Rugby: Chiefs take aim at determined Bulls

Mils Muliaina. Photo / Christine Cornege

Mils Muliaina says it's about getting into the opponents' set piece. Picture / Getty Images

The Chiefs know what they must do to beat the Bulls in Pretoria but executing the plan in the intimidating atmosphere at Loftus Versfeld will be the challenge during tomorrow morning's Super 15 rugby match.

The ninth-placed Chiefs have been chirpy this week and coach Ian Foster has noticed a spring in their collective step at training following last week's 34-30 win over the Lions an hour down the road in Johannesburg.

They face a Bulls team sitting one place ahead of them on the standings but struggling to live up to the hype of the past two seasons, when they claimed successive titles and were almost unbeatable at Loftus.

While the men from Pretoria have been off their game for much of the season, their strengths remain much the same - they are potent at the set piece while much of their attack centres on the varied kicking game of Springboks pivot Morne Steyn.

It is about defusing those weapons which the inconsistent Chiefs have identified as the key to securing their fourth win of the season.

"We've been working on lineouts and kick pressure, we've got to be very good in those areas," Foster said yesterday, adding that he had been impressed by his team's defensive lineout against the Lions.

"You need to execute your own set piece well, too. We need to make sure our ball supply is adequate so that's been our primary focus."

Captain Mils Muliaina was singing off the same song sheet. "If you can get into their set piece and not let them get into your own, you go a long way to beating the Bulls," he said.

"We've got a young forward pack but it's a massive opportunity for them to back up from last week. I think the guys are geared up for that."

The Chiefs will be without injured All Blacks winger Sitiveni Sivivatu.

It forces one change to the starting 15, with Save Tokula getting the nod on the left wing. The only other changes come on the reserves bench, with former All Black Isaac Ross named as lock cover ahead of the injured Hayden Triggs (neck), while prop Sona Taumalolo comes back into the squad for Nathan White, who is also injured. Jackson Willison moves on to the bench as outside back cover.

Despite their languishing playoff hopes - they sit 13 points adrift of the top six - Foster said the mood in the camp was positive and there was a steely resolve to complete a successful trip to Africa.

The Bulls have won just four of nine matches and are coming off a loss to Western Force in Perth but Foster expects a "ferocious" encounter.

"They're going to go into their last seven games pretty desperate to win their home games so we're expecting a very physical and fired up team."

The match will be Foster's 100th in charge of the Chiefs and Muliaina said the team wanted to put in a performance the coach would remember as fondly as his first, a home win against the Hurricanes in 2004.

- NZPA