The Chiefs showcased their handling skills in teeming rain to beat the Fijian Drua 50-17 on Friday and stretch their winning start in Super Rugby Pacific to eight games.
The Chiefs scored their first try after only three minutes and added another four to lead 31-12 by half-time.
Seven tries were scored in a fast-paced first half despite constant rain and a slippery field.
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Drua go coast to coast
The rain abated in the second half and the flow of tries also slowed.
The Drua began the half with a length-of-the-field try to cut the Chiefs’ lead to 31-17.
Almost 25 minutes elapsed before the Chiefs were able to add to their tally of tries and re-establish a bonus-point advantage.
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In the interim, they had been forced by the Drua defence to kick for goal, unsuccessfully.
Fullback Damian McKenzie had a poor night off the tee but scored a try and kicked five conversions for 15 points, becoming the leading point-scorer for the season with 86.
The Chiefs stretched their lead with three tries in the last 10 minutes, two going to All Blacks locks Brodie Retallick and Tupou Vaa’i and the last to winger Etene Nanai-Seturo just after the full-time siren.
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“It’s definitely satisfying (to win eight from eight),” Retallick said.
“There were plenty of good tries. It was a bit messy at times but we’re proud of that effort tonight. It just shows the skill level and belief the boys are playing with at the moment. At times we might have kicked to put a bit more pressure on the Drua but there was some outstanding work, especially by the outside backs.”
Scrumhalf Cortez Ratima scored the opening try, going alone from an attacking breakdown, and winger Shaun Stevenson added the next to remain the leading try-scorer of the season with nine.
Elia Canakaivata scored under the posts for the Drua in the 16th minute before Kaylum Boshier stretched the Chiefs’ lead to 19-7, while the Drua lost Apisolome Vota to the sin bin for off-side play.
McKenzie took advantage of the numerical disparity to score in an overlap in the 24th minute.
Drua captain Tevita Ikanivere twice went close to scoring before Michael Naitokani scored for the Fijian team while the Chiefs were down to 14 men.
Hooker Samisoni Taukei’aho crossed from the restart for the Chiefs to complete the half-time scoring.
Ilaisa Droasese finished a sweeping try-scoring movement for the Drua which covered almost 90 metres.
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