CHIEFS (SUPER RUGBY FRANCHISE)

(Redirected from Waikato Chiefs)

The 'Chiefs' (formerly known as the 'Waikato Chiefs') are a professional rugby union team based in Hamilton, New Zealand. Their home ground is Waikato Stadium. The Chiefs play in black, red and yellow coloured jerseys. The team competes in the Super 14 competition (known as the Super 12 from 1996 to 2005) and is one of the competition's five New Zealand sides.
The Chiefs current captain in Jono Gibbes, and their head coach Ian Foster. Until 2004, the Chiefs were the only New Zealand side to never have qualified for the Super 12 semi-finals. In that year the Chiefs earned their first semi-final berth, and in the end achieved 4th place (defeated 37-20 in the semi-final by the ACT Brumbies).

Contents
History
Team composition
Super Rugby positions
Super 12 placings
Super 14 placings
2007 Super 14 Squad
2007 Super 14 table
Notable former players
Coaches
Captains
Trivia
References
External links

History


The Chiefs franchise was founded in 1995 for the inaugural Super 12 season in 1996. Prior to the Super 12, the Super 10 competition had been in place, which NPC teams took part in (including Waikato). In the first year of competition the Chiefs placed 6th in the overall standings, missing out on making the finals; winning 6 of their 11 regular season matches. The following season the Chiefs placed 11th, winning 4 games and losing 7. In 1998 the Chiefs performed closer to the standard of their 1996 season and placed at 7th in the final standings. In 1999 the franchise were able to do one better and claimed 6th position on the ladder but were still yet to make the Super 12 finals.
In 2000 the Chiefs won 3 of their regular season games and finished in 10th place by the end of the season. The following season the team equalled their best position again - finishing 6th. In 2002 the team won 4 games and lost 7 to finish in 8th position, and the season after, 2003, fell to a 10th finish. But the season after the Chiefs won 7 regular season games and came in at 4th on the season table - claiming their first semi-final spot in their history. The Chiefs lost the semi-final against the Brumbies. In 2005 the team finished 6th. In 2006 the Super 12 expanded to the Super 14 with the addition of a new Australian and South African team. The Chiefs won 7 of their 13 games and drew once with 5 losses to come 7th.

Team composition


The team represents the provincial unions of Counties Manukau, Waikato, Thames Valley, King Country, and Bay of Plenty. Originally the Chiefs also represented North Harbour and Northland, because when the Super 12 was created in 1995, a large contingent of All Blacks came from Auckland, North Harbour and Counties Manukau.
Had the Blues been allowed to represent Auckland, North Harbour, Counties Manukau and Northland, they would have in effect been able to play a team of All Blacks in all but name. In an effort by the NZRU to make things more fair, the Chiefs were given North Harbour and Northland, while the Blues were given Counties Manukau and Thames Valley. By 1999, clear regional All Blacks dominance no longer existed, so the Chiefs arranged a swap with the Blues. North Harbour and Northland were "returned" to the Blues in exchange for Counties Manukau and Thames Valley.

Super Rugby positions


Super 12 placings

'Super 12 Results'
Year Played Win Draw Loss PF PA Diff BP Points Place Playoffs
199611 6 0 5 291 269 22 4 28 6th
199711 4 0 7 272 295 -23 3 19 11th
199811 6 0 5 279 291 -12 5 29 7th
199911 5 0 6 248 301 -53 6 26 6th
200011 3 0 8 257 352 -95 8 20 10th
200111 6 0 5 301 330 -29 4 28 6th
200211 4 0 7 323 341 -18 8 24 8th
200311 2 0 9 257 274 -17 9 17 10th
200411 7 0 4 274 251 23 5 33 4thLost semi-final to Brumbies
200511 5 1 5 272 250 22 6 28 6th

Super 14 placings

'Super 14 Results'
Year Played Win Draw Loss PF PA Diff BP Points Place Playoffs
200613 7 1 5 325 298 27 6 36 7th

2007 Super 14 Squad



Sosene Anesi (Waikato)
Steven Bates (Waikato)
★ Ben Castle (Bay of Plenty)
★ Simms Davison (Bay of Plenty)
★ Aled de Malmanche (Waikato)
Stephen Donald (Waikato)
Jono Gibbes (Waikato)
Marty Holah (Waikato)
Richard Kahui (Waikato)
Byron Kelleher (Waikato)
Roy Kinikinilau (Waikato)

★ Tanerau Latimer (Bay of Plenty)
Sione Lauaki (Waikato)
Tasesa Lavea (Auckland)
Brendon Leonard (Waikato)
★ Toby Lynn (Waikato)
Lelia Masaga (Counties Manukau)
Liam Messam (Waikato)
Mils Muliaina (Waikato)
★ Jamie Nutbrown (Bay of Plenty)
★ Kristian Ormsby (Counties Manukau)

Keith Robinson (Waikato)
Sitiveni Sivivatu (Waikato)
★ Dwayne Sweeney (Waikato)
★ Niva Ta'auso (Counties Manukau)
★ Anthony Tahana (Bay of Plenty)
★ Tane Tu'ipulotu (Wellington)
★ Craig West (Waikato)
★ Nathan White (Waikato)
Murray Williams (Bay of Plenty)
★ Tom Willis (Waikato)

2007 Super 14 table


Notable former players



Isaac Boss

Jonah Lomu

Caleb Ralph

Bruce Reihana

★ Mark Robinson

David Hill

★ Mark Ranby

★ Keith Lowen

Ian Jones

Coaches



★ 1996 to present:[1]

★ Brad Meurant (1996 - 1997)

★ Ross Cooper (1998 - 2000)

★ John Mitchell (2001)

★ Kevin Greene (2002 - 2003)

★ Ian Foster (2004 - present)

Captains



★ 1996 to present:

★ Richard Turner (1996)

★ Ian Jones (1997)

★ Errol Brain (1998)

★ Michael Collins (1999)

★ Glenn taylor (2000)

★ Deon Muir (2001 - 2002)

★ Jono Gibbes ( 2003 - present)

Trivia



★ The Chiefs were the last team (along with the Brumbies) to get a draw during the Super 12. [2]

References


1. The hisory of the Chiefs
2. http://www.chiefs.co.nz/News/Preview%3A-Chiefs-v-Brumbies/

External links



Official site

Data and statistics itsrugby.co.uk

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