The Chiefs came away with a 16-point win over the Bulls at FMG Stadium in Waikato on Saturday.
Final score
Chiefs 28
Bulls 12
This Round 6 match from New Zealand sees the Bulls travelling to Waikato to play the Chiefs. Join The Roar from 5:35pm (AEDT) for all the action.
The Chiefs are coming off the bye, refreshed and still unbeaten, while the Bulls have had a tough start to their season, registering only one win, and suffered a loss to the Blues last round in their first match outside South Africa.
The Chiefs are early favourites to win the competition, playing with great confidence, primarily on the back of their tight five and in particular their second row of Brodie Retallick and Dominic Bird, who have been in dominant form.
The Bulls however are a dangerous side and boast a decent tight five themselves, with several internationals. If they can find some cohesion, the backline will present a significant threat.
There are plenty of individual match ups to keep an eye on tonight, such as the clash at centre between Anto Lienart-Brown and Jan Serfontein.
But none are more important than in the halves, with both sides boasting international pairings, Rudy Paige and Handre Pollard for the Bulls, and Tawera Kerr-Barlow and Aaron Cruden for the Chiefs. Their performances will be a deciding element in this match.
Another to watch will be at lock, with Retallick up against fellow international Lodewyk De Jager. The lineouts will be an intriguing aspect of this encounter and those two will be at the fore.
Prediction
Playing at home and judging the sides’ form, it is difficult not to see a comfortable Chiefs victory.
Chiefs by 18.
Join us as we cover this match on The Roar and don’t forget to leave your thoughts below as the action unfolds.
Kirky
Roar Rookie
OB! I thought the Bulls were right up for it as they really took it to the Chiefs early on, but the Chiefs used the old 'tried and true' tactic used by the All Blacks, of running those Bulls Boys all over the park till in the second half they just ran out of huff mate! The Bulls guys were big units and not at all bad but they couldn't keep up the pace needed, ~ they were about 30Kg heavier in the pack than the Chiefys'!
Diggercane
Guest
Cheers my man
Digby
Roar Guru
Cheers
Old Bugger
Guest
Its all in the ticker and the aerobic lungs mate.........if you start a game at 100mph, the question from your opponents will always be, can you sustain that level. We found out tonight, the Bulls can't.
Old Bugger
Guest
Absolutely guys......
Old Bugger
Guest
Chook I missed then 2nd half but I saw most of the 1st and I agree. However, in saying that, I thought the Chiefs were playing under some great pressure from the Bulls, in that first 40....congrats to the Bulls but...... I'm sure the Chiefs were thinking, if we could just get over this initial onslaught, then we ask the Bulls the question......can you do the same, in the 2nd half?? The game is not only brawn - it is a little bit of brain too. Thank goodness and, I'll take the BP anytime, its on offer.
Old Bugger
Guest
To be honest RT, I think its the opposition who lift, for these matches. As I said earlier - I thought the Bulls were playing, like men possessed.
taylorman
Guest
Obviously you'll be taking a neutral line on this one Digger! Be a Marshall not a Kearnsy! Naaaaaaah! Go for it Kearnsy...cmon the Canes!?
Digby
Roar Guru
Thanks Geoff and Mach.
Digby
Roar Guru
Sure do.
Digby
Roar Guru
One mate, the BIG one!
Digby
Roar Guru
Link here - http://www.theroar.com.au/2017/04/01/reds-vs-hurricanes-super-rugby-live-scores-blog/
Digby
Roar Guru
Thanks all, Canes and Reds now, whoop whoop!! Join me on that blog from Brisbane!!
Machpants
Roar Guru
Really? I thought that was a pretty awful game. The bulls dominated but we're totally clueless on attack. The chiefs played like the blues, passing when they should hold and vice versa. Also they couldn't tackle to save their lives. Only a last quarter of the chiefs turning their brains on and removing the butter from their hands meant they won. Any team that could play a decent game would have smashed that chiefs performance. So we had the chiefs playing well below themselves and the Bulls totally unable to play a winning game against that. I think both teams will be terribly disappointed. Well done digger, we've had three nz wins in a row but all of then awful, so well done for sitting/commenting through them. Now we'll hopefully see a good game. GO THE CANES!
Machooka
Roar Guru
Three tries to zip... interesting game all the same. Thanks marathon man :)
Oblonsky‘s Other Pun
Roar Guru
I guess rather like how Andy Murray is British when he wins and Scottish when he loses Quade Cooper is Australian during the 2011 SR season and is the Quade Cooper of New Zealand during the 2011 WC :P
taylorman
Guest
Thanks Digger, how many more do you have?
Oblonsky‘s Other Pun
Roar Guru
Sounds great, T-Man, I'll check it out!
taylorman
Guest
Geez SA still have some bldy good players.
Rugby Tragic
Guest
DIGGER! You stalwart! .. thanks for your hard work mate...