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The Chiefs have smashed the Sunwolves in Tokyo, piling on 61 points en route to a 51-point victory.
The Sunwolves did well to score back to back tries and get the score back to 10-28 but the Chiefs later scored five second half tries to secure a big win.
Damian McKenzie was the star of the match, scoring a double and having a hand in several other tries for the Chiefs.
He will face tougher tests than today but he is one of the players to watch ahead of next year’s Rugby World Cup.
Overall, the Chiefs just too professional and too classy for a Sunwolves team with still plenty of learning to do.
Final score
Sunwolves 61
Chiefs 11
The Sunwolves are still searching for their first win of the Super Rugby season and things don’t get any easier as they host the Chiefs in Tokyo. Join The Roar for live scores and a blog of the match from 3pm AEDT.
The Sunwolves have come back from their South African tour empty handed, but will take pride in the fact that they nearly caused one of the upsets of the season against the Lions last week.
In a high scoring encounter, the Sunwolves lost to the Lions by the narrowest of margins and will need to produce that attacking form, and then some, to upset the Chiefs today.
In team news, Sunwolves coach Jamie Joseph continues to ring the changes as he searches for the club’s first win this season.
Fumiaki Tanaka will start at halfback against the Chiefs in place of captain Yutaka Nagare with No 8 Willie Britz filling in as skipper.
Australian Ed Quirk and Japan star Michael Leitch complete an experienced and combative loose forward trio, with Leitch packing down against the club he represented for four seasons.
Meanwhile, Damian McKenzie has returned to the Chiefs’ No 10 jersey.
McKenzie played the last two games at fullback with former New Zealand under-20 star Tiaan Falcon impressing at five-eighth.
But with Falcon carrying a niggle, Chiefs coach Colin Cooper opted to revert to McKenzie as his key playmaker, with his brother, Marty, taking the No 15 jersey.
In other changes to the starting side, Canadian international Tyler Ardron partners Brodie Retallick in the second row, Taleni Seu returns from injury at No 8 in place of Liam Messam, livewire halfback Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi replaces Brad Weber and Toni Pulu gets a run on the right wing.
Prediction
Another high scoring contest awaits between two sides that love to throw caution to the wind when in possession. The Chiefs though remain several classes above but should be weary of a Sunwolves side that can build some pretty decent momentum if they stay in touch for the majority of the contest.
Overall though, the class provided by McKenzie and company should guide the Chiefs home.
Chiefs by 20