Chiefs make first final
The Chiefs made their first Super 14 final after holding out the Hurricanes 14-10 at Waikato Stadium on Friday.
Last Updated: 22/05/09 1:07pm
The Chiefs booked their place in the Super 14 final for the first time after holding out the Hurricanes 14-10 at Waikato Stadium on Friday.
In another nail-biting New Zealand derby clash, the hosts outscored their visitors two tries to one but had to hang on for all their worth in the dying minutes of the match to seal the deal.
The Chiefs will have to wait 24 hours to find out who they will play next weekend and see if they will host the final in Hamilton. Should the Bulls beat the Crusaders, coach Ian Foster and his troops will travel to Pretoria.
As for the Hurricanes, they will have to wait another year for a shot at the elusive title after falling short once again in what is now their fifth semi-final heartbreak for the players, coaches and fans.
Just as the scoreline suggests, little separated the teams as far as territory, possession and errors were concerned. Although fly-half Stephen Donald had a shaky night with the boot - missing two penalties - he converted both of the Chiefs tries that ulitmately proved the difference in the end.
Brutal
The first semi-final of the weekend certainly lived up to it's billing. It was a match played at a fast and furious pace in a fierce and brutal contest, both teams uncompromising at the breakdown and relentless in the tackle.
Long-range kicks from Willie Ripia failed to undo a Chiefs side with the defensive speed and counter-attacking ability of Mils Muliaina, Sitiveni Sivivatu and Lelia Masaga.
In fact, the telling blow came from such an incident following a hoist from the Hurricane's pivot that landed in the safe hands of Muliaina. The Chiefs' skipper handed Sivivatu the ball and the All Blacks flyer responded with a 60m burst that - after some crisp passing between himself and Toby Morland - ended with Muliaina under the posts.
The converted try put the Chiefs in front for the first time in the match and with just under half an hour remaining, a penalty by Piri Weepu was not enough to rain on the home side's parade.
The Hurricanes started well enough though and they looked to be confirming their pre-match status as favourites when Ma'a Nonu, a six-time semi-finalist for the men in yellow, was sent in from a close range attack in the 20th minute.
Conversion
Weepu slotted an angled conversion to give his team a 7-0 lead, but the Hurricanes were reduced to fourteen men in the 26th minute when prop John Schwalger was sin-binned for a professional foul near a ruck five metres out from his try-line.
Donald missed the resulting penalty, but the Chiefs finally made their numerical advantage count when Sione Lauaki was found in space out wide, handing off both Cory Jane and Rodney So'oialo with ease, before finishing in the corner. Donald's conversion was good and the scores were level until the break.
Donald implemented the Chiefs kicking game with skill and accuracy while Ripia had a poor game for the Hurricanes and was replaced early in the second half following his final kick of the match that ended in Muliaina's brilliant touchdown.
Weepu missed a penalty attempt from halfway after that before landing an angled one from near the touchline in the 65th minute to cut the deficit to four points and set up an agonising final quarter.
Jubilation for the Chiefs and heartbreak for the Hurricanes, this was Super 14 rugby at it's very best.
