Rugby: April Chiefs set to make history

Chiefs fullback and captain Mils Muliaina. Photo / Getty Images

Against all better judgement, it's happening - everyone is believing in the Chiefs. It's too hard not to. They are playing rugby as it should be played.

The Hurricanes have the depth of personnel, the Crusaders the pedigree and the Blues some big names, but it is the Chiefs who are delivering the knock-out blows.

It is the Chiefs who are scoring at will; who are fronting at the set piece. It is the Chiefs who are clearing bodies out at the contact and it is the Chiefs' backs who spread the ball from touchline to touchline and blast through the holes.

It is also the Chiefs who have flattered to deceive in the past. This is what they do - they threaten to be something extraordinary and come up short.

In 13 seasons of Super Rugby, only in 2004 have they made the semifinals. It's not exactly a convincing case to start seeing them as potential contenders. So should we let history be our guide? Are we seeing more of the close-but-no-cigar routine?

It's possible. But, and maybe this is foolish, there's more reason to see a happy ending.

Previous campaigns have come up short largely because too much ground has been conceded early. In the past three years, the Chiefs have lost just one game in April - when they were stuffed by the Hurricanes in 2006.

April is their month - they surge, they click, they beat the Crusaders and everyone else but don't have enough points come the crunch.

This year started as badly as other campaigns with three straight losses. The consolation, though, was the losses were to the teams that finished one, two and three last year - Crusaders, Waratahs and Sharks.

The Chiefs also took bonus points. They are coming into these final weeks from an elevated position - something they have not done since 2004. If they can get past the Cheetahs and the Bulls in their tour games this month, they will be hugely well placed for the playoffs.

More importantly than all that, though, they are a different side to their predecessors. That explains why coach Ian Foster said after defeating the Lions: "To be honest, I can't remember last year. I understand that comparisons will be made but this is a new year, a different campaign.

"We are in a good spot, but there are still five games to go and a lot is going to change in that period."

The Chiefs have deliberately buried their memories of the past. They refuse to look to the future and quite cleverly stay very much in the present.

That mind-set is a strength. They take on the Cheetahs next week and that's all they care about. The Bulls and Stormers can wait.

Even more of a strength is their composure and maturity. They were 29-10 down with barely 20 minutes left against the Lions and there was not the faintest hint of panic. That is brave; that is a sign of embedded self-belief.

Study the detail and the Chiefs, their front five aside, have a depth of experience others don't. Liam Messam and Sione Lauaki have been around for some time, even Tanerau Latimer, not yet 23, is in his fourth campaign.

Brendon Leonard is in his third and has a fire in his belly while Stephen Donald is settling and beginning to show that he's picked up a fair bit in his five years at this level.

Callum Bruce is in his fourth campaign, so too Richard Kahui. And then of course, there are Mils Muliaina and Sitiveni Sivivatu - men who have the 'been there, done that' T-shirts.

The only unit that hasn't seen much in the way of active service is the front five. At the start of the season that lack of experience and proven ability was the factor weighing against the Chiefs. When the set piece was dire in Sydney, those fears were justified.

Now, they have an authority about them; an edge of intimidation even. Ben May looks like he could go far. Craig Clarke has been quietly impressive and Kevin O'Neill the workhorse all good sides need.

Aled de Malmanche has tidied his core functions and carries the ball with a bit of punch and the Chiefs are holding up. They are no soft touch in the gritty bits. They dealt to the Blues, shaded the Sharks and monstered the Reds.

The test will be Pretoria - can they take the Bulls? It's risky, maybe even daft, to have faith but the Chiefs have won the right to be taken seriously, to not be judged on their past.