Muliaina: We didn't "turn up"

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Chiefs captain Mils Muliaina says his side failed to "front" in Sunday's Rebel Sport Super 14 final, going on to lose to the Bulls by a record score of 61-17.

Despite scoring the opening try of the final played at Pretoria's Loftus Versfeld, the Chiefs were blown off the park by a rampant Bulls side.

Playing in-front of a rampant 50,000 crowd at their Pretoria base, the Bulls constantly made Muliaina's side pay for their mistakes.

In the week leading up to the final, the Chiefs had spoken of how they had to be both clinical and keep their mistakes to a minimum if they were to stand a show of beating the Bulls.

They failed to do that, with Muliaina saying that inability had proven to be costly.

"We just couldn't get going," he said.

"We didn't quite turn up tonight.

"We weren't allowed to play by a fantastic Bulls side. But I am very proud of the efforts this year.

"It has been a hard few years, but it has been a damned pleasure captaining you guys."

Muliaina said of the Bulls: "You thoroughly deserved to win, you showed us how to play.

"You truly deserve your win, well done on a fantastic season."

The 44-point win was the biggest final victory in the history of Super Rugby, which stretches back to 1996.

The Chiefs trailed by 34-7 at halftime, with an intercept try from Bryan Habana on the break all-but securing the Bulls their second Super Rugby crown.

It was one of two intercept tries scored by the Bulls.

The result meant it was a bitter-sweet night for Chiefs vice-captain Liam Messam, who was appearing in his 50th Super Rugby match.

"They are hard to stop," Messam said.

"They just kept coming and coming. We probably didn't help ourselves, but full credit to them; they took it to us today.

"We tried to hold onto the ball and I thought we were coming back in the second half.

"(But) they are a really deadly team, if you turn over the ball they scored down the other end."

Muliaina gathered his side in a tight huddle soon after full-time.

Messam said the franchise's inspirational captain had urged them to keep their heads up despite the hiding they received at the hands of the Bulls, stressing that the Chiefs had still been successful in 2009.

"He was just saying he was real proud of us, what we had done this season," Messam said.

"He said the scoreline didn't reflect the heart and determination the boys had."