Late penalty gives Chiefs the win

Late penalty gives Chiefs the win
By DUNCAN JOHNSTONE - RugbyHeaven | Saturday, 23 February 2008
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On a night when the Chiefs were full of villains and heroes it was appropriate that Stephen Donald should step up to right a few personal wrongs and nail a late penalty to earn his side a crucial 20-17 Super 14 win over the Waratahs in Hamilton.

Donald has endured a difficult start to the year. He was off-song in last week's loss to the Blues and looked at odds again at times in the first outing at home.

He missed some early goalkicks, botched a few field kicks and then even got forced off injured when he was trying to score a bonus point try.

Somehow he made his way back on to the field in the dying stages and when the Chiefs, after allowing the Waratahs back to 17-all after being down 5-17, gained a late penalty Donald stepped up to slot the difficult angled goal into the win.

To win a second round game is a rare luxury for their Chiefs based on the early season struggles of their recent campaigns.

They will probably be disappointed they didn't come away with a bonus point, having three tries in the bag early in the second spell.

But in the end they will be simply delighted to nail a victory and be on the points table.

But the victory didn't come without its hiccups. Already a halfback down in Jamie Nutbrown, they watched All Black Brendon Leonard trudge off with a leg problem after an hour.

The injury problems looked to be compolcuated when a dazed Donald was forced off because the Chiefs ahd already used their two back reserves, meaning big flanker Liam Messam had to take over at second five-eighths.

Somehow the makeshift side hung tough although their was obvious relief when the final whistle went.

The Waratahs, on the back of their promising win over the Hurricanes in Sydney last weekend, were out to right a few wrongs against the Chiefs but trudged off with their fourth loss in five matches against Ian Foster's side.

They had themselves to blame for a fair bit of that. They had plenty of territory and possession but lacked much enterprise or penetration until it was too late.

The Waratahs based a lot of their attack around a pick and go game up front. They played into one of the strengths of the Chiefs with their close-quarter defence.

When they did give the ball some air in the dying stages they looked reasonably effective.

The Chiefs know they have plenty of improving to do.

Skipper Jono Gibbes was tireless and had far more presence about him than he did last week.

Sione Lauaki had a busy game although the Chiefs haven't managed to free him with a full head of steam.

Big Wycliff Palu played a similar role for the Waratahs as the back rows had a grand tussle.

Leonard was in a dangerous mood before he eventually succumbed to a dead leg after getting a big hit to a thigh.

Sitiveni Sivivatu, in his 50th match, was another with a bit of a Jekyll and Hyde tale to his match. He scored a sensational solo try but gave up a touchdown to the Waratahs with a sloppy pass that got picked off.

The Chiefs started where they left off with last week's horrors at Eden Park.

There were handling lapses, poorly directed kicks and brain explosions at lineouts.

But their scrum held firm and, importantly their defence didn't leak like it did against the Blues.

Slowly they regained a bit of composure and with their first foray deep into NSW territory they took a lineout option from a close range penalty and managed to work the ball clear for Messam to charge through Kurtley Beale for the try.

On the half hour there was some magic from Sivivatu who ghosted through the Waratahs defence on a 50m run to the line. Donald finally landed some extras for a 12-nil lead at the break.

Whether that was enough considering the wind they had at their backs in the first half was questionable.

The Chiefs started strongly in the second spell and young centre Richard Kahui showed his class and power to take two tacklers with him to the line for the try.

Sadly he was injured in the process and the Tahs took immediate advantage as their centre Ben Jacobs ran at the Chiefs line and got through for the touchdown to finally get the visitors on the board.

The Chiefs had plenty of time to push for their bonus point try but they came up just short. Donald had a grand chance in the 68th minute when he lost the ball - and his fitness - lunging for the line.

So what looked like it could be a reasonably comfortable win turned into a tight finish when Sivivatu threw his intercept pass for replacement Sam Harris to snatch and burst 20m to the posts to cut the home team's lead to five points.

When the Waratahs got a quick tap 40m out they had the numbers to get Lote Tuqiri over wide out to tie up the match at 17-all. Beale couldn't convert, setting up a frantic finish.

The Chiefs kept their cool to get down to the right end of the field and force the penalty for Donald to convert into three invaluable points.

The Chiefs head south to take on the Hurricanes next week and the Waratahs head even deeper as they take on the Highlanders in Dunedin.

Chiefs 20: Liam Messam, Sitiveni Sivivatu, Richard Kahui tries; Stephen Donald con, pen.

Waratahs 17: Ben Jacobs, Sam Harris, Lote Tuqiri tries; Kurtley Beale con.