Rugby: Contradictory Chiefs must regain impetus at speed

Chiefs halfback Augustine Pulu is tackled by Rebels No9 Nic Stirzaker. Photo / Getty Images

The next fortnight should provide a snapshot of the direction in which the Chiefs are trending.

Seven games into their search for the third straight Super Rugby title, the defending champions' season is full of contradictions.

They went a month without a win - before an unconvincing victory over the Rebels in Hamilton - but remain three points out of first place.

They have impressed exclusively in patches - last week's second half in South Africa, the opening 20 minutes on Saturday night - and are one of only two teams with one loss.

Are the Chiefs flattering to deceive or are they showing their championship credentials by grinding out results while well short of their best?

Games against the Crusaders at home and the Brumbies in Canberra may go some way to answering that question. Because, unlike the luckless Rebels, those competition heavyweights will punish the Chiefs if they switch off as they did at Waikato Stadium on Saturday night.

The champs were beaten at their own game against Melbourne, ceding advantages in metres, carries and offloads. After getting the fast start they needed in taking a 19-0 lead in the opening quarter, the home side fell strangely flat in the final hour.

Being their first game back after an arduous road trip was a mitigating factor, as was the absence of co-captains Liam Messam and Aaron Cruden. But coach Dave Rennie knows his side have to lift.

"It's such an even comp and it's a long comp," he said. "We've got a couple of big weeks - they'll be season-defining games."

The same may eventually be said of the last three weeks, when the Chiefs have accrued 10 points while imposing upon themselves varying degrees of difficulty.

The Chiefs will have to shake this malaise sooner rather than later, something past history suggests to Tanerau Latimer will happen.

"It's been a problem since we've been on tour," he said. "The Force game, we didn't show up from the start, and the two after that we lacked impetus. We've just got to find it. It's there and the boys are working bloody hard."

Meanwhile, second five-eighth Bundee Aki has signed a three-year contract with Irish club Connacht. Aki will be departing after the ITM Cup campaign with Counties Manukau.