Rugby: Maturity the Chief asset

The Chiefs are fifth favourites to win this year’s Super 14. Photo / Getty Images

It's often much easier being the underdog. Expectations are low and criticism more muted if success proves elusive.

Few people have expected the Chiefs to do well in the past - they were too erratic for that - but that is changing after their thrilling run to last year's Super 14 final, even if it ended in a one-sided loss to the Bulls.

It had been five years since they had even made the playoffs, which saw them labelled New Zealand rugby's great underachievers. This year's Super 14 will determine whether they lose that tag.

The New Zealand TAB aren't totally convinced, rating them as only fifth favourites, but what the Chiefs have going for them is a maturing squad under the watch of a maturing coach.

Most of the squad have finals football experience, confidence in their coach and the game plan and have learned what it takes to win. Put in even simpler terms, they believe.

"We are contenders," coach Ian Foster proclaims. "Definitely. Most teams will say that ... but we go to the start line with belief and confidence from the last few seasons.

"In the past, we haven't been consistent enough across the competition and we didn't nail our opportunities. We had injuries like everyone else that tested our squad depth. But we now have a maturing group of players. They aren't 21 or 22 any more. They are 24, 25. And most of the guys have gone on to play for the All Blacks."

The Chiefs squad looks as good as most in the competition. They have a talented backline bursting with internationals, exciting and powerful loose forwards and a tight five that has grown enormously to be the equal of most. They will, though, be without fullback Mils Muliaina (rest) and wing Lelia Masaga (shoulder) for the first three games when they travel to play the Sharks, Lions and Western Force.

It is a vital period for the Chiefs. They have a wretched record in the Republic (31 per cent of games won) but picked up 11 points out of a possible 15 last season with victories over the Stormers and Cheetahs.

They are also traditionally slow starters and last season became the first side to make the semifinals in Super Rugby history despite losing their first three games. They went on to win nine of their last 10 round-robin games but don't want to rely on that sort of form again.

"We want to start well - and it has always been our goal - but it's not an easy thing to remedy, especially with our first three games away from home," Foster says. "We have a formula to try to keep our conditioning at a level so that we are peaking at the right time and that's at the end of the competition.

"People are saying we have a reasonably settled squad in 2010, which we are, considering we have a core group of 20 players returning from last year. But it still means we have eight new players. Success in the competition will be our ability to get those eight guys up to speed because injuries will come. We will need everyone performing well.

"We know it's a ruthless competition and there's not a lot between winning and losing. Every week, you're playing top international players and the margin for error is pretty small."

If Foster sounds like he has worked out a thing or two about the Super 14, he has. "It's about time I grew up," he quips.

He's now into his seventh season as Chiefs coach and is more secure in his position than he has ever been. Foster doesn't panic, even when things aren't going for him, and remains consistent in selections and tactics.

The Chiefs are renowned for their expansive game plan and it's something they intend sticking with. They also showed last season in wins over the Hurricanes (twice) and Brumbies that they can grind it out.

"There will be other Super 14 sides who have better-named players but it's how the Chiefs play their football which is important," says former All Blacks and Chiefs second five Matthew Cooper. "They are smartly coached and the coach engenders belief in the side. They know how to dig deep now, which is the biggest growth in this side, and won't be intimidated by anyone else. They are a definite chance for a top-four finish.

"I look at players like Sione Lauaki and Liam Messam, and even Mils Muliaina to a degree. They sometimes struggle at the next level but put them in a Chiefs jersey and they respond. Ian Foster seems to get the best out of them because they know exactly what their role is."

Foster will need to get the best out of his five-eighths this season. Stephen Donald and Mike Delany are vying for the No 10 jersey but there is an option for one to shift to second five. The All Blacks coaches see Donald as a future No 12.

Delany is expected to start the campaign at fullback but Foster hinted the Bay of Plenty product could be the one used at second five when Muliaina returns. Callum Bruce is also an option.

"There is a possibility we use those two in a 10/12 combination but I'm not sure which way around," Foster says. "It might not be Donald we use at 12."

The Chiefs have a difficult start to the competition, perhaps the hardest along with the Brumbies, but this is balanced by playing seven of their last 10 games at home, where they have a very good record.

The last six seasons

The Chiefs under Ian Foster:
* 2009: 2nd (beaten finalists)
* 2008: 7th
* 2007: 6th
* 2006: 7th
* 2005: 6th (Super 12)
* 2004: 4th (semifinalists)