The Chiefs have gone back to the top of the Super Rugby standings after beating the Lions 34-21 with a bonus point in Puke-kohe.
The victory is the Chiefs ninth consecutive win and for the Lions it was their eight consecutive loss.
The bonus point win lifts the Chiefs to 44 points, two clear of the Bulls, who also earned a bonus point in their 41-35 victory over the Melbourne Rebels on Friday, with the Stormers a point further back.
In the other match played last night the Brumbies defeated the Waratahs 23-6 while this morning in South Africa the Sharks beat the Highlanders 28-16 and the Cheetahs won against the Western Force 17-13
Revenge will be on the cards for the Crusaders when they take on the Reds in a repeat of last year's Super Rugby final this afternoon.
The Crusaders will be wary of a Reds side that they have lost to in their last three meetings though all in Brisbane - no Australian team has won against the Crusaders in New Zealand since 2004, and both outfits have made no secret of how much of a grudge match today's clash will be.
In last year's final in Brisbane, the Reds prevailed 18-13 to wreck the Crusaders' hopes of a fairytale end to a traumatic year in which the Christchurch earthquakes forced them to play every game away.
Crusaders prop Ben Franks recalls that loss as the “final kick in the guts” in an emotional and physically draining year and now it is payback.
Crusaders host the Reds at 4pm in a sold out match.
Story by: William Waqavakatoga
Source: planetrugby
