The Chiefs have run in seven tries to score a 43-7 victory over Moana Pasifika at Go Media Stadium Mt Smart and almost secure a top-four finish in Super Rugby Pacific.
All Black Anton Lienert-Brown had arguably his best match of the season as his Chiefs side notched up 31 points in the second half and temporarily moved up to third on the points table.
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A small home crowd at Moana Pasifika's fifth home venue of the season - Hamilton, Eden Park, Whangārei and Tonga - witnessed the game where the Chiefs proved too strong in all aspects of the game.
After a scoreless opening quarter, Quinn Tupaea scored the opening try in the 23rd minute, cutting inside the cover defence and dragging a couple of Moana Pasifika defenders over the line.
Moana Pasifika lost loose forward Irie Papuni (26th) for a head-on-head clash and halfback Aisea Halo (33rd) for a cynical infringement, leaving them temporarily down to 13 players. The Chiefs struck immediately, with first-five Josh Jacomb darting through the defensive line for a 12-0 halftime lead.
The Chiefs took control in the first minute of the second half, with wing Etene Nanai-Seturo scoring a spectacular solo try, regathering his own chip-kick, bumping off a defender and sprinting 30m to score.
The match was over when Lienert-Brown and big loosie Simon Parker scored tries in quick succession as the Chiefs led 31-0 after 58 minutes.
The home side got one back through outside back Anzelo Tuitavuki but the Chiefs completed the rout with tries from flanker Luke Jacobson and wing Liam Coombes-Fabling in the final five minutes.
The Chiefs (8-0-3, 38 points) head to Melbourne next to face the Rebels (5-0-6, 25 points) at AAMI Park next Friday (kick-off 9.35pm NZ Time), while Moana Pasifika (3-0-8, 14 points) take on the competition-leading Hurricanes (9-0-1, 42 points) on Friday (kick-off 7.05pm).
Chiefs 43 (Quinn Tupaea, Josh Jacomb, Etene Nanai-Seturo, Anton Lienert-Brown, Simon Parker, Luke Jacobson, Liam Coombes-Fabling tries; Josh Jacomb 4 con) Moana Pasifika 7 (Anzelo Tuitavuki try; D’Angelo Leuila con). HT: 12-0
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