The Chiefs are on of the NZRU teams that competes annually in the Super Rugby competition. Although they have sported some All Black players they have never really lived up to expectation. It took them till 2004 to reach a semi-final and 2009 to reach a final. They lost both of these encounters. At most they are a middle of the log team that can show some brilliance at times but not nearly enough to compete on a consistent level with the big names.
They have finished consistently between 6th and 8th place on the log. The best they have done is losing in the 2009 Final to the Bulls by 61-17. This was season where they were the team to beat. Given that there were one or two decision that went against them in that game, but in the end they were outplayed. they seem to have what it takes, but never live up to their potential.
This is how they have done in Super Rugby to date:
Super 12 placing
Year Play Win Draw Loss Place
1996 11 6 0 5 6th
1997 11 4 0 7 11th
1998 11 6 0 5 7th
1999 11 5 0 6 6th
2000 11 3 0 8 10th
2001 11 6 0 5 6th
2002 11 4 0 7 8th
2003 11 2 0 9 10th
2004 11 7 0 4 4th (Lost semi-final to Brumbies)
2005 11 5 1 5 6th
Super 14 placings
Year Play Win Draw Loss Place
2006 13 7 1 5 7th
2007 13 7 1 5 6th
2008 13 7 0 6 7th
2009 13 9 0 4 2nd (Lost in the final against Bulls)
2010 13 4 1 8 11th
Super Rugby placings
The Chiefs finished 11th in the 2011 Super Rugby season.
Super Rugby 2012
In 2012 the Chiefs will be coached by Dave Rennie and Liam Messam and Craig Clarke will captain the following squad:
Ben Afeaki Prop
Shane Cleaver Prop
Toby Smith Prop
Sona Taumalolo Prop (Tonga)
Ben Tameifuna Prop
Hikawera Elliot Hooker
Mahonri Schwalger Hooker (Samoa)
Craig Clarke (C) Lock
Brodie Retallick Lock
Romana Graham Lock
Michael Fitzgerald Lock
Kane Thompson Lock (Samoa)
Sam Cane Flanker
Tanerau Latimer Flanker
Liam Messam(C) Flanker
Scott Waldrom Flanker
Fritz Lee Number8 (Samoa)
Alex Bradley Number8
Brendon Leonard Scrum Half
Tawera Kerr-Barlow Scrum Half
Aaron Cruden Fly Half
Andrew Horrell Fly Half
Sonny Bill Williams Centre
Asaeli Tikoirotuma Centre
Richard Kahui Centre
Jackson Willison Centre
Lelia Masaga Wing
Declan O'Donnell Wing
Maritino Nemani Wing (Fiji)
Robbie Robinson Fullback
Tim Nanai-Williams Fullback
As always there have been changes in the player base. The following players joined the Chiefs:
Shane Cleaver from  Taranaki
Aaron Cruden from  Hurricanes
Michael Fitzgerald from  Manawatu
Maritino Nemani from  Hawke's Bay
Brodie Retallick from  Hawke's Bay
Robbie Robinson from  Highlanders
Ben Tameifuna from  Hawke's Bay
Asaeli Tikoirotuma from  Manawatu
Kane Thompson from  Hawke's Bay
Mahonri Schwalger from  Highlanders
Sonny Bill Williams from Crusaders
The two most notable players to join is Sonny Bill Williams and Aaron Cruden. Both explosive players that can win games.
Then there are those who has left for greener pastures or into retirement only to come back as average commentators or analysts. They are:
Colin Bourke
Mike Delany to  Panasonic Wild Knights
Aled de Malmanche to  Stade Français
Stephen Donald to  Bath Rugby
Toby Lynn to  Western Force
Ben May to  Hurricanes
Taniela Moa to  Pau
Mils Muliaina to  NTT Docomo Red Hurricanes
Culum Retallick to  Highlanders
Isaac Ross to  NTT Shining Arcs
Stephen Setephano to  NTT Docomo Red Hurricanes
Sitiveni Sivivatu to  Clermont
Dwayne Sweeney to  Kyuden Voltex
Hayden Triggs to  Honda Heat
Tana Umaga (retirement)
Nathan White to  Leinster
With Sonny Bill Williams and Aaron Cruden in the mix, the Chiefs might surprise a couple of the stronger teams. It does however seem that they are becoming the Liverpool of Super rugby. Building a team around one or two star players, but that might just not be enough. They have to play more consitant rugby if they are to feature in this tough competition.
Currently they have the squad to beat most teams but are up against two of New Zealand's strongest teams in the Blues and Crusaders. I don't see them finishing higher than 3rd in the NZ conference but they might just surprise me and make it to second. Overall they will probably finsih in the top 8 depending on weaker teams in the other conferences. However I don't see them going to the finals.
But as always this is just my view...
Dave
Super 12 placing
Year Play Win Draw Loss Place
1996 11 6 0 5 6th
1997 11 4 0 7 11th
1998 11 6 0 5 7th
1999 11 5 0 6 6th
2000 11 3 0 8 10th
2001 11 6 0 5 6th
2002 11 4 0 7 8th
2003 11 2 0 9 10th
2004 11 7 0 4 4th (Lost semi-final to Brumbies)
2005 11 5 1 5 6th
Super 14 placings
Year Play Win Draw Loss Place
2006 13 7 1 5 7th
2007 13 7 1 5 6th
2008 13 7 0 6 7th
2009 13 9 0 4 2nd (Lost in the final against Bulls)
2010 13 4 1 8 11th
Super Rugby placings
The Chiefs finished 11th in the 2011 Super Rugby season.
Super Rugby 2012
In 2012 the Chiefs will be coached by Dave Rennie and Liam Messam and Craig Clarke will captain the following squad:
Ben Afeaki Prop
Shane Cleaver Prop
Toby Smith Prop
Sona Taumalolo Prop (Tonga)
Ben Tameifuna Prop
Hikawera Elliot Hooker
Mahonri Schwalger Hooker (Samoa)
Craig Clarke (C) Lock
Brodie Retallick Lock
Romana Graham Lock
Michael Fitzgerald Lock
Kane Thompson Lock (Samoa)
Sam Cane Flanker
Tanerau Latimer Flanker
Liam Messam(C) Flanker
Scott Waldrom Flanker
Fritz Lee Number8 (Samoa)
Alex Bradley Number8
Brendon Leonard Scrum Half
Tawera Kerr-Barlow Scrum Half
Aaron Cruden Fly Half
Andrew Horrell Fly Half
Sonny Bill Williams Centre
Asaeli Tikoirotuma Centre
Richard Kahui Centre
Jackson Willison Centre
Lelia Masaga Wing
Declan O'Donnell Wing
Maritino Nemani Wing (Fiji)
Robbie Robinson Fullback
Tim Nanai-Williams Fullback
As always there have been changes in the player base. The following players joined the Chiefs:
Shane Cleaver from  Taranaki
Aaron Cruden from  Hurricanes
Michael Fitzgerald from  Manawatu
Maritino Nemani from  Hawke's Bay
Brodie Retallick from  Hawke's Bay
Robbie Robinson from  Highlanders
Ben Tameifuna from  Hawke's Bay
Asaeli Tikoirotuma from  Manawatu
Kane Thompson from  Hawke's Bay
Mahonri Schwalger from  Highlanders
Sonny Bill Williams from Crusaders
The two most notable players to join is Sonny Bill Williams and Aaron Cruden. Both explosive players that can win games.
Then there are those who has left for greener pastures or into retirement only to come back as average commentators or analysts. They are:
Colin Bourke
Mike Delany to  Panasonic Wild Knights
Aled de Malmanche to  Stade Français
Stephen Donald to  Bath Rugby
Toby Lynn to  Western Force
Ben May to  Hurricanes
Taniela Moa to  Pau
Mils Muliaina to  NTT Docomo Red Hurricanes
Culum Retallick to  Highlanders
Isaac Ross to  NTT Shining Arcs
Stephen Setephano to  NTT Docomo Red Hurricanes
Sitiveni Sivivatu to  Clermont
Dwayne Sweeney to  Kyuden Voltex
Hayden Triggs to  Honda Heat
Tana Umaga (retirement)
Nathan White to  Leinster
With Sonny Bill Williams and Aaron Cruden in the mix, the Chiefs might surprise a couple of the stronger teams. It does however seem that they are becoming the Liverpool of Super rugby. Building a team around one or two star players, but that might just not be enough. They have to play more consitant rugby if they are to feature in this tough competition.
Currently they have the squad to beat most teams but are up against two of New Zealand's strongest teams in the Blues and Crusaders. I don't see them finishing higher than 3rd in the NZ conference but they might just surprise me and make it to second. Overall they will probably finsih in the top 8 depending on weaker teams in the other conferences. However I don't see them going to the finals.
But as always this is just my view...
Dave
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