Western Force vs Chiefs Predictions & Tips - Chiefs set for win on the road

The Chiefs may be coming off an impressive display in Super Rugby Aotearoa but their one charateristic was winning closely fought games. They have not won by a big margin this season so the Force are good value to finish within 16 points.

The Chiefs have won nine of their 11 matches against the Western Force. When they last met the Chiefs won 16-7 in Perth.

The Western Force did well to qualify for the playoffs of the 2021 Super Rugby AU. There they lost 21-9 in Canberra against the Brumbies.

It was a slow start to the tournament as the Force’s new signings took time to settle but they gradually became more competitive. This included a 30-27 victory over the eventual champions, the Reds.

Retaining possession will be key to the Force against the Chiefs and other New Zealand opponents. Their defence has been good this season but it won’t be enough against the top teams from across the Tasman.

Rob Kearney returns from injury to take his place at fullback in a big boost for the hosts. Jake McIntyre gets a chance at flyhalf ahead of Domingo Miotti who has been the star of the Force’s season thus far.

The Chiefs have bounced back superbly this season after losing all eight Super Rugby Aotearoa fixtures in 2020. They reached the final this year, losing out 23-12 to the Crusaders in the final last week.

After losing their first two matches this season, the Chiefs won five in a row to finish second. They suffered a defeat in the final round robin match to the Blues but rested their entire first choice lineup ahead of the final.

The Waikato-based outfit will want to continue this momentum into the cross-Tasman Super Rugby competition. They have a real chance of claiming the title after the disappointment of losing the final.

Damian McKenzie moves from fullback to flyhalf for this match which means Bryn Gatland will warm the bench. Chase Tiatia will start at fullback.