Chiefs (Super rugby franchise) Totally Explained

Everything about Chiefs Super Rugby Franchise totally explained

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).

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.

Franchise area

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'd 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 records and achievements

Super 12 placings

Year	Played	Win	Draw	Loss	PF	PA	Diff	BP	Points	Place	Playoffs
Super 12 Results
1996	11	6	0	5	291	269	22	4	28	6th
1997	11	4	0	7	272	295	-23	3	19	11th
1998	11	6	0	5	279	291	-12	5	29	7th
1999	11	5	0	6	248	301	-53	6	26	6th
2000	11	3	0	8	257	352	-95	8	20	10th
2001	11	6	0	5	301	330	-29	4	28	6th
2002	11	4	0	7	323	341	-18	8	24	8th
2003	11	2	0	9	257	274	-17	9	17	10th
2004	11	7	0	4	274	251	23	5	33	4th	Lost semi-final to Brumbies
2005	11	5	1	5	272	250	22	6	28	6th

Super 14 placings

Year	Played	Win	Draw	Loss	PF	PA	Diff	BP	Points	Place
Super 14 Results
2006	13	7	1	5	325	298	27	6	36	7th
2007	13	7	1	5	373	321	52	10	40	6th
2008	13	?	?	?	???	???	??	?	??	?th

Players and coaches of note

2008 squad

The squad for the 2008 season:

Props

Hookers

Aled de Malmanche

Tom Willis Locks

Jono Gibbes (Captain)

Toby Lynn

Kevin O'Neill

Kristian Ormsby

Loose Forwards

Tom Harding

Liam Messam Half Backs

Brendon Leonard

Jamie Nutbrown Fly Halfs

Stephen Donald

Tasesa Lavea

Centres

Callum Bruce

Richard Kahui Wingers

Lelia Masaga

Sitiveni Sivivatu

Dwayne Sweeney

Viliame Waqaseduadua Full Backs

Sosene Anesi

Mils Muliaina

Notable players

Mark Robinson

Mark Ranby

Keith Lowen

Ian Jones

Coaches

1996 to present:

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)

Notes and references

Further Information

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