When reflecting on the reasons behind his team's gutsy 20-13 win over the Blues on Saturday, Chiefs coach Clayton McMillan only had one direction in mind as he reached for the plaudits.
Defence, defence, and more defence.
The hosts were imperious on the other side of the ball all evening at a sodden FMG Stadium, creating a wall of black that the Blues and their arsenal of attacking weapons only breached twice, despite a wealth of possession and territory in their favour.
The Chiefs made over 100 more total tackles than their northern neighbours, repelling wave after wave of offence in one particularly memorable late tryline stand to eventually force the game-ending, result-sealing fumble and spark wild celebration in the stands and across the park.
"Stoked with the defensive resilience," McMillan said after the game. "They threw a lot at us for large periods of the game.
"We really struggled to get out of our own quarter but the boys kept on getting up and working hard for each other. It was more pleasing than some of the nice tries that were scored.
"We've had a team that's been together for a little while and we've had to build some resilience over the past couple of years.
"We're far from a finished product but you know you're trending in the right direction, when you have games like that that could quite easily swing the other way but you just keep working hard for each other and get the result."
That result means the Chiefs remain the only unbeaten side in the competition. Six from six, and six points clear from their closest rivals - the Brumbies - in second.
Co-captain Brad Weber admitted the dynamic of being the hunted rather than the hunting was different to what his team is accustomed to, but they realise the ledger can swing dangerously fast in the other direction.
"It's classic one game at a time for us," said Weber. "The table can shift pretty quickly, all it can take is a couple of losses and you're chasing the pack again.
"In the past couple of seasons we've probably been in the pack chasing the leaders, and now we've got to get used to having a bit of a target on our back and everybody chasing us.
"It brings a lot of excitement in the group. The confidence is sky high at the moment. We've got some gamebreakers - particularly in the back three and with Damian - and our forward pack is going pretty good as well. We love that challenge.
"I love it when our boys are walking around with a bit of swagger about them and that's when they're on I reckon."
First-five Damian McKenzie is one who's been strutting from the front for the Chiefs. The mercurial pivot put on a composed display of game management against the Blues, operating in challenging conditions with a clinical kicking game - both out of his hand and off the tee.
Clearly outplaying his highly vaunted opposite Beauden Barrett - who had a night to forget - it was performance which will have had Ian Foster and his All Blacks cohorts raising their eyebrows.
The Chiefs now enter a bye week McMillan confessed is perfectly timed, allowing his battered group to recharge before a gruelling three-week stretch against the Hurricanes, Drua, and Crusaders.
McMillan was adamant there was no cause for concern regarding the status of co-captain Sam Cane, who departed early after taking a "groin shot" from Barrett.
"This is a hard competition, but it's always helpful to have your nose in front of the pack because there's plenty of rugby left to play and the points table will get pretty congested at the end, no doubt about it
"Our boys deserve a rest. The bye has come at a good time for us. We've invested a lot into the first six weeks and got the reward but now we need to freshen up."
