The Chiefs will be back with a vengeance in 2022. Having been pipped at the post by the Crusaders in Super Rugby Aotearoa and falling short in the Trans-Tasman edition.
New Zealand Rugby (NZR) has made the decision to relocate the six New Zealand-based Super Rugby Pacific squads to Queenstown to mitigate against the risk of COVID-19 side-lining any of the teams.
Surviving a storming finish by the Fijian Drua in the humidity of Lautoka at the weekend, the Chiefs find themselves facing a different type of heat in their Super Rugby Pacific quarterfinal against the Waratahs in Hamilton on Saturday.
A fresh looking Super Rugby introduces fan-friendly initiatives and a simplified finals system so what are the five main things we learnt from the draw?
The Chiefs have appointed Warren Gatland to the new position of Director of Rugby, and 2021 acting Head Coach Clayton McMillan appointed as Head Coach for 2022.
Sean Wainui scored a record five tries as the Chiefs signed off their Super Rugby Trans-Tasman campaign with a convincing 40-7 victory over the Waratahs at the Brookvale Oval in Sydney.
The Reds had to withstand a late fightback but eventually clung on for a tense 40-34 victory over the Chiefs in their Super Rugby Trans-Tasman clash in Townsville.
The resurgent Chiefs were at their irrepressible best as they downed the Brumbies 40-19 in Saturday's Super Rugby Trans-Tasman clash at FMG Stadium Waikato.
The Chiefs made it a clean sweep for New Zealand sides in the first round of the Super Rugby Trans-Tasman tournament with a nail-biting 20-19 victory over the Western Force in Perth.