KEY POINTS:
Dwayne Sweeney is used to noisy rugby stadiums. He has been caught up in the raucous atmosphere of the Hong Kong sevens and surged to success with the throaty encouragement at Waikato Stadium.
Despite all the stories he had heard, nothing could have prepared the Chiefs utility back for his first visit last weekend to Loftus Versfeld, the home of the Bulls in Pretoria.
"On our way to the ground it was just amazing," Sweeney said. "There were all the Bulls supporters in the bars and restaurants showing their thumbs down to us.
"Then when we got to the ground it was just a sea of blue and the most deafening noise. You felt like you couldn't hear or breathe or think."
It was a massive contrast for Sweeney and the Chiefs who had discovered a high level of support the week before when they opened their Super 14 tour of the Republic at Newlands in Cape Town. They had felt comfortable at sea level in the southern city.
"There were some amazing sights down there with Table Mountain and such a neat city. The stadiums all seem twice the size of ours, the fans twice as loyal, the games such a big occasion and it is all very interesting."
But Loftus topped that and Sweeney thinks it may be a similar cauldron tomorrow in Bloemfontein when the Chiefs play the Cheetahs.
Sweeney felt the full spirit of the Bulls supporters when he was sinbinned for a dangerous tackle late in the second half.
"I had to sit near the front of the grandstand and they let me have it," Sweeney revealed.
"They told me I was going to die and they did not like my mother and all sorts of other stuff. There was a lot of abuse and having my name on the back of my jersey didn't help," he said.
"But the sideline official was pretty good. He kept yarning to me about whether I should have been binned. I told him I had no intention of spearing the guy and when we looked at the replay he thought the decision might have been a bit harsh. We chuckled away and that helped a bit with the crowd."
Earlier in the match Sweeney found the best method of silencing the masses when he scored in the corner.
"The whole place went still, the only applause I could hear was from our boys on the sideline. Then when one of the Bulls put in a big tackle or something like that the place went ballistic, they really let it rip. It was pretty cool, I enjoyed the reactions.
"This weekend they say it will be similar in Bloemfontein so our job will be to do our job well and shut down their support."
Sweeney is revelling in his debut Super 14 year, touring with mates like Brendon Leonard and Aled de Malmanche who have similar connections with Morrinsville.
"To start in rugby with them and then play at this level with them is pretty special," Sweeney said.
It was also tough, dealing with no wins from four games. Losing was not an easy routine to deal with, compared to the winning habits Waikato learned in the last provincial championship. Mistakes meant heavier punishment in the Super 14.
"In the last two games we created opportunities and took them but still lost. We were down but we still believe we can bounce back."
Assistant coach Warren Gatland regularly repeated a saying from golfing legend Arnold Palmer as the motto for the side.
"When he was asked about being a lucky golfer," Sweeney said, "Palmer said, 'The harder I work the luckier I get'."
The golfing analogy works well for Sweeney who plays off a three at Lochiel. Rugby duties have bitten into his golf opportunities, though he did manage a round this week with Liam Messam and Kristian Ormsby on a day off in Pretoria. Sweeney appreciated the extra distance the ball flew at altitude, reaching one par-five with a drive and a wedge.
"It was great to get out and relax but we are looking to get a result this weekend. I am enjoying fullback [while Mils Muiliaina is on All Black conditioning duties] and am starting to feel more comfortable with the positions I need to be in."
