Even with 18 players missing through injury or COVID-19, the Chiefs have proved too strong for Moana Pasifika, defeating the Super Rugby Pacific newcomers 59-12 at Auckland's Mt Smart Stadium.
Up against an ill-disciplined Moana Pasifika side that gave away 15 penalties, the Chiefs ran in a team record-equalling nine tries and conceded just two to seal a valuable bonus-point victory in the only Kiwi Super Rugby encounter played this weekend.
With several players, including five All Blacks, unavailable due to a COVID-19 outbreak in the squad, the Chiefs were forced into late changes before kickoff, as international midfielder Quinn Tupaea moved from the bench into the starting side.
But any disruption caused by the late change wasn't obvious, as the Chiefs opened the scoring in the first 10 minutes.
As one of few returnees from the Chiefs' 24-21 win over the Crusaders last week, Bryn Gatland was on hand to score his side's first try, diving over with his side parked on Moana Pasifika's tryline.
Moana Pasifika hit back just seven minutes later, as a stunning piece of individual brilliance from Neria Fomai saw him beat Gatland and opposite Emoni Narawa to cross over for a try, levelling the scores at 7-7.
Stung by the response, the Chiefs took the attack to Moana Pasifika and scored twice before the break.
Playing in place of All Blacks captain Sam Cane, Scotland-born loose forward Hamilton Burr scored the Chiefs' second try, before Narawa grabbed another on the stroke of halftime to give his side a 19-7 lead at the break.
After halftime, the floodgates well and truly opened, as the Chiefs ran in six more tries against their shell-shocked opposition.
Just two minutes into the half, Jonah Lowe was on the receiving end of a perfect offload from Pita Gus Sowakula to score in the corner, before Tupou Vaa'i broke Moana Pasifika's line to score under the posts.
Sowakula turned from provider to scorer on the hour mark, barging over from close range, as captain Brad Weber grabbed another try from the very next play.
Centre Alex Nankivell scored the Chiefs' eighth of the evening, finishing off a backline move that saw him put away by a flat pass from replacement first-five Josh Ioane.
With eight tries already scored, the Chiefs added a ninth with the last play of the night, when replacement hooker Tyrone Thompson scored from the back of a lineout drive, as his side added 40 points in a dominant second half.
The victory matches the Chiefs record of nine tries scored in a match, achieved against Melbourne Rebels in June 2019.
The bonus-point win takes the Chiefs to fourth on the overall standings with 13 points, two behind the Crusaders in third, as their closest Kiwi competitor.
The Brumbies currently lead the competition with 22 points from five games played, while the Reds sit second with 18 points from five games.
Chiefs 59 (Gatland, Burr, Narawa , Lowe, Vaa'i, Sowakula, Weber, Nankivell, Thompson tries; Gatland 3 conversions, Ioane 4 conversions) Moana Pasifika 12 (Fomai, Apikotoa tries; Lealiifano conversion)
