Chiefs bury ghost of round four

Chiefs 35 Reds 17

Talk about banishing ghosts.

The Chiefs put the grim memory of a horror night a year ago in the bin with an emphatic win in Hamilton last night.

They got off to a rousing start and after letting their guard down in the second quarter, regained their authority against opponents who were disorganised, defensively indecisive and seemed off the pace in most respects.

It was a record win for the Chiefs over the Queensland franchise and sets them up nicely for a showdown with the Crusaders at the same venue next Friday night.

Steven Bates, captain Jono Gibbes and Bernie Upton had a cakewalk at the lineouts; Sione Lauaki did his one-man wrecking ball routine, with and without the ball; halfback Byron Kelleher prompted efficiently from the back of the pack and the pacy outside backs all had plenty of chances to get their after-burners working.

The Reds finally woke up around the 20-minute mark, got a fine try and figured out if they held onto the ball and worked good field position they could be competitive.

If the Chiefs' nerves started to jangle with bad memories they fixed things after the interval and the bonus-point try went to replacement Loki Crichton 15 minutes from the end, with a clever chip ahead and regather.

It was a nice moment for the gifted utility, back after a career-threatening neck injury ruined his season last year.

After Stephen Donald had kicked an early penalty, the Chiefs conceived a classy backline try. Mark Ranby, Mils Muliaina and Sitiveni Sivivatu were all involved before Sosene Anesi dived over in the left corner. Donald, putting some horror moments of a week ago behind him, goaled superbly and finished the night with a heartening six shots out of seven.

There could have been two more tries before the quarter hour, ruined only by a forward pass from Kelleher with the line 5m away, and Anesi's inability to hold a long pass, again with the odds of making the tryline heavily in his favour.

The Chiefs were playing snappy, cohesive rugby; the Reds were at full stretch, clinging on.

Donald's try, after a clutch of backs joined a maul after a lineout close to the Reds' line and split their pack, seemed likely to set up a big win.

But with Chris Latham's booming punts and smart defensive work and halfback Sam Cordingley a perky operator inspiring their team, the Reds finally got some forward momentum. From a quick tapped penalty near the Chiefs' line, Drew Mitchell did well to dive over in the right corner.

By halftime, the Reds were at least back in the contest. But after Donald almost got a second try, losing the ball on the line, Sivivatu eased the Chiefs clear. He ended a well-organised lineout move involving Marty Holah, Lauaki and Bates, who had a strong night as a unit.

And those clamouring to see Muliaina at centre got their wish at halftime in a backline rejig. To no great surprise, he didn't look out of place.

Chiefs 35 (S. Anesi, S. Donald, S. Sivivatu, L. Crichton tries; Donald 3 pen, 3 con).
Reds 17  (D. Mitchell, C. Brown tries; E. Flatley pen, 2 con).
HT: 18-10