The Chiefs are red hot.

[aussies1st]

Big things huh oz? ;-)

 

[ozbash]

gutted aus, i am gutted. 14 men and they lost ?????


The Chiefs blew a grand chance to open their Rebel Sport Super 14 account when they failed to beat a Cats side reduced to 14 men for more than half the match, losing 16-21 in Johannesburg on Saturday.

The Cats were inspired rather than handicapped by the sending off of their big lock Willem Stoltz for stomping in the 38th minute and unbelievably dominated the second half.

The Chiefs led 16-9 at the break and should have cruised to victory. Instead they couldn't add any second half points and were ground down by the Cats' kicking game.

It was a shocking result for the Chiefs coming on top of last week's disappointing loss to the Sharks.

It was an ugly match allround in terms of discipline and performance from both sides. The Chiefs will take little joy in their bonus point in defeat but the Cats will come away with sheer delight from a victory that was made up of seven penalty goals.

It was an unlikely win from the moment Australian referee Stuart Dickinson had no hesitation in giving the red card to Stoltz who blatantly dropped a knee into the back of a prone Sione Lauaki at the bottom of a breakdown.

With two minutes of the first half left, the Cats faced a long struggle with reduced troops. Yet they put up a dogged performance that could have ended better had Tiaan Snyman and Earl Rose not missed five penalty attempts and two drop goals between them.

The Cats pack put up a huge second half performance in the set pieces to more than hold their own, particularly in the lineouts where they constantly dominated the Chiefs.

It was a niggly night at Ellis Park and that never helped the continuity of a match that had a desperate edge to it with both sides eager to atone after poor first-up losses last week.

The playing standards weren't much better and it was sheer determination that won this match for the home side.

This was another shocker from the Chiefs who marred their efforts by poor handling and constant turnovers.

Holah In Trouble

They lost flanker Marty Holah to the sin-bin for the final six minutes and in that time, with the sides playing 14-men each, Snyman kicked two penalties to win the match.

The Chiefs showed a real willingness to spread the ball wide when possible but never showed the polish to finish several promising movements.

It was a messy start to the match with the scrums a constant problem and an area where Dickinson was happy to hand out plenty of free kicks and penalties.

Simms Davidson gave rookie Cats prop Daniel Muller a torrid time and it was only when the Cats brought on former Springboks prop Lawrence Sephaka in the second spell that they were able to tidy this area up.

The Cats went through to a 9-6 lead as Snyman and Stephen Donald had a kicking duel over the opening quarter.

It wasn't until the 26th minute that the tryline was threatened and Sam Tuitupou made no mistake with a jinking 20m run to the posts to score the only game and open up what should have been a winning lead.

With Stoltz's sending off offering another long range penalty to Donald, the Chiefs went to the break 16-9 ahead and seemingly in control despite the Cats having a slight domination in territory and possession.

But from there the Cats lifted their game, kicked for the corners and pressured the Chiefs into mistakes to snatch what could prove a a vital win in the South African in-house battle to avoid relegation.

Big Chiefs No 8 Lauaki produced a messy performance. he was the go-to man for the Chiefs but his match was characterised by some poor handling and he was replaced early in the second spell by Liam Messam.

Mils Muliaina was solid at the back for the Chiefs on an evening on the high veldt where he was under plenty of pressure from the Cats' kicking game.

But the Chiefs need more than just solid at the moment. They haven't been able to spark anything special despite a decent stock of talent in both the forwards and backs.

Jono Gibbes finally made a return from his lingering foot injury, getting on for the final quarter at lock but not even his presence could inspire the Chiefs to victory.

They now head to Perth to take on the new Western Force side. It's a must-win situation against a new side handled by their old coach John Mitchell.

If the Chiefs are to be a force in this competiition they have to win.


Cats 21: Tiaan Snyman 6 pen, Earl Rose pen.

Chiefs 16: Sam Tuitupou try; Stephen Donald con, 3 pen.

HT: 9-16

 

[aussies1st]

Thats all these SA teams ever do. Kick penalties, they are becoming just like the English.
They should win against the Force but I would like to see how the Force go against the Canes tonight.

 

[bayrep]

Dam the Chiefs are annoying, I have backed them 2 weeks in a row thinking they usually do well in SA but they have given up two soft loses.

 

[gunnamatta bay]

Thats all these SA teams ever do. Kick penalties, they are becoming just like the English.

I got up and watched the Brumbies second half. Bloody bulls got ahead 21-20 with minutes to go from yet another penalty. Low and behold the Brumbies bagged a try in the dying seconds.

IMO penalties should be reduced to two points.

 

[aussies1st]

Well it keeps the SA team in the game. Without it they may never get points. I see where you are coming from though.
It doesn't help when Larkham keeps putting up pointless bombs. We clearly had them in trouble out wide.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

The way the Force played tonight I don't think the Cheifs can count on any easy points in Perth.

 

[skeepe]

Force were not bad at all... the scoreline was certainly not a fair reflection on the performance. How good was Ioane?

Queensland were pretty hard done by also. How that ref ever got a test match I'll never know... not to mention the two touchies, who could never agree on anything! What was that near-side touchy on anyway? Croft dumps Crusaders #20, the touchy reckons it was the Crusaders player dumping Croft! Still didn't deserve a yellow though, neither I felt did Chapman... the ref and the first touchy both thought penalty sufficient (I thought it didn't even warrant that) then the idiot from the near side says it was vicious and a definite yellow! Why did the ref listen to that one guy, and not back his own opinion and that of the other touchy? And don't even get me started on the supposed Veratau "shoulder charge" that led to the disallowed try.

 

[aussies1st]

I reckon the Force will beat the Chiefs the way they played.

 

[Jackal Dog]

At least the Sharks showed some enterprizing play against the Chiefs and it was a decent game, but to lose to the Cats..... especially when they are using their 3rd string fly half, the Chiefs need to take a good look at themselves!

 

[aussies1st]

And the Cats had 14 men for most of the match.

 

[kia ora storm]

Chiefs...crap.

 

[ozbash]

Jono Gibbes has been named to start at lock for the Chiefs in their vital Rebel Sport Super 14 clash with the Western Force in Perth this weekend.

Gibbes, the Chiefs captain for the fourth season, made a belated return to action with 20 minutes in the second half of the disappointing loss to the Cats last Sunday in Johannesburg. That was his first match in five months due to a long recovery from serious foot injuries.

Chiefs coach Ian Foster says Gibbes came through last week well and was looking strong in training this week.

His leadership will be vital in steadying a rocky ship and he comes into a revamped Chiefs forward pack as they anticipate a tough battle up front against John Mitchell's Force side.

Gibbes will lock alongside the Chiefs' tallest player Sean Hohneck against the new Super 14 team the Western Force, with Bernie Upton named in the reserves.

Versatile forward Kristian Ormsby will start at blindside flanker this week ahead of Steven Bates.

Other changes to the Chiefs forward pack include Aleki Lutui at hooker, with Tom Willis on the bench. Ben Castle and Simms Davison make up the Chiefs' front row starting line-up.

Foster says his selection of the forwards is about "managing the resources we've got."

"We are keen to manage our forwards well, particularly given the challenging climates we are experiencing early on in this campaign."

In the backs, Byron Kelleher regains the starting halfback's role with Jamie Nutbrown in the reserves. The rest of the Chiefs backline remains unchanged from last week.

That means Foster has stuck with Mils Muliaina at fullback despite suggestions that he could be an ideal centre replacement at the next level with the All Blacks suffering form the retirement of skipper Tana Umaga and the long-term injury to Conrad Smith.

But the Chiefs are maintaining former All Blacks centre Mark Ranby in their No 13 jersey.

The youngest Chiefs player, 19-year-old Lelia Masaga, is named in his first Chiefs line-up this week as the reserve winger.

The Chiefs play the Western Force at 12.05am Saturday (NZ time) at Subiaco Oval in Perth. This match is sold out and is a must-win situation for both sides after each lost their opening two matches of the new season.


CHIEFS: 15 Mils Muliaina, 14 Sosene Anesi, 13 Mark Ranby, 12 Sam Tuitupou, 10 Stephen Donald, 9 Byron Kelleher, 8 Sione Lauaki, 7 Marty Holah, 6 Kristian Ormsby, 5 Jono Gibbes (capt), 4 Sean Hohneck, 3 Simms Davison, 2 Aleki Lautui, 1 Ben Castle. Reserves: 16 Tom Willis, 17 Deacon Manu, 18 Bernie Upton, 19 Steven Bates, 20 Jamie Nutbrown, 21 Loki Crichton, 22 Lelia Masaga.


Meanwhile, exciting Western Force winger Digby Ioane will be given until game day to prove his fitness for the clash against the Chiefs.

The powerful runner injured his ankle early in the first half of last week's match against the Hurricanes but played out the game.

With uncertainty as to his availability, Australian under-19 and under-21 representative, Tajhon Mailata, has been called into the squad.

Also returning to the 22 is centre Josh Graham, who passed a concussion test yesterday after being knocked-out in the team's Tooheys New Super 14 debut against the Brumbies.

Graham will also see a specialist before being given the all-clear.

Former Queensland flanker Richard Brown comes into the starting 15 ahead of Matt Hodgson as part of a rotation policy, and Scott Daruda returns to the run-on side at inside centre, replacing the injured Junior Pelesasa.

The Force have been plagued by injury, with four backs and a forward unavailable for selection after just two rounds.

Lock Rudi Vedelago is recovering from wrist surgery and is expected to be out of action for another six weeks, while Zander Peden and Ben Ward are battling back injuries.

Lachlan MacKay (knee ligaments) and Pelesasa (broken ankle) were sidelined whilst wearing the Number 12

Force coach John Mitchell said it was unusual for injuries to hit one position, and he welcomed the return of Graham.

"He's actually come in ahead of schedule having passed the appropriate medical test but it's been a challenge for us, not being able to put out the same back-line on consecutive weekends," he said.


WESTERN FORCE Gareth Hardy, Brendan Cannon, David Fitter, David Pusey, Nathan Sharpe, Luke Doherty, Richard Brown, Scott Fava, Matt Henjak, Brock James, Digby Ioane, Scott Daruda, Scott Staniforth, Cameron Shepherd, James Hilgendorf, Tai McIsaac, David Te Moana, John Welborn, Matt Hodgson, Chris O'Young, Haig Sare, Tajhon Mailata/Josh Graham