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Go the Chiefs

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Lovelee
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« on: May 25, 2009, 06:03:05 pm »

Fans bid Chiefs adieu (+ isay)

They were loud, loyal and up very early.

A small, but vocal, crowd of about 20 Chiefs supporters congregated at Waikato Stadium early today as the Super 14 finalists boarded their bus for Auckland and the long flight to Pretoria and their final showdown with the Bulls.

And it was the earliest of early starts: fans began milling around the stadium's Seddon Rd entrance about 2.25am, more than half an hour before the bus carrying the Chiefs headed out into the darkness.

Not surprisingly, those spoken to by the Waikato Times were the hardiest of Waikato and Chiefs fans farmers.

Clad in his Waikato rugby scarf and wig, Pirongia's Peter Cumming and his wife, Janice, were among the rowdiest, telling the players they "don't need good luck, because you're going to win".

"We'll be right here when they come home as champions," Mr Cumming declared, adding he was heading back to bed for a little while, then up to shift some cows.

The Cummings, both season ticket-holders, found out about the Chiefs' early morning departure through fellow farmers and Chiefs fans Greg and Adrienne Connor of Pukeatua.

"We texted these two and said `we'll be there to pick you up at 1.30am'," Mr Connor said.

The Connors and the Cummings, who were up at 1am to make it in time, had been to every Chiefs home game this season, and Mr Cumming conceded he'd been tempted to quickly sell a few cows to finance a package deal to South Africa to be at the final.

Orini's Jason Uden and Gordonton's Damien Reid, also farmers, shared their confidence in the Chiefs' ability to claim an inaugural Super rugby title.

"We'll win," Mr Reid said.



Mr Uden had to convince his wife he was "still sane" when he announced he was getting up in the middle of the night to head to a dark and empty stadium.

Chiefs coach Ian Foster described the hardy early-morning supporters as "very keen".

"I'm very impressed. It's a fantastic reflection of the support for us over the last few weeks."

Foster said he had family connections in Pretoria though his brother and sister-in-law were likely to be the only Chiefs fans at Loftus Versfeld.

Chiefs centre Richard Kahui said there was real excitement and the players were keen to reach South Africa and begin their preparations.

"We know we're going for 80 minutes of the most hostile finals football we'll play."


http://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/news/2438295/Fans-bid-Chiefs-adieu-isay/
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