The Chiefs have played the Lions 17 times in Super Rugby since 1998, the Chiefs have won 12 matches and lost five times.
The Chiefs 12 wins give them a record of winning 71% of their matches against the Lions regardless of venue.
- The Lions won on their most recent visit against the Chiefs in Super Rugby (36-32, Round 2, 2016).
- The Chiefs had won all five previous home matches against the South African side by an aggregate score of 189-74.
- This will be the fourth consecutive time that the Chiefs have hosted the Lions in this Super Rugby fixture (W2, L1).
- Waikato hasn’t paid a visit to Johannesburg since Round 10 2011 (Chiefs won 34-30).
- The Chiefs have played the Lions 10 times in Super Rugby history for seven wins and three losses, the New Zealand outfit have won five of the last six clashes (L1).
- In their most recent Super Rugby fixture, against the Blues, the Chiefs lost two scrums on their own feed for the first time since Round 3 2017, they have had a 100% scrum success rate in their last 11 matches against South African sides (73/73).
- Malcolm Marx (Lions) has played the most minutes (622) of any hooker in Super Rugby 2019, almost 100 more than the next hooker James Parsons (Blues), 529 minutes.
Match detail
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In the meantime why not have a look at the match preview.
BREAKING: Swys de Bruin is on his way back to South Africa for “personal reasons”. Cash van Rooyen will be in charge of the Lions for tonight’s clash against the Chiefs.
There are a few changes for the Lions. Malcolm Marx starts and Robbie Coetzee drops to the bench. Elton Jantjies starts at inside-centre with Gianni Lombard playing at first receiver. Franco Naude drops to the bench.
1.00: PEEEEP! We are underway in Hamilton.
3.00: It’s been a decent opening for the Lions, but Liam Polwart collects Jantjies’ knock on, and races 50 metres to the opposition’s 22. However, Lombard chases down the hooker and forces a mistake. Scrum to the visitors inside their 22.
5.00: The Lions clear before winning a penalty, which Andries Coetzee kicks to the opposition’s 10-metre line.
7.00: The South Africans are camped on the Chiefs’ goal line. They go nine phases, crossing under the posts, however, they are held up. Good defending by Waikato, but the visitors have an attacking centre-field scrum.
8.00: The set-piece is taking a while to set. It goes to ground. Reset.
9.00: Angus Ta’avao collapses the scrum, and rather unusually, to say the least, Warren Whiteley opts for a shot at goal.
10.00: PENALTY! Jantjies can’t miss from in front. 0-3
12.00: Marx breaks to the Chiefs’ 22 after some slow, but patient build-up. The Lions recycle, but after nine phases Brad Webber gets his hands on the ball, winning the penalty.
14.00: It’s the home team’s turn to go through the phases. After some slow build-up, they go wide to Sean Wainui, who throws the ball back in the field but is knocked out into touch by a Lions’ player.
15.00: The Chiefs had a penalty advantage and the hosts decide to kick to touch, five metres out.
16.00: OH DEAR! The Chiefs go to the back of the lineout and knock the ball on. Scrum to the Lions.
17.00: Polwart, with acres of space in front of him, drops a floated pass, killing a sure try. Another great opportunity goes awry.
19.00: Ta’avao breaks forward, but he loses the ball. Carlu Sadie gets back to clean up. The Lions can’t exit and give away a penalty.
20.00: Marty McKenzie kicks to the corner. The Chiefs have a penalty-advantage as they set-up a driving maul.
21.00: Weber kicks over the top, but Kwagga Smith is back to clean up. McKenzie kicks to the corner again.
22.00: Superb work by the Lions. They win the turnover, ripping the ball away, and clear. The Chiefs run the ball straight back and are inside the 22.
23.00: Another unforced error kills a nine-phase attack inside the Lions’ 22. Jack Debreczeni overruns McKenzie’s pass, which is forward anyway. Scrum to the Lions.
24.00: Both sides have had long, sustained periods of attacks in each other’s half. The Chiefs have gone past seven phases twice, while the Lions have done it four times.
25.00: MASSIVE SCRUM! The Lions bulldoze their opponents and win another penalty after Ta’avao collapses.
28.00: Three reset scrums after Lionel Mapoe was held up by three Chiefs’ defenders. Ta’avao is penalised for the third time this half for collapsing. Jantjies calls for the tee. The kick is about 42 metres out, but straight in front.
30.00: PENALTY! Lovely kick by Jantjies. He splits the uprights and doubles his side’s lead. 0-6
32.00: The Lions drive the ball down the field for five phases before McKenzie is pinged for offsides at the breakdown. Jantjies kicks to the Chiefs’ 22.
33.00: Andries Coetzee loses the ball before contact, he overran the pass from Smith. Poor by the fullback because his side was in striking range.
34.00: BIG SCRUM! The Lions destroy the Chiefs’ pack with another powerful scrum. Sadie is having a day. that’s four penalties from the set-piece.
36.00: TRY! The TMO awards the score to the man-of-the-moment Sadie. The Lions recycle the ball through six phases as they are camped on the home team’s line, eventually dotting down on the chalk when the big tighthead drove those powerful legs from close range. 0-11
37.00: CONVERSION! A superb kick from out wide by Jantjies. 0-13
38.00: Jantjies, playing his 128th Super rugby match, clears to his 22. The Chiefs attack, but Smith wins the turnover. Lombard clears deep into Chiefs’ territory.
39.00: One last attack for the hosts. They are going through the phases. It’s a bit messy but they hang on to the ball. Alex Nankivell tires a floated pass, but the ball is snapped up by the Lions.
40.00: TRY! WOW! Aphiwe Dyantyi beats Wainui to the bouncing ball and races away to score near the posts. It came from the turnover and a beautiful little grubber by Whiteley, which the winger latched on to for the score. 0-18
41.00: CONVERSION! Jantjies slots the kick. 0-20
The halftime score is Chiefs 0 Lions 20
41.00: PEEEEP! We are back underway in Hamilton, New Zealand. The Lions enjoyed 67% possession and 64% territory, dominating the scrums. The Chiefs have conceded four penalties and not won a scrum, yet.
42.00: Debreczeni left the field on a stretcher during the break. Shaun Stevenson has taken over at fullback. Waikato will need to get their hands on the pill because they had to make double the opposition’s tackles and they are getting dominated in the tight-phases.
43.00: Solid start to the second half by the visitors. Some patient build-up stagnates as they are pushed backwards. The Joburg men regroup and start marching down the field with pick and drives by the big men.
44.00: The Lions lose the ball after 17 phases, but the Chiefs get pinged for hands in the ruck. Lombard is down getting his knee checked. He’s smiling so shouldn’t be a worry for the Saffas. Wait, Lombard is being helped off the field. He’s out.
45.00: Jantjies moves to flyhalf and Franco Naude to inside centre. Jantjies kicks to the corner. A powerful driving maul comes to nothing because of a knock on by Marvin Orie, whose eyes lit up when he saw the goal-line. Big moment because the next points by the Lions will effectively end the game.
47.00: Another huge scrum by the Lions. Referee Brendon Pickerill must have felt sorry for the Kiwis because he let them get the ball away when a penalty for the Lions was probably the right call.
48.00: Superb work at the breakdown by Lachlan Boshier, winning a relieving penalty which McKenzie pumps to the opposition’s 22.
50.00: Rubbish from the New Zealand outfit; they win their lineout, go wide and straight into touch. Ataata Moeakiola was driven out by two defenders after running down Mug’s gully.
51.00: Marx’s throw to Whiteley at the back of the lineout is short, leading to a scrum to the home team inside the 22.
53.00: The Chiefs are battering the Lions after 13 phases of sustained attack. They, eventually, win a penalty for offsides which is kicked to touch.
54.00: The chiefs drive towards the try line, but they are held up. Good defence by the Gauteng franchise.
56.00: The Chiefs win their first scrum. Taleni Seu breaks to the right but some magical work at the breakdown sees the visitors win the turnover and clear. That was an immense rear-guard action by the Lions.
57.00: They win possession from a sloppy Chiefs’ lineout, packing down for a much-loved scrum for which they win a free-kick.
59.00: The Chiefs are not the same without Damian McKenzie, all good things come through the diminutive playmaker. Their attack is rudderless and blunt.
61.00: TRY! Finally, the home support has something to shout about. A solid scrum – their first – sees Weber break blind and away down the touchline. The ball is recycled quickly, sent to the right and into the arms of the grateful Wainui. 5-20
62.00: MISS! The kick is wide. 5-20
64.00: TRY! the chiefs go BANG BANG! The ball is played like a hot potato as the hosts look to find another score. Dyantyi’s clearance was not out, allowing the home side to attack inside the Lions’ 22. Some quick ball ends with Nepo Laulala driving over from close range. 10-20
65.00: MISS! McKenzie pulls his kick wide. 10-20
67.00: The Lions are all over the place, the substitutions have made a difference. They are hanging on at the minute.
70.00: The tourists have taken the wind out of the Chiefs’ attack, despite not having much territory and possession in the last 15 minutes.
71.00: The Lions win a turnover, then a penalty at the breakdown after Marnus Schoeman’s good work stops an 11-phase attack.
73.00: time is running out for the home team.
76.00: TRY! Sensational from McKenzie. The first-five looks up, sees Alex Nankivell free on the wing, and kicks across into space. The centre gathers and pops to Tumua Manu for the score. 15-20
77.00: CONVERSION! The kick is good. 17-20
80.00: DROP GOAL! Jantjies slots the drop-kick, but it keeps the Chiefs alive. 17-23
81.00: The Lions win the turnover, Jantjies clears to touch for a stunning second win in Hamilton.
FULL TIME
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The final score is Chiefs 17 (0) Lions 23 (20)
Scorers
Chiefs
Tries – Wainui, Laulala, Manu
Pen –
Con – M. McKenzie
Drop –
Cards –
Lions
Tries – Sadie, Dyantyi
Pen – Jantjies (2)
Con – Jantjies (2)
Drop – Jantjies
Cards –
Match Officials
Referee: Brendon Pickerill
Assistant Ref 1: Mike Fraser
Assistant Ref 2: Rasta Rasivhenge
TMO: Shane McDermott
Teams
Chiefs
15 Jack Debreczeni, 14 Sean Wainui, 13 Anton Lienert-Brown, 12 Alex Nankivell, 11 Ataata Moeakiola, 10 Marty McKenzie, 9 Brad Weber (captain), 8 Taleni Seu, 7 Lachlan Boshier, 6 Luke Jacobson, 5 Mitchell Brown, 4 Tyler Ardron, 3 Nepo Laulala, 2 Liam Polwart, 1 Angus Ta’avao.
Replacements: 16 Samisoni Taukei’aho, 17 Atu Moli, 18 Sosefo Kautai, 19 Jesse Parete, 20 Pita Gus Sowakula, 21 Jonathan Taumateine, 22 Tumua Manu, 23 Shaun Stevenson.
Lions
15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Sylvian Mahuza, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Elton Jantjies, 11 Aphiwe Dyantyi, 10 Gianni Lombard, 9 Ross Cronje, 8 Warren Whiteley (captain), 7 Cyle Brink, 6 Albertus Smith, 5 Marvin Orie, 4 Stephan Lewies, 3 Carlu Sadie, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Sti Sithole.
Replacements: 16 Robbie Coetzee, 17 Frans Van Wyk, 18 Johannes Jonker, 19 Wilhelm van der Sluys, 20 Marnus Schoeman, 21 Nic Groom, 22 Franco Naude, 23 Ruan Combrinck.