2012 Chiefs (rugby union) season
# 2012 Chiefs (rugby union) season

In 2012, following the disappointing results of previous years, the Chiefs underwent a significant change in personnel. This included the recruitment of new coaches, including Dave Rennie and Wayne Smith, and players, including Aaron Cruden, Ben Tameifuna, Brodie Retallick and Sonny Bill Williams. The changes had an immediate impact as the Chiefs finished at the top of the New Zealand conference, qualifying for a home semi-final, which they won, defeating the Crusaders 20–17. They subsequently hosted the final for the first time in the teams's history, comprehensively defeating the Sharks by 37–6, claiming their first title. They also set many club records in the 2012 season, including: most home wins, best home streak, best season winning streak, and most points and tries scored.

## Standings

The final standings of the 2012 Super Rugby season were:

| New Zealand Conference |
| - |
| Pos | Team | Rnd | W | D | L | Bye | PF | PA | PD | TF | TA | TB | LB | Pts |
| 1 | Chiefs | 18 | 12 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 444 | 358 | +86 | 47 | 30 | 5 | 3 | 64 |
| 2 | Crusaders | 18 | 11 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 485 | 343 | +142 | 47 | 34 | 5 | 4 | 61 |
| 3 | Hurricanes | 18 | 10 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 489 | 429 | +60 | 58 | 39 | 8 | 1 | 57 |
| 4 | Highlanders | 18 | 9 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 359 | 385 | -26 | 36 | 31 | 2 | 4 | 50 |
| 5 | Blues | 18 | 4 | 0 | 12 | 2 | 359 | 430 | -71 | 34 | 50 | 2 | 6 | 32 |
| Overall Standings |
| Pos | Team | Rnd | W | D | L | Bye | PF | PA | PD | TF | TA | TB | LB | Pts |
| 1 | Stormers | 18 | 14 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 350 | 254 | +96 | 28 | 21 | 0 | 2 | 66 |
| 2 | Chiefs | 18 | 12 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 444 | 358 | +86 | 47 | 30 | 5 | 3 | 64 |
| 3 | Reds | 18 | 11 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 359 | 347 | +12 | 38 | 36 | 4 | 2 | 58 |
| 4 | Crusaders | 18 | 11 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 485 | 343 | +142 | 47 | 34 | 5 | 4 | 61 |
| 5 | Bulls | 18 | 10 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 472 | 369 | +103 | 50 | 38 | 6 | 5 | 59 |
| 6 | Sharks | 18 | 10 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 436 | 348 | +88 | 47 | 31 | 7 | 4 | 59 |
| 7 | Brumbies | 18 | 10 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 404 | 331 | +73 | 41 | 31 | 5 | 5 | 58 |
| 8 | Hurricanes | 18 | 10 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 489 | 429 | +60 | 58 | 39 | 8 | 1 | 57 |
| 9 | Highlanders | 18 | 9 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 359 | 385 | -26 | 36 | 31 | 2 | 4 | 50 |
| 10 | Cheetahs | 18 | 5 | 0 | 11 | 2 | 391 | 458 | -67 | 35 | 47 | 3 | 7 | 38 |
| 11 | Waratahs | 18 | 4 | 0 | 12 | 2 | 346 | 407 | -61 | 33 | 43 | 3 | 8 | 35 |
| 12 | Blues | 18 | 4 | 0 | 12 | 2 | 359 | 430 | -71 | 34 | 50 | 2 | 6 | 32 |
| 13 | Rebels | 18 | 4 | 0 | 12 | 2 | 362 | 520 | -158 | 37 | 59 | 3 | 5 | 32 |
| 14 | Force | 18 | 3 | 0 | 13 | 2 | 306 | 440 | -134 | 30 | 49 | 2 | 5 | 27 |
| 15 | Lions | 18 | 3 | 0 | 13 | 2 | 317 | 460 | -143 | 30 | 52 | 2 | 3 | 25 |

## Results

The results of the Chiefs during the 2012 Super Rugby season were:

## Squad

The Chiefs squad for the 2012 Super Rugby season were:

| 2013 Chiefs squad |
| - |
| Props Ben Afeaki Shane Cleaver Josh Hohneck Toby Smith Ben Tameifuna Sona Taumalolo Hookers Marcel Cummings-Toone Hika Elliot Mahonri Schwalger Locks Craig Clarke (c) Michael Fitzgerald Romana Graham Brodie Retallick Kane Thompson | Loose forwards Alex Bradley Sam Cane Tanerau Latimer Fritz Lee Liam Messam (c) Scott Waldrom Scrum-halves Tawera Kerr-Barlow Brendon Leonard Augustine Pulu Fly-halves Aaron Cruden Andrew Horrell | Midfield Richard Kahui Asaeli Tikoirotuma Sonny Bill Williams Jackson Willison Wingers Lelia Masaga Tim Nanai-Williams Maritino Nemani Declan O'Donnell Fullbacks Robbie Robinson |
| (c) denotes team captain, Bold denotes player is internationally capped. |

## Player statistics

The Chiefs players' appearance and scoring statistics for the 2012 Super Rugby season are:

| Player | Apps | Tries | Cons | Pens | DGs | Pts | YC | RC |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Ben Afeaki | 5 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Alex Bradley | 6 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Sam Cane | 18 | 1 | - | - | - | 5 | - | - |
| Craig Clarke | 16 | 1 | - | - | - | 5 | - | - |
| Shane Cleaver | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Aaron Cruden | 18 | 3 | 43 | 50 | - | 251 | - | - |
| Marcel Cummings-Toone | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Hika Elliot | 16 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Michael Fitzgerald | 12 | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - |
| Romana Graham | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Josh Hohneck | 5 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Andrew Horrell | 14 | 1 | - | - | - | 5 | - | - |
| Richard Kahui | 11 | 1 | - | - | - | 5 | - | - |
| Tawera Kerr-Barlow | 16 | 2 | - | - | - | 10 | - | - |
| Tanerau Latimer | 17 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Fritz Lee | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Brendon Leonard | 8 | 1 | - | - | - | 5 | - | - |
| Lelia Masaga | 13 | 6 | - | - | - | 30 | - | - |
| Liam Messam | 17 | 4 | - | - | - | 20 | - | - |
| Tim Nanai-Williams | 13 | 4 | - | - | - | 20 | - | - |
| Maritino Nemani | 4 | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - |
| Declan O'Donnell | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Augustine Pulu | 8 | 1 | - | - | - | 5 | - | - |
| Brodie Retallick | 17 | 1 | - | - | - | 5 | - | - |
| Robbie Robinson | 15 | 2 | - | - | - | 10 | - | - |
| Mahonri Schwalger | 18 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Toby Smith | 8 | 1 | - | - | - | 5 | - | - |
| Ben Tameifuna | 16 | 1 | - | - | - | 5 | - | - |
| Sona Taumalolo | 18 | 9 | - | - | - | 45 | - | - |
| Kane Thompson | 13 | 1 | - | - | - | 5 | - | - |
| Asaeli Tikoirotuma | 15 | 7 | - | - | - | 35 | - | - |
| Scott Waldrom | 3 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Sonny Bill Williams | 18 | 5 | - | - | - | 25 | - | - |
| Jackson Willison | 13 | 1 | - | - | - | 5 | - | - |
| Total | 18 | 53 | 43 | 50 | - | 501 | 2 | - |
