Chiefs: Hang on to beat Bulls
The Chiefs returned to top spot on the Super Rugby standings thanks to a hard-fought 28-22 victory over the Bulls in Hamilton on Friday.
In a bruising see-saw battle, the Chiefs - who trailed by eight points (8-16) at the break - outscored the Bulls three tries to one.
Replacement forward Sam Cane dived over for what proved to be the match-winner with 10 minutes of the game remaining, although the result was never guaranteed until the final whistle against a desperate Bulls side.
Springbok pivot Morne Steyn, who finished with 17 points, kept his side in touch with his trusty boot. However it wasn't enough to save the visitors from suffering back-to-back defeats.
The three-time Super Rugby champs did, however, manage to bag a crucial losing bonus point and will head home with two wins and two losses from their Australasian tour.
The win lifts the Chiefs' points tally to 53 - eleven points ahead of the Crusaders at the top of the New Zealand conference and four clear of the Stormers at the top of the table,
It was the Bulls who struck first thanks to a trademark Steyn penalty to put the South Africans in front, before opposite number Aaron Cruden put his team on the board in the 15th minute.
Steyn added a drop-goal, but the Chiefs hit back after an error by wing Akona Ndungane inside his 22 allowed full-back Andrew Horrell to toe the ball ahead and dot down for the opening try.
Cruden added the extras and the hosts were in front 8-6. But Steyn's second penalty kick helped the Bulls leapfrog the Chiefs by one point (8-9) heading into half-time.
That was until prolific winger Bjorn Basson wriggled free of Lelia Masaga and dove over in the corner just seconds before the siren, and Steyn's conversion made the score 16-8 as the players went into the sheds.
The Bulls started the second half with a roar and a hiss but Cruden halted the visitors' momentum with another three-pointer from the tee to close the gap, before Steyn was once again on target to extend his team's lead to back to eight points.
From a set-piece move, the Chiefs eventually re-took the lead after wing Aseli Tikoirotuma took an inside pass from Cruden to motor over the tryline untouched. Cruden converted and it was game on (21-19).
The Bulls weren't prepared to roll over just yet and another Steyn penalty gave them a one-point lead (21-22) with a quarter of the match remaining.
That was until a classic offload from Sonny Bill Williams put the supporting Cane under the posts to give the Chiefs the ascendancy yet again.
With the clock winding down, the Bulls had one last throw of the dice to pull off a win in a frantic final period, but the Chiefs managed to hang on for a well-earned victory.
The scorers:
For Chiefs:
Tries: Horrell, Tikoirotuma, Cane
Cons: Cruden 2
Pens: Cruden 4
For Bulls:
Try: Basson
Con: Steyn
Pens: Steyn 4
Drop: Steyn
Chiefs: 15 Andrew Horrell, 14 Lelia Masaga , 13 Jackson Willison, 12 Sonny Bill Williams, 11 Asaeli Tikoirotuma, 10 Aaron Cruden, 9 Tawera Kerr-Barlow, 8 Kane Thompson, 7 Tanerau Latimer, 6 Liam Messam, 5 Brodie Retallick , 4 Craig Clarke (c), 3 Ben Afeaki, 2 Hika Elliot, 1 Toby Smith.
Replacements: 16 Mahonri Schwalger, 17 Arizona Taumalolo, 18 Michael Fitzgerald, 19 Sam Cane, 20 Brendon Leonard, 21 Robbie Robinson, 22 Maritino Nemani.
Bulls: 15 Zane Kirchner, 14 Akona Ndungane, 13 Johann Sadie, 12 Wynand Olivier, 11 Bjorn Basson, 10 Morné Steyn, 9 Francois Hougaard, 8 Pierre Spies (c), 7 CJ Stander, 6 Dewald Potgieter, 5 Wilhelm Steenkamp, 4 Flip van der Merwe, 3 Werner Kruger, 2 Chiliboy Ralepelle, 1 Dean Greyling.
Replacements: 16 Willie Wepener, 17 Rayno Gerber, 18 Juandré Kruger, 19 Arno Botha, 20 Jano Vermaak, 21 Louis Fouché, 22 JJ Engelbrecht.
Comments
powerplay says...
lol sorry couldn't resist...
Posted 13:48 28th May 2012
Trinats2 says...
powerplay:McCaw doesn't play for the Chiefs, although his offside is so noticable (except from some refs) that it could be spotted in a Chiefs game !!!
Posted 10:39 28th May 2012
Ramage says...
@Noord Transvaal agree Stormers will be second best in South Africa but after the Sharks. Lol.
Posted 09:19 28th May 2012
safehands says...
@noord_transvaal....I would most definitely call him a doos to his face, preferably in the octagon arena where he has nowhere to go but to look me in the eye and try his cheap shots...never mistake the fact that a rugby player is just that...a rugby player. There are people in this world who do not play pro rugby who are a hell of a lot bigger and tougher than likes of Greyling.
Your attitude is indemic of the typical clutchplate who measures his masculinity with rugby....bad mistake in the real world champ.
You want to see good, very TOUGH and FAIR tackling, watch the Canes v Rebels match and watch the Canes replacement hooker....that is tough taclking without all the off the ball shenanigans you and your mate Greyling like to call 'tough'.
By the way pal, I'm a Crusaders fan, not Stormers, so don't get too excited....
Now that we have finished the ridiculous, macho, posturing thing...
Posted 01:52 28th May 2012
brands says...
@ powerplay
ha ha nice! but im sure it was the knock on by Andrew Merhtens after that cut out pass from Byron Kelleher that will really have the comments flowing!
Posted 20:38 27th May 2012
KiwiLad says...
Powerplay, on the nationalistic front, I suppose if NZ had won the tournament 3 times out of how many??? i would think having 3 teams in the top 6 quite an achievement as well.
Posted 20:37 27th May 2012
tha_mai says...
2EyedKiwi - I'd go for 'men of the match' - the Chiefs front row, replaced their entire front row, off a bye, and the scrum was solid - Schwalger/Taumalolo on the bench and Tameifuna rested this week; way back in match two this PR headline "Chiefs limp into Round Two" when they lost six players through injury.
Posted 04:01 27th May 2012
powerplay says...
Those kiwi refs were a disgrace!!!! Theyre a bunch of cheats!!!!! They let the Chiefs team win!!! When is Paddy O'brien going to be sacked????!!! As long as he is head of referees he makes NZ win all the time!! Its a conspiracy!!! He's working behind the scenes!!! How else was McCaw allowed to play that good tonight??? Every time the Chiefs gave the ball to McCaw he was a Mile off side!!!! Cheats!!! Cheat!!!
Posted 03:51 27th May 2012
2EyedKiwi says...
Toss of a coin for man of the match between SBW and Messam. Both outstanding!
Congratulations to Morne Steyne for bring up his 200th career conversion.
Posted 22:54 26th May 2012
Forward_pass says...
@kiwilad Since we're getting all nationalistic, I'm sure you noticed 3 of the top 6 spots are saffa. I'd settle for that thanks!
Posted 21:34 26th May 2012
philipjfry says...
@jonsey2: Do the 'mighty chiefs' live in the 'mighty' Castle Greyscull? Made me giggle. They do play good rugby though.
Posted 14:53 26th May 2012
Ramage says...
@JayStarr I was furious Mark Lawrence was dropped before the RWC and mentioned my disbelief on here many times.To think we had other referees Like his namesake, from my country, Barnes and Pearson from England, Clancy from Ireland to name a few who were there then you really have to wonder. I have always loved the way he has clearly explained his decisions. Sure he gets a few things wrong but not many and certainly not as many as some. The ones he does as in this game you can see why and are often touch and go. When I heard he had retired I was sad but didn't realise he was still to referee Super 15. I was so pleased when I found he was and this game shows he is still at the top.
The Chiefs really caught the Bulls with that quick lineout. The Bulls boring kicking game and reliance on the boot of Steyn was shown up by a team prepared to move it. Why I wonder as they have the ability to move the ball. However they still have their chance and I for one will be waiting the outcome of the Sharks Vs Stormers game. Next week a few more of the defining games but the Highlanders of all the teams who have the chance of the other 3 places has I think the most impossible games to win to qualify. However it is sport and never say never.
Posted 13:49 26th May 2012
noord_transvaal says...
@safehands - you seem to be the bonehead, not Greyling. Wonder if you would have such a big mouth if you came face to face with the 'doos'. I bet not
and as for your comment on the stormers taking the cup, ha ha. Dream on bud, Loftus waits after the mauling from the Sharks . Nope, the Stormers will continue to be second best in S.A.
Posted 12:52 26th May 2012
isthatrightref says...
Just to clarify... I think it's more likely that the Crusaders can win a qualifier & semi in SA then fly back & win a final in NZ than SA qualifier, NZ semi, SA final - I doubt even the great 3peaters could've managed that, & these Crusaders aren't the side the 3peaters were - both being unlikely, of course, but plan A less so than plan B.
Posted 10:12 26th May 2012
isthatrightref says...
@ DaveAr... I'm kinda hoping for a SA 1 & 4 as I rate my Crusaders a better chance of knocking over the Stormers, Bulls& Chiefs in 3 weekends than Stormers, Chiefs, Bulls... that said it's something like a 15:1 longshot on the former v a 40:1 on the latter but, hey, the longer they can stay in it the better their chance of winning it, aye ;-)
Posted 10:02 26th May 2012
jonesy2 says...
the mighty chiefs were never going to let this one get away. big game stars turn up at the right moments. sam cane, sonny bill, aaron cruden. messam,latimer and horrell were brilliant throughout. congrats liam. legend.
Posted 07:38 26th May 2012
hybrid187 says...
Agreed.. top comments from Spies at the end there.
Posted 01:59 26th May 2012
BillyMutt2 says...
We haven't heard from Bok yet - is it because this was a Saffa referee that cost the Bulls the game? Or the unthinkable: it actually wasn't the ref's fault this time?
Posted 00:55 26th May 2012
safehands says...
Is anybody ever gonna ping the tool that is Dean Greyling for both his illegal scrummaging (always scrums upwards and inwards when ref not looking...what is the touch judge looking at?) and his constant off the ball crap? Tired of watching this average scrummager 'cleaning' out players 2 metres ahead of rucks, in with cheap shots at breakdowns and that typically bonehead, stupid looking 'hard man' stare he does is hilarious....what a clown!! Case in point in first ruck... Afeaki cleans him out quite legally...Dean the doos predictably gets up and shoves Afeaki to the ground, while Afeaki isn't looking of course (which suits his m o), then glares as though he has achieved some hard man feat.....tool!! Oh well, at least when he is forced to scrummage straight I can take solace with the fact that he frequently buckles....hard man my a**e...haha!!
Great game by the way :) Chiefs deserved the win but still the Stormers to win the S15 title methinks.
Posted 23:56 25th May 2012
KiwiLad says...
Eitan, how many of those 11 points were earnt in NZ? Difficulty reading?
Posted 22:47 25th May 2012