KEY POINTS:
The Chiefs have suffered their most heartbreaking loss of a Super 14 season already packed with frustration, going down 27-30 to the Bulls in Pretoria this morning.
Springboks winger Bryan Habana dived over in the left corner after the final hooter had sounded to consign the Chiefs to a fourth consecutive narrow loss, which have all granted them a bonus point for finishing within seven points.
That bonus will taste more bitter than ever after the Chiefs appeared set for their first win after first five-eighth Stephen Donald landed a 77th-minute penalty from nearly 50m on the angle for 27-25 lead.
However, the hosts kept the ball in hand superbly through a long phase which ended when Habana dived over, the final twist in a topsy-turvy encounter at Loftus Versfeld.
Chiefs captain Steven Bates was inconsolable after his team's semifinal hopes took another body blow.
"At the moment we just can't seem to buy a win. Until the 79th minute we had won tonight," he said.
"A try on the hooter, what can you say, it's hard to put words to.
"We played some good rugby but if anyone has the special potion for a one-point win, we'll take it at the moment."
Even more galling for the Chiefs was that three crucial players made their first starts of the season -- centre Richard Kahui, No 8 Sione Lauaki and lock Keith Robinson, with All Blacks hard man Robinson cleared at the last minute to return to action. All three made solid, if unspectacular, contributions.
Both sides scored three tries but while the Chiefs showed more enterprise, it was the Bulls' superiority in the lineout and better control of the ball that ultimately proved decisive.
The 63rd-minute sinbinning of fullback Dwayne Sweeney for a spear tackle on replacement Bulls fullback Jaco van der Westhuyzen when the Chiefs led 24-19 was also important. While Sweeney was off, Bulls replacement first five-eighth Derick Hougaard landed two penalties.
That represented a swing in momentum after Chiefs winger Lelia Masaga handed his side the lead with the second of two sizzling tries, his 60m burst punctuated by an outrageous sidestep.
It was Masaga who scored the game's first try as the Chiefs raced to an early 10-0 lead in as many minutes, flying past Habana on the outside.
However, mistakes then entered the Chiefs game as the Bulls dominated the rest of the half through the kicking and control of Bulls halfback Fourie du Preez.
Tries to giant tight forwards Bakkies Botha and Gurthro Steenkamp and three penalties to first five-eighth Morne Steyn carried the hosts to a 19-10 halftime lead.
The Chiefs' confidence returned after the break and Sweeney scored a try after a neat Donald grubber kick and the game appeared theirs for the taking as Masaga and fellow-winger Roy Kinikinilau began carving up the Bulls defence.
A fifth loss to the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein next weekend will almost certainly end the Chiefs' playoff prospects for 2007.
Bulls 30 (Bakkies Botha, Gurthro Steenkamp, Bryan Habana tries; Morne Steyn 3 pen, Derick Hougaard 2 pen) Chiefs 27 (Lelia Masaga 2, Dwayne Sweeney tries; Stephen Donald 2 pen, 3 con). Halftime: Bulls 19-10.
- NZPA
