Print

Mail

wiki links

Chiefs down the Reds to move into top four

The late charging Waikato Chiefs moved into the Super 14 top four when they outlasted the Queensland Reds 32-20 in a relentless running encounter yesterday.

The Chiefs took maximum points with the bonus fourth try coming late in the match to seal their fifth consecutive win.

Backing up from their courageous performance last week when they ended the Canterbury Crusaders unbeaten run, the Chiefs raced to a 24-3 lead at halftime.

But the Reds, who had threatened through the first half, turned on the heat in the second when they piled on 17-unanswered points, narrowing the gap to 20-24 before the Chiefs regained control in the closing stages.

Central to the victory was Stephen Donald, who has put behind him a mediocre start to the season to become the form fly-half in New Zealand as the Chiefs gather steam.

He finished the match with a personal tally of 17 points from a try, three conversions and two penalties.

Donald had the first points on the board in the fifth minute when he fielded his own deft chip kick to score under the posts.

Minutes later he converted a follow up try by Lelia Masaga from wide out to have the Chiefs up 14-0 inside 10 minutes.

The Queenslanders came back from the opening blitz, but their first half scoring was restricted to a Berrick Barnes drop goal.

The Chiefs, meanwhile, after withstanding 10 minutes of repeated attacks on their line, found their way back on the right side of halfway and immediately had more points with a Donald penalty.

Just before the break they went further ahead when Donald put through a grubber kick for the fast following Masaga to score his second try of the match and seventh of the season.

Donald’s conversion gave the Chiefs a 24-3 lead at the turn.

Reds center Morgan Turinui also scored two tries, starting just after the resumption of play when he stepped around Muliaina to score wide out.

Barnes’ conversion attempt was unsuccessful, but the Reds had at least found the line and five minutes later had their second try when replacement winger Digby Ioane score out wide.

Within three minutes Turinui had scored again, ending a long-range movement in which most of the Reds handled the ball.

The valiant charge had the Reds within four points of the Chiefs before Donald kicked his second penalty.

But it took until the 70th minute before the home side could feel victory within their grasp, when Sione Lauaki intercepted a pass and raced 60m to score.
This story has been viewed 684 times.