Match Details

Chiefs (NZ)

VS

Lions (SA)

34

Hamilton Kick off times: 7:35pm (Local) Fri 16 Mar 5:35pm (AEDT) Fri 16 Mar

7

The Chiefs have brushed aside their dismal start to the Investec Super 14 season with a crushing 34-7 victory over the Lions before a small but faithful crowd at Hamilton's Waikato Stadium.

Desperate to secure their first win of the year after several gut-wrenching last-gasp losses, the Chiefs signalled their intentions early as they ran in two unanswered tries in a dominating first half.

The Lions' cause, however, was helped little by the yellow-carding of powerhouse No 8 Jacques Cronje midway through the opening 40 minutes, which allowed the hosts to capitalise as they took a 13-0 lead into the break.

Then, in similar fashion to the opening half, the Chiefs continued their relentless assault, running in three further tries, two within the last three minutes, to seal the contest and resurrect their previously troubled campaign with a bonus-point.

Five minutes into the match and on the back of some probing play, the Lions were penalised for a ruck infringement right in front of their own goal and Chiefs flyhalf Stephen Donald easily slotted over the first points.

Then, scarcely three minutes later and after a bruising run up the middle by Chiefs flanker Marty Holah, Donald touched down in the corner to bolster his side's lead.

Chipping the ball through the staggered Lions defence, halfback Brendon Leonard managed to weight the kick brilliantly and Donald, running through a gap, scurried around the defence to score the try just inside the corner flag.

Things went from bad to worse for the visitors with 19 minutes remaining in the first half when referee James Leckie yellow-carded No 8 Cronje for an infringement within five metres of his own line.

Down to 14 men and desperately attempting to thwart a rampant Chiefs attack, the Lions' defence faltered moments later and Holah, on the back of a rolling maul, capitalised with a simple try.

Up 13-0 despite Donald's two failed conversion attempts, the Chiefs continued to dominate the latter stages of the opening half but costly handling errors at inopportune moments let the Lions of the hook as the hosts took a 13-0 lead, which should have been more, into the break.

Clearly anxious not to squander their opportunities in the second half, the Chiefs returned from the break fired up and moments after the kick-off had the Lions on the back foot.

Eight minutes into the second half and again after another mounting period of attacking pressure, Donald slipped through a wide gap to dart over under the posts to score his second try with relative ease.

Adding insult to injury, the Chiefs playmaker then slotted over the subsequent conversion to put the hosts ahead 20-0 with just over 30 minutes to play.

Stunned by the growing scoreline, the Lions began to find more possession but the Chiefs continued to defend their own line bravely, foiling several attacking manoeuvres from the visitors midway through the second half.

Finally, with less than eight minutes remaining in the match, the Lions crossed the line to add what looked like a degree of respectability to the score.

With plenty of space out wide, Lions reserve Jannie Boshoff charged 20m down the line before drawing the defence and palming the ball off into the waiting arms of flyhalf Andre Pretorius, who easily cantered over for the consolation try.

However, just as things looked all but over at Waikato Stadium, Chiefs No 8 Liam Messam found himself unmarked and he easily raced down the field to score under the posts and secure the all-important bonus-point try.

With less than 30 seconds left on the clock, Tane Tu'ipulotu joined the list of scorers after he latched onto an intercept and sprinted 80m down the field to register his side's fifth try.

Chiefs 34

Tries: Stephen Donald 2, Marty Holah, Liam Messam, Tane Tu'ipulotu

Conversions: Dwayne Sweeney 2, Donald

Penalties: Donald

Lions 7

Tries: Andre Pretorius

Conversions: Pretorius

HT: 13-0