Charlie Ngatai has pushed his case for national selection with four tries in the Chiefs' 53-10 Super Rugby victory over the Force in Hamilton.
Charlie Ngatai and Ryan Louwrens compete for the ball. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
The home side showed no signs of weariness following a round the world trip that featured consecutive stops in South Africa and Argentina, while the Force looked like they'd run to the Waikato from Palmerston North where they lost to the Hurricanes last week.
The Chiefs earned a bonus point with nine tries, the first of which was scored by fullback Damian McKenzie from a clever turnover on the Chiefs' 22 by co- captain Sam Cane.
McKenzie handled the ball three times in a movement that featured brilliant offloads by Aaron Cruden and James Lowe.
Damian McKenzie celebrates his try Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Ben Tapuai answered with a five pointer for the Force before the Chiefs loose forward and Japan captain, Michael Leitch, scored a classic number eight's try in a break from the back of the scrum.
Ahead 12-10 at the start of the second half, the Chiefs extended their lead through tries to Ngatai and a well worked move that sent replacement Toni Pulu over in the corner.
Ngatai beat five defenders to score his second in the 61st minute after a breathtaking sequence of passes from the Chiefs, which they duplicated to send James Lowe over in the corner two minutes later.
In the 69th minute, the World Cup winning All Black Stephen Donald took the field for the Chiefs for the first time in five years following stints with Bath in England and Mitsubishi in Japan.
From first-five, Donald casually ran a one-two pass that sent McKenzie over for his second before Ngatai scored his third from a tight-head.
Charlie Ngatai scores his second. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Ngatai's fourth came shortly after the buzzer, which tied the record for most tries in a match by a Chiefs player.
"I think in the first half we were playing a good brand of footy but we just weren't accurate enough," Cane told Sky Sport after the match.
"In the second half some of those passes started to stick, we were a little bit more clinical at the break down and held onto it for longer periods of time."
"Great to see the boys cross the line for a few tries."
