The Waikato Chiefs ran away with a 43-27 win over the Northern Bulls in a Super 14 rugby match that came alight with a flurry of second-half tries yesterday.
The match produced nine tries, six by the Chiefs, who came from an early 0-10 deficit to hold a narrow 12-10 lead at halftime, before taking firm control after the turn.
All Blacks Brendon Leonard and Sione Lauaki were dominant figures in the Chiefs line-up.
PHOTO: AP
Lauaki, in tandem with Liam Messam, ensured turnovers heavily favored the Chiefs, while Leonard was pivotal in setting up scoring moves and lifting the spirit in a side that squandered possession of the ball throughout the first half.
The Chiefs enjoyed 70 percent of possession and territory but suffered from a lack of enterprise in the first period, when the Bulls looked the most dangerous despite limited opportunities.
They scored first after Lauaki spilled a Derick Hougaard clearing kick and Pedrie Wannenburg took play up to the 22m line.
When the ball was cleared to Wynand Olivier, the midfield back cut through the Chiefs' defensive line to score wide out.
Hougaard added the extra two points and a penalty soon after to have the Bulls ahead 10-0 after 20 minutes.
The Chiefs' scoring started with a piece of individual brilliance from Lauaki to make up for his earlier error.
The big backrower started a counterattack from halfway and gathered in his own chip kick to send Leonard over for the first of two tries by the halfback.
On the stroke of halftime, Callum Bruce handled twice in one move to score by the posts, with Stephen Donald's conversion making it 12-10.
When play resumed after the break the floodgates opened.
Donald kicked a penalty and converted Leonard's second try for the Chiefs to pull ahead 22-10.
Hougaard reduced the gap with a dropped goal before the Chiefs came back with tries by Dwayne Sweeney and Lelia Masaga, both converted by Donald to open up a 36-13 lead.
The Bulls fought their way back into the reckoning, closing the gap to 27-36 with tries in quick succession to Deon Stegmann and Akona Ndungane, before the Chiefs had the final say with a try to Messam.
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