Chiefs stay in the hunt
The Chiefs have kept a grip on their Super Rugby wild card position after grabbing the maximum five points from their 34-20 victory over the Bulls in Rotorua last night.
Scoring five tries to three in front of a good crowd of 13,714 at Rotorua International Stadium, the Chiefs stood up to the big Bulls pack and their backs turned on some stunning attacking rugby to break down an initially tough defence.
The first spell was all about an outstanding comeback from the Chiefs to go to the break level 15-15.
The Chiefs were in danger of selfdestructing in a mad couple of minutes early in the first spell, gifting two tries to the Bulls to suddenly find themselves trailing 12-3 after a strong opening.
First, young first-five Damian McKenzie was hit in a tackle by JJ Engelbrecht and spilt the ball backwards, winger Bjorn Basson hacked it through and with the ball eluding Hosea Gear it was midfield back Jan Serfontein who won the race to touch the ball down.
Then Basson was handed a try of his own when Serfontein slid a kick through, it bounced high in the air above the goal-line, Chiefs winger Bryce Heem leapt high and tried to bat the ball away and only succeeded in knocking it down for Basson to score.
With Handre Pollard converting and four minutes later knocking over a 30-metre penalty goal the enthusiastic Rotorua crowd were silenced and the home side were staring at a 15-3 deficit.
But that only steeled the Chiefs’ resolve and after battling an aggressive rush defence to get out of their own half they started stringing together numerous passes.
A 5m scrum was forced when Pollard slipped over in his own in-goal area after a probing attack by Gear and Liam Messam managed to score a pick-and-go try.
McKenzie converted and a quarter way through the Chiefs had the scoreline back to 15-10, which quickly became 15-15 when the home team put together a brilliant try for Heem.
The third quarter of the match belonged entirely to the Chiefs and their attacking halfback combination of Augustine Pulu and McKenzie.
Two tries to Pulu in five minutes not only gave the Chiefs a commanding 29-15 lead but also a bonus point for four tries.
McKenzie’s confidence to challenge the defence and keep the ball alive grew measurably and then Bulls had little answer as he cut them to ribbons, beating tackle after tackle.
The Bulls’ response when they finally found some attacking territory of their own was far more conservative. But when star Chiefs flanker Sam Cane was yellow carded the momentum swung back the Bulls’ way and replacement loosie Lappies Labuschagne scored from a lineout drive to reduce the deficit to 29-20.
Fittingly the Chiefs had the final say, however, replacement winger Tim NanaiWilliams scoring after the final hooter.
There were plenty of heroes for the Chiefs, particularly Pulu and McKenzie, but big raps had to also go to the red, yellow and black forward pack where the combined effort led by skipper Messam and hooker Hika Elliot was outstanding. Fill-in lock Ross Filipo, out of Super Rugby retirement to answer the Chiefs’ injury crisis, was also a standout for the home side.
This was just the Chiefs’ second win in their last six games against the Bulls, but they have now made it 11 home game victories against South African opposition in a row, while for the Bulls it was their ninth defeat in a row outside South Africa.
Chiefs 34 (Augustine Pulu 2, Liam Messam, Bryce Heem, Tim Nanai-Williams tries; Damian McKenzie 3 conversions, penalty goal) Bulls 20 (Jan Serfontein, Bjorn Basson, Lappies Labuschagne tries; Handre conversion, penalty goal). Halftime: 15-15.