28 Feb 2010

Chiefs outclass Force in sweltering heat in Perth

6:05 am on 28 February 2010

The Chiefs maintained their perfect start to the Super 14 rugby season, scoring three tries in a second-half burst to dispatch the injury-ravaged Western Force 37-19 in sweltering conditions in Perth.

After allowing the Force to creep back to a 13-12 deficit, the Chiefs stepped up a gear at the 59th minute when Dwayne Sweeney's stolen ball from a botched lineout ended across the line in the arms of fellow winger Lelia Masaga.

Seven minutes later, the Chiefs were 30-12 up after a converted try to Colin Bourke, who picked up the ball from a five-metre scrum and spun over the line.

Despite temperatures hovering above 30 degrees Celsius on a steamy night in Perth, the Chiefs finished full of running and earned a bonus point when replacement Tim Nanai-Williams launched out of a ruck and dived over two minutes before time.