We found out all about the Bulls midfield standing too deep on attack to be a major threat hitting the line, and their intentions to keep it in the forwards. A succinct analysis of the game and the Chiefs position focused on how vital the four try bonus point was. A quick couple of questions then followed including who Mitch sees as the AB candidates from the Chiefs: Tom Willis, Deacon Manu “this is his year”, Keith Robinson “although he may need a minor operation on his lower back but we should be able to get a few more games out of him”, Johnno Gibbes “has had an outstanding last three games”, Marty Holah “obviously”, Bryon, Keith Lowen “has had a strong season”, and “Siti although he’s not available till November”. At about this point Pat Melsop wandered through and whisked Mitch off so that was the end of our five minutes of enlightenment. Amazingly no dictionary or thesaurus was required. Oh, and apparently Waikato are looking to purchase four players at the end of the year… “including a number 8/blindside” – no prizes for guessing…

Off to the seats in the top level of the new stand for the first time at a rugby game. Discovered we were on the left hand try line (from the point of view of the TV) and that someone in the Chiefs had changed the angle the big screen was facing so we had an incredibly side on view. Not a good omen I thought, how will I see all our tries?

The More FM breakfast crew began the usual crowd windup before the Chiefs “C’mon Waikato, are you ready to see your CHIIIIEFS?”was yelled out incessantly about 5minutes before kickoff – “NOOOO” is the resounding cry after the fourth time Jeff yells it out, “F#@K OFF YOU ANNOYING PRICK!!” by about the ninth. The Chiefs finally come onto the field after the 93 renditions of We Will Rock You are finished, complete with the obligatory dodgy Freddy Mercury impersonator. Okay, so it wasn’t that many times but it is the same song there every week. Then the real fun began with the two teams running on the field.

It started promisingly enough, the Chiefs bringing the ball down our end and side of the field – “Play over here, not over in front of the cheap seats” quipped the lads un-used to the rarefied atmosphere in the upper levels of the stand - and Jacko slotted 3 points. Then it went to hell in a handbag. During the remainder of the half we saw Jacko put a kickoff out on the full, Linklater throwing wonderfully well to the Bulls as well as one occasion where no Chiefs jumper bothered to jump. We watched as Lauaki ran everything himself and refused to offload when he had overlaps outside him. “Gee, wonder if the Bulls will drift off him” was the sarcastic quip when he once again refused to offload. Sione is a great player and a future All Black, but is in danger of becoming one-dimensional on attack at the moment. We watched haplessly as the ball was passed into touch by the midfield and passes went behind forward runners. We watched a ref who couldn’t spot an offside line, or forward passes from both sides. The first half also included some of the most erratic play I’ve seen from Marty Holah, he made a key defensive error in the lead up to the Bulls first try. He then turned to stand and watch as the play moved on. Luckily for him (in an odd sort of way) the Bulls did crash over in a pile of bodies, as had there been second phase play he’d have been an embarrassed spectator 30m out. However there were also the trademark Marty hit and spins and solid cleanouts at the breakdown. 19-3 down and the Chiefs were in all sorts of trouble. The reserves jogged past us and the call of “Don’t just warm up, get on the bloody field” rang out. Soon after came “Come on lads, just make it to halftime and regroup” as the next anguished moan as yet another ball was coughed up. Somehow they did even better than just waiting till half time and they scored a converted try thanks to hard working prop Michael Collins with Deacon Manu in tow. 19-10 at halftime and we breathed a sigh of relief.

Half time brought respite from the dross. That is for all of 30 seconds until the kick for cash competition came up and the guy picked out of the crowd could barely get either of his two shots to reach the posts… from his selected spot of the 22 right out in front. The cheerleaders stood aimlessly by wondering if even they might have been able to kick it further until their fathers all rushed up and removed them from the field as it was past their bedtimes. A mate of mine on the other side of the ground somewhere texted me “Johnno is not a wing, I repeat…” in reference to Jackson’s wide kick to the wing where the winger materialized into a lumbering Gibbes. I replied with “ARRGAHHH!” and he shot back “Well said!”. 

The rugby resumed. Mini-Me blew yet another lineout. Forwarded Bart the “ARRGAHHH!” text message. Bart suggested bringing on Lutui. More dross followed…“They’re all muppets” I exclaimed. “Don’t insult muppets” chided back Bart. By now the Chiefs fitness and mobility saw them take an edge over the slightly less fit and equally determined to bumble Bulls. Johnno crashed over for what was to be the last try of the game not long after half time. During the first half the Bulls had effectively targeted the inside channel on defense. The Chiefs have had a habit over the past three weeks of stationing one of either Lauaki or Ormond wide in the midfield in defense during general play to act as the big strong defensive hitters but the Bulls often managed to find gaps inside of where they were stationed, but still outside of the drifting forward cover. Foster brought Bates on for Ormond at around the 50 minute mark signaling a shift from a combative forward approach to a more mobile one. Ormond and Lauaki offer similar strengths around the park in defense and at the breakdown, with Lauaki being much better with ball in hand but Ormond the lineout option and the other “big angry man” in the loose. Adding the extra speed of Bates on defense seemed to help and the Bulls didn’t fire too many more shots from there.

This was not enough to save us from the eventual lineout blunders, Jackson putting another kick out on the full, and Derek Maisey dropping the ball cold with an open try line begging. T’was a case of catch, run five meters and fall over. However Maisey translated this into a movement of run, bumble, spill, and extracted a massive groan of disbelief from the crowd who had been subdued at times during the game in disbelief. 

Luckily from here on in the fitness of the Chiefs told and they ground the Bulls down, extracted penalties and some daft yellow cards from the Bulls forwards. You could almost say that the strength of South African forward play these days is in their catering. Amazing for the first time in recent memory, I watched a side that I support that had only a close lead at the death spend the final 5 minutes of the game camped down in the opposition half. It was a nice change from watching the All Blacks and the Bay usually hanging on for dear life against teams such as Australia and Auckland and me screaming “go the clock!”. Somehow we won by 24-22 and take another precious 4 points into the semi-final race.

The reserves for the Chiefs saw a fair bit of game time. 30 minutes for Bates, 20 for Duley in place of Hohneck who for a big man didn’t really stand out too much in the game for good or for bad, Davison got 10 minutes at the end in place of Collins, Hill a few minutes for Jacko, and even Lutui got some game time from Foster. The unused reserves were Isaac Boss and Grant McQuoid.

The crowd were supportive throughout, a couple of quiet patches in the first half but got a few spontaneous chants going before they were killed off by canned music etc. A big ovation at the end out of both relief, and our delight at seeing the Chiefs all but in the semis. If the crowd last week was 17,000 (25,000 capacity) then this weeks would have been the same if not slightly smaller. There is a perception around that people are waiting for the Brumbies game which was a shame as it is a great stadium and venue and do deserve the crowd support after their performances to fate. There was also competition from other events this weekend such as the V8 super cars in Pukekohe which may not have helped.

All in all, 4 points for the Chiefs and I’m delighted that for once a team like the Chiefs has been able to play poor rugby and win. While not an exhibition of top quality error free rugby on display tonight, it is often said that good teams can play poorly and still win. Given the win was also achieved without pack mainstays Willis & Robinson, and no Lowen to add defensive solidity to the midfield, maybe this Chiefs team has finally turned the corner this season…

Ramble over…