprint in himself for the score.

As for Barrett, the two-time player of the year showed exactly why he's earned those distinctions. He juggled this intercept from the Blues lineout before finding Ngani Laumape for yet another try on the night.

Even though this highlight belonged to Barrett, the spotlight for the Hurricanes fully belonged to Laumape, as he scored a mind-blowing four tries in total. 

New Zealand are truly spoiled for riches at fly half. Making the difficult look extremely easy, McKenzie and Barrett keep coming up with new and creative ways to leave jaws on the floor.

The Hurricanes beat the Blues 42-24, while the Chiefs took down the Brumbies 24-19.

McKenzie's behind-the-back pass (video will start at 0:58 in):

Barrett's no-look pass:

Credit: Super Rugby/Rugby Pass/Getty Images

12 Comments

  • im1
    11:31 AM 11/07/2018

    Good article. Highest average attendance by 300 people. Pretty close!

    I think the important measure if the % population, which shows that apart from a couple of the NZ teams, the rest of the super teams are massively struggling to get as many people through the gate as they should be.

    I'd love to see full stadiums too, and I do think the quality of rugby is the highest club rugby (mainly due to the NZ teams) although I think the semi-finalist of the Euro cup would have something to say about that. But I don't think the super rugby organisers have got the 'product' (horrible word to use for it) right.

  • pickay
    11:17 AM 11/07/2018

    Well, average attendance is always influenced by some clubs with exceptionally high attendance. I am sure that's true for any club competition. But I get your point. I would also like to see mostly full stadiums in super rugby.
    And I don't know about Wikipedia and its sources, I actually mostly referred to this article that I once happened to stumble upon:

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/super-rugby/104613809/new-zealand-super-rugby-crowds-good-but-south-africa-australia-on-life-support

    It says stadiums are half empty, and super rugby crowds are on the decline , but it's still the rugby competition with the highest average attendance... :)

  • im1
    10:56 AM 11/07/2018

    Not sure the stats suggesting that are particularly reliable, certainly the sources quoted (statbunker) on wikipedia don't make much sense. They are massively distorted by the stormers average attendance. And for an international club competition based in cities, the attendences are poor.

  • pickay
    9:49 AM 11/07/2018

    Still the rugby competition with the highest average attendance worldwide (at least 2017 it was). But many of the stadiums are huge, test match stadiums basically. So they may be less than half full most of the time, but that doesn't mean there is nobody there...

  • im1
    8:16 AM 11/07/2018

    then why are the stadium always so empty?

  • thedoctor
    12:40 AM 11/07/2018

    Best tournament in the world

  • pgrugby
    8:46 PM 10/07/2018

    Whether it is showboating or not, he got absolutely smashed in the tackle but then bounced right back up and and rushed to get back into support. So while I agree it likely was unneeded, I can't fault his work ethic and commitment.

    I wonder how often he's screwed up by trying something flash when an easy pass was on the cards? especially when compared to the times when the only way to make the pass (not this case) was something flash and he pulled it off. If not very often and he plays that hard all the time, then his teammates and coaches are going to keep supporting him.

  • bobmac
    3:13 PM 10/07/2018

    What impresses/frightens me most about McKenzie is his change of pace & out and out speed and with that his ability to threaten/break the line from the 10 position. I don't remember seeing any 10's in the Northern hemisphere do it as effectively as he does. Most 10's in NH don't appear to pose a threat in that respect.

  • drg
    11:54 AM 10/07/2018

    Can't say I care to disagree or agree with either of you, but breaking this down to decisions made within a few seconds is exactly my issue when it comes to jumping for high balls etc, it's ridiculous.

    McKenzie was "flash" sure, but had he not pulled that off, he'd have been torn to shreds by coaches/commentators/fans for not being able to do the basics...

    So either way, he had split seconds to make whatever decisions..and it worked..

  • joeythelemur
    5:17 AM 10/07/2018

    I disagree. Mckenzie's defender was on his left and fast approaching. Maybe it's a little flash but going behind the back looks like the best way to have gotten the ball to where he wanted it to go without the tackler having a play on it.

  • im1
    11:24 AM 09/07/2018

    mckenzie's was pointless showboating

    barrets's was spot on heads up rugby

  • drg
    10:02 AM 09/07/2018

    Trying to play rugby - red card 4 week ban..