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Chiefs have 'winning formula' for SA trip

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 00:25

Match winner: Chiefs flyhalf Stephen Donald scores

The Chiefs, after more than a decade of nightmare road trips to South Africa, believe they have found a winning formula for their visit to the Republic.

The beaten finalists, Chiefs, managed to overcome the Stormers and Cheetahs during their regular season visit to South Africa in 2009 and according to All Black flyhalf Stephen Donald they will be looking to replicate what worked for them a year ago.

Admittedly they were beaten twice by the Bulls in Pretoria, including 61-17 hammering in the Final, but the Chiefs are convinced they will be successful when they meet the Sharks (Saturday, February 13) in Durban and Lions (a week later) in Johannesburg.

The fact that they managed more than one win in SA is what really encourages the New Zealand franchise.

Donald, speaking to rugby365.com, ahead of the Chiefs's arrival in Durban, they would be happy to do this year what they did last year.

"We certainly found a new formula last year and we'll look to simulate that this year," he said about their approach to the tour - which concludes with a game against the Western Force in Perth in Round Three.

Other aspect of the Chiefs' campaign that will be questioned in the coming week is their well-documented slow starts – both pre-season and in the tournament proper.

Yet, last year the Chiefs reached the Final, despite another slow start that saw lose their first three matches.

This year they even have a win-less pre-season - defeats to the Highlanders (24-31), Blues (21-31) and Hurricanes (12-17).

Yet, none of this will unsettle the men from Hamilton, as they look to go one step further and claim their first Super Rugby crown.

"We obviously do want to get off to a good start, but in saying that it isn't the end of the world if we don't," Donald told rugby365.com.

"We are very focussed on doing the job well in Durban next week," he added. 

Donald, a Super Rugby veteran of five years and 60-odd caps, not to mention his 19 All Black Test caps since his debut in 2008, said his body is "fine".

"I've only been back into full training with the Chiefs for a couple of weeks now, after a good rest following the end of year tour with the All Blacks," he said.

Like all the players Donald is cautious about the changes to how referees will approach the tackle/ruck and kick-chase aspects of the game.

"It is really hard to tell how this will pan out," he said, adding: "We all will just learn to cope with this as we go through the campaign."

By Jan de Koning

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