CHIEFS 43
BULLS 27
KEY POINTS:
Brendon Leonard's inspired performance helped right a listing Chiefs ship in Rotorua last night and consigned the Bulls' Super 14 defence to one of the local brimstone pits.
All Black Leonard scored two tries in the 43-27 win, outshining his Springbok counterpart Fourie du Preez with a consummate collection of deft touches and strong surges.
But the halfback's warm glow couldn't disguise the fact this was full moon rugby, dripping in lunacy and Jekyll and Hyde qualities.
The Chiefs, playing on Rotorua's International Stadium for the first time in five years, overcame an abject first half of mistakes and hesitancy.
They made the ponderous Bulls, still struggling with the hangover of their 2007 title win, look half decent and needed a Callum Bruce try on the stroke of halftime to emerge with a 12-10 lead despite a swag of possession.
It was Leonard who got things rolling in the second spell, however, taking a quick tap and burrowing over from close range.
He also laid on a try for wing Lelia Masaga midway through the second spell with a long counter-attacking cut-out pass, and fittingly had a major hand in his side's final try when a clever grubber kick set up a series of mauls, from which Liam Messam scored.
Leonard was finally reaping the benefits of a rejuvenated Chiefs tight five, led by prop Simms Davison, who put early season dross aside and finally looked like a pack capable of competing at this level.
"It was a great effort - we went away and really looked at our game and changed a few things and our tight five laid a great platform for the guys at the back," skipper Mils Muliaina admitted.
It took a long time for the Chiefs to find their confidence, however, and only 13 minutes for their meagre backline resources to be cruelly exposed.
Sione Lauaki fumbled a straightforward kick and, from the handy scrum, Springbok midfielder Wynand Olivier scurried around the flailing arms of Chiefs centre Dwayne Sweeney and eased in for a try.
Lauaki made amends after half an hour, regaining a chip and chase and sending Leonard scampering on a 30m scuttle to the line.
Stephen Donald missed the simple conversion, but it was to be his only blemish as he too dispelled some woeful early season form with a 13-point haul.
Davison was ruled to have knocked on over the line after an inside pass from Muliaina five minutes out from halftime, but Callum Bruce and Tanerau Latimer conspired to put the second-five away just before the hooter.
Tries to Deon Stegmann and Akona Ndungane for the visitors threatened to bring them back into the game, while the unerring boot of first-five Derick Hougaard kept them within range, but Messam's final try was enough.
Incredibly, the six tries to three victory secured the Chiefs first bonus point of the season, taking maximum points but denying the Bulls a bonus point despite the high scoring.
