Chiefs dominate Force

24 April 2015 10:17

The Chiefs sustained their Super Rugby title challenge with a 35-27 bonus-point victory over the Western Force, but they will be disappointed by a poor second half at the Waikato Stadium.

Leading 23-8 at half-time, the 2012 and 2013 champions were well placed to rout the underdogs from Perth, who suffered a major setback when scrum-half Ian Prior was dismissed on the half-hour mark.

Prior picked up wing Tim Nanai-Williams and dropped him on his head and shoulders and was subsequently shown a red card for an obvious spear tackle.

However, the Force responded admirably to the loss of Prior and helped themselves to a bonus point of their own, crossing three times in the second half with the try count finishing equal at four apiece.

Only two minutes were left of a messy match when the visitors' replacement hooker Heath Tessmann dived over in the right corner having been set up by a missed pass following a line-out drive.

Nanai-Williams scored the best try of the encounter in the 69th minute, picking up the ball close to the touchline before setting off on a run that saw him evade five defenders.

The star of the show, however, was All Blacks second row Brodie Retallick, who demonstrated his skills in the loose and also made an impact in the forward arm-wrestle.

Source: PA