The end of a three-week overseas trek seemingly took its toll on a lacklustre Chiefs side, who were made to work hard to get past the Force in their Super Rugby clash in Perth on Saturday night.
After two weeks in South Africa, the Western Australia stopover is never an easy one at the best of times, and the Chiefs had to keep their heads screwed on just to come away on the right side of the ledger at nib Stadium, eventually breathing sighs of relief with the 16-7 scoreline.
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Chiefs pip Force in Perth
The boot of Aaron Cruden was the difference as the Chiefs snuck past the Force, 16 to 7.
With the Force in their first outing since Sanzaar's announcement of the competition reduction from next year - which has them as one in the line of the hovering axe - the hosts were always going to be ready for more than their usual scrap, in front of the 14,089 faithful.
And with a Chiefs side willing to play their up-tempo style, but guilty of pushing too many passes and making some uncharacteristic tired errors, it all equated to a lousy affair.
In the end, three second half penalty goals to Aaron Cruden was the difference in a one try-apiece-game, as the Chiefs were made to run the second 40 with Finlay Christie at halfback, with Tawera Kerr-Barlow not returning after halftime due to concussion.
Damian McKenzie was at his scything best at times, but the Chiefs just couldn't turn his spark into points, with Cruden perhaps unlucky not to be awarded a try from a tap and go - deemed to have gone from off the mark - while Stephen Donald looked to be in late, but was picked up for a knock on.
Looking to rectify their recent slow starts, the visitors managed just that. Their customary will to run from deep and keep the ball alive - they have popped the most offloads in the competition - saw Liam Messam drive over early. And it was a try more valuable than what was originally imagined.
The Chiefs looked the far more inspiring with ball in hand, but just couldn't hold onto the pill to wear down the defensive line of the hosts, who were mostly guilty of going nowhere. That changed on the half-hour, when inspirational skipper Matt Hodgson crashed over, after the Chiefs made a right hash of defending the lineout drive.
That saw the teams go to halftime 7-7, with the visitors unable to convert a gilt-edged chance late in the half, with Siegfried Fisi'ihoi knocking on close to the line, the poor old prop having also been within smelling distance of a five-pointer in the leadup to Messam's.
The result sees the Chiefs third in the New Zealand conference, level on points with the Hurricanes, though behind on points differential, with the duo three behind the unbeaten Crusaders. They face the Sunwolves in Hamilton next Saturday.
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