Saw this game, Bulls came close at about the 70th minute i think but apart from that the Chiefs pretty much had it all night. Highlight was when the Bulls were 15 points down and one of them decided a drop goal was neccesary when they had the ball on the Chiefs 22


Chiefs run over the Bulls

From staff reporters

March 22, 2008 THE Chiefs have thumped the Super 14 champions the Bulls 43-27 in Rotorua, scoring six tries to three to secure a bonus point.

New Zealand scrum-half Brendon Leonard led the way for the home side with a brace of tries, while centres Callum Bruce and Dwayne Sweeney, winger Lelia Masaga and loose forward Liam Messam also crossed for five-pointers.

“It was a great effort,” Chiefs captain Mils Muliana said of the performance a week after their 35-26 loss at home to the Stormers.

“We went away during the week, looked at our game and changed a few things.

“The tight five really set it up tonight for us at the back. Our set piece improved a lot on recent weeks and we showed what we can do with good set pieces.”

The Bulls, thrashed by Queensland in Brisbane last week, led 10-0 after 30 minutes but the Chiefs finally woke up to take a 12-10 half-time before improving again after the restart, crossing for four more tries to run away from the South Africans.

”It makes it very tough for us but we just have to take it on the chin and look forward to next week,” Bulls captain Fourie du Preez said of the result.

Leonard played an integral role for the Chiefs as they scored 22 points in 16 minutes either side of half-time to turn the match on its head.

Under his guidance and direction, the Chiefs led 36-13 after 56 minutes and staved off a short-lived Bulls fightback in the middle of the second half, which cut the lead to 36-27.

Leonard's kick deep into Bulls territory set up the final try of the match, to Messam, which ended the comeback.

The Bulls led 10-0 after 20 minutes, through a try from inside centre Wynand Olivier which was converted by Derick Hougaard, who also added a penalty among four successes from four attempts at goal.

The Chiefs, however, were enjoying the majority of possession, and they only had to improve their ball security.

This they did and Leonard scored their opening try after No. 8 Sione Lauaki regathered his own chip kick and quickly passed to the supporting scrum-half.

Bruce then crossed a minute from half-time to square the ledger before Stephen Donald's conversion sent the Chiefs to the break with a two-point lead.

The Chiefs then built their 36-13 advantage through a Donald penalty, Leonard's second try from a free kick and further tries from Sweeney and Masaga, in which the half-back was instrumental.

The Bulls struck back with tries from flanker Deon Stegmann and winger Akona Ndungane before Messam's try secured the home victory.