Chiefs back on top after downing Bulls
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The Chiefs have climbed back to the top of the Super Rugby table after coming from behind to beat fellow high-fliers the Bulls 28-22 in a willing contest in Hamilton.
The Bulls, with some suffocating defence and their rolling maul again a weapon, had controlled large parts of the first hour of the match on Friday night.
But the Chiefs then produced two excellent tries to mark flanker Liam Messam’s franchise record-breaking 90th match with a win.
The home side’s decision to turn down a penalty shot at goal paid dividends when a well-worked move ended with winger Asaeli Tikoirotuma going through a gap to dot down.
Aaron Cruden’s conversion pushed the Chiefs 21-19 ahead, before Bulls five-eighth Morne Steyn, who collected 17 points from the boot, put the South Africans back in front.
However, the Chiefs went ahead for the final time after a big breakout from their own line.
Centre Sonny Bill Williams, who showed some good touches throughout the match, then ran through a big hole before offloading for flanker Sam Cane to score.
The Chiefs produced some staunch defence of their own to hold on over the final 10 minutes.
“We’re thrilled that we can kick on in a very tight game, a very physical game,” Chiefs captain Craig Clarke said. “We were down by a little bit at halftime. We knew we were playing some good footy if we could keep doing what we were doing and we did that.”
It was the second week in a row that the Bulls had lost a close match in New Zealand, although they remain well in the hunt for a playoff spot.
They had the better of possession and territory in the opening half and pulled out to an early 6-3 lead.
But when winger Akona Ndungane lost the ball on his own 22 under pressure from Tikoirotuma, impressive Chiefs fullback Andrew Horrell showed some good soccer skills to toe ahead and score.
The visitors struck back with another Steyn penalty and then a try right on halftime to Bjorn Basson.
After his forwards had laid the platform, the winger showed footwork and speed to get brush off marker Lelia Masaga.
Steyn added the extras to notch up his 200th Super Rugby conversion.
“I think it was a quality game, a game of two halves,” Bulls captain Pierre Spies said.
“The Chiefs played really well in the second half and they deserved their win.
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- Bulls, Chiefs, Rugby Union, Super Rugby
May 26th 2012 @ 1:57am
Johnno said | May 26th 2012 @ 1:57am | Report comment
Cheifs are a top side , however at the crunch still back the stormers or Bulls if grand final or semi is played in South Africa.
Bulls at altitude loftus in finals almost impossible. And same for stormers at finals time if in cape town.
Only crusaders a chance to beat south african teams in south africa, the rest , eg tahs lol, or chiefs no chance.
Remember Bulls smashed the chiefs in the super 12 grand final 61-17 at Loftus, so when the crunch is on chiefs have a bad record in south africa. Only crusaders have good record out of any Aust/NZ teams in south africa.
Stormers for mine are still the team to beat they have a great draw in the final phase of the regular season super 15..
And will super tough to beat at cape town, as will bulls at loftus.
My tip for title : Bulls or stormers if history is any accurate record.
May 26th 2012 @ 6:37am
Kuruki said | May 26th 2012 @ 6:37am | Report comment
The Chiefs last run to the finals was on the back of an awesome backline. This time round they have a pack to match it with anyone. That is a huge factor when playing in South Africa.
May 26th 2012 @ 7:32am
Tumble Hill said | May 26th 2012 @ 7:32am | Report comment
Johnno – The same could be said for the NZ sides. The Chiefs with a final at home will be very hard to beat and same with the Crusaders. When the Chiefs got to that final against the Bulls they were never really in it. That Bulls side was fantastic and the Chiefs were lucky to make it through to the final. The Bulls v Stormers next week will basicly be a final for those teams. The winner will have the SA top spot secured i think.
My tip for the final Chiefs v Stormers
May 26th 2012 @ 9:25am
apelu said | May 26th 2012 @ 9:25am | Report comment
Is the Chief still the same team that the Bulls thrashed 61-17 at Loftus? I mean, are the players and coaches the same? What about the Bulls? Is it also the same team? You write as if they are. The notion of rational expectation is that the past may influence, but it would not totally determine, the present.
May 26th 2012 @ 10:34am
Moaman said | May 26th 2012 @ 10:34am | Report comment
A very common trait amongst sport-writers and fans.Flip a coin 3 times and get 3 heads…4th time “history suggests” a Heads victory,especially with home ground advantage…never having lost at this ground,cold night with dew on the coin etc etc
May 26th 2012 @ 7:10am
Who ate all the pies said | May 26th 2012 @ 7:10am | Report comment
Last night was an excellent exhibition of contrasting football from both sides.
Outstanding defence from both teams.
Once the Chiefs stopped trying to beat the Bulls at their own game around the fringes they gained some ascendancy and finished well, which was the difference in the end.
There are big raps on Retallick and while he was solid around the park the line-out was anything but apart from the one that led to Cane’s superb try. Tikoirotuma’s excellent set-piece try was something to behold too.
Reckon SBW cemented his AB start at I/C for the Irish. When the game flowed he was impressive as was Horrell. Cruden continues to impress and it was only really Steyn’s boot that made their performances comparable and kept the Bulls in touch.
May 26th 2012 @ 7:33am
Moaman said | May 26th 2012 @ 7:33am | Report comment
Actually I thought the Bulls were the better side for most of that game–and this from a Chiefs fan.The two tries set the teams apart and not just on the scoreboard;the way they were created was the difference.Loved Tikoirotuma’s for the sleight-of-hand and the slick backplay that made the breakout which eventualy led to Cane’s was equally good.But the set-piece looked disorganised somehow and the backline wasn’t fluent atall.This I put down to changes in the lineup;(the absence of Kahui and Taumalolo) and maybe some rustiness coming off the Bye?
Both these teams looked transformed when the gameday tactic book is thrown out.On this occasion the Chiefs gained some ascendancy and the Bulls looked ordinary trying to chase;last week v Highlanders I thought the Bulls looked very strong keeping ball-in-hand at the death.
Finally-was super-impressed with the Captains’ interviews,post-match.Both Clarke and Spies were intelligent,gracious and refreshingly cliche-bereft! Good game.Important win for the Chiefs.
May 26th 2012 @ 8:43am
WQ said | May 26th 2012 @ 8:43am | Report comment
How good is SBW starting to look?
May 26th 2012 @ 9:38am
justsaying said | May 26th 2012 @ 9:38am | Report comment
Pretty good refereeing performance from Mark Lawrence.
New Zealand teams are having real problems against the South African lineouts. Wouldn’t be surprised if the Chiefs lost more of their throws than they won last night, and the Highlanders were the same the week before. It’s a real weakness for NZ teams. South African teams on the other hand (well, at least the Stormers and Bulls) seem to find it difficult to chase games. When they can exert control through their big forwards and keep the scoreboard ticking over in threes they look almost unbeatable, but if the other team can manage a 6-10 point break they seem unable to adapt. Of course getting that break is much easier said than done…
May 26th 2012 @ 12:35pm
all7days said | May 26th 2012 @ 12:35pm | Report comment
Agree. When they don’t have scoreboard pressure, they can lose structure.
May 26th 2012 @ 10:33am
Emric said | May 26th 2012 @ 10:33am | Report comment
18,482 at the game (71.64% of ground capacity), and a tv-rating of 336,660 across SkyNZ and Prime.
The chiefs have seen a massive rise in attendance at games this year and so have the highlanders.
May 26th 2012 @ 11:56am
Sprigs said | May 26th 2012 @ 11:56am | Report comment
The Bulls captain, Pierre Spies, made the best after-match comments I’ve seen for ages.
He praised the opposition and paid tribute to an individual player who had attained a special achievement.
He wasn’t weak, he was strong.
And he was cheerful even though the cows (mooloo) had mounted the bulls for a change.
May 26th 2012 @ 3:07pm
chuck said | May 26th 2012 @ 3:07pm | Report comment
Wayne Smith you are a bloody genesis Tikoirotuma try that split the bulls and from a scrum was copy book stuff both teams deserve praise for a game that bashed each other to the end and accolade to both captains for comments they made Crusaders in Hamilton
is going to be a ripper.
May 26th 2012 @ 3:23pm
Sprigs said | May 26th 2012 @ 3:23pm | Report comment
Too right. The comments by the Chiefs’ captain were great too.
May 26th 2012 @ 7:22pm
sheek said | May 26th 2012 @ 7:22pm | Report comment
Let me just say how much I enjoyed watching the Chiefs-Bulls match. Top quality rugby.
May 27th 2012 @ 6:56am
Damo said | May 27th 2012 @ 6:56am | Report comment
Chuck Sprigs and Sheek Agreed it was an all round great game.
May 27th 2012 @ 12:05pm
Ziggy said | May 27th 2012 @ 12:05pm | Report comment
The Bulls tired very badly in the last 20 mins. This was terrific rugby and full marks to the Chiefs who took the strength out of the Bulls and then delivered the telling blows.