Chiefs secure top spot

Chiefs’ Damian McKenzie scores one of this side’s three second half tries against the Hurricanes.
Photo: Marty Melville

The Chiefs have secured top spot in Super Rugby Pacific with a round still to play after defeating the Brumbies 31-19 in Canberra last night.

The Brumbies were competitive early before 24 unanswered points saw the Chiefs blow the game apart earning a 12th victory from 13 games this season.

The Chiefs, who have ploughed through most of the competition this season and only lost once, physically imposed themselves on the Brumbies and broke tackles easily to eat up post-contact metres.

So often able to rely on their rolling maul to get them out of trouble, the Brumbies only found one try off the back of their lineout from six inside opposition 22m, their set piece not firing.

In a potential battle of the respective national team fullbacks, Damian McKenzie got the points over Tom Wright, initiating much of their attack and shifting the ball around at will.

The Chiefs first try came through Luke Jacobson who broke down the blindside before throwing a dummy and scoring.

The second saw Josh Ioane go through a gaping hole to make it 17-7 at the break.

Allan Alaalatoa was sent to the sin bin midway through the half for a high shot on Brodie Retallick, though an Len Ikitau try, offered hope.

Cortez Ratima and Stevenson came off the bench to secure the vuctory and wrap up the minor premiership for the Chiefs.

Damian Mackenzie told Stan Sport it was a gutsy performance by his side in the Australian capital.

“It’s never easy to come to Canberra and winning, it’s pretty fresh it’s cold than home at the moment so really proud with the performance tonight and the way we stuck in there for eighty.”