Hamilton - Springbok scrumhalf Fourie du Preez produced a superb all-round display to seal a 33-19 victory for the Bulls over the Chiefs in their Super 14 match in Hamilton on Friday.

Du Preez, who had darted 40 metres through a back-pedalling defence to set up Gary Botha's try to give the Bulls a 28-19 lead with 12 minutes remaining, had a try disallowed minutes later after he had scampered 70 metres following an intercept.

Referee Jonathan Kaplan instead returned to just outside the Bulls 22-metre area after advice from his assistant referee Kane McBride to issue a penalty against Deon Stegmann for a dangerous and late tackle.

Inside centre Stephen Donald, however, missed the easy penalty attempt and the fight went out of the home side, and a late Dewald Potgieter try gave the visitors a bonus point win and ensured they went to the top of the Super 14 table.

"It's great to (finally) win here," Bulls captain Victor Matfield said after his side won their first Super rugby game in Hamilton. "It's always good to win in New Zealand (because) it's the toughest place in the world to tour."

Chiefs stand-in captain Liam Messam said it was a tough night.

"Mentally and physically we just came up short in the end," Messam said. "It was physical. These are big South African men and we did our best to match them."

The Bulls went into the break with a 15-13 lead courtesy of tries by wing Gerhard van den Heever and No 8 Pierre Spies, while Morne Steyn added a conversion and penalty, though he surprisingly missed three other kicks at goal.

Chiefs scrumhalf Brendon Leonard also capitalised on sloppy handling by Steyn to pick up a loose ball five metres out and force his way over.

Donald added a conversion and two penalties to ensure the gap was two points at the break before he added two more early in the second half to give the Chiefs a 19-15 lead.

Steyn added two more penalties before du Preez, whose cover defence had been superb, took the game by the scruff of the neck and ensured his side did not suffer their second successive defeat after they had lost 32-17 to the Blues last week.

In next weekend's Round 10 action, the Bulls travel to Brisbane to face the Reds while the Chiefs host the Stormers in Hamilton.

Teams:

Chiefs:
15. Tim Nanai-Williams, 14. Lelia Masaga, 13. Richard Kahui, 12. Stephen Donald, 11. Dwayne Sweeney, 10. Mike Delany, 9. Brendon Leonard, 8. Sione Lauaki, 7. Tanerau Latimer, 6. Liam Messam (captain), 5. Culum Retallick, 4. Craig Clarke, 3. Ben Afeaki, 2. Hika Elliot, 1. Sona Taumalolo

Substitutes: 16. Vern Kamo, 17. Toby Smith, 18. Jarrad Hoeata, 19. Colin Bourke, 20. Junior Poluleuligaga, 21. Callum Bruce, 22. Jackson Willison

Bulls:
15. Zane Kirchner, 14. Gerhard van der Heever, 13. Stephan Dippenaar, 12. Wynand Olivier, 11. Francois Hougaard, 10. Morné Steyn, 9. Fourie du Preez, 8. Pierre Spies, 7. Dewald Potgieter, 6. Deon Stegmann, 5. Victor Matfield (captain), 4. Danie Rossouw, 3. Werner Kruger, 2. Gary Botha, 1. Gurthrö Steenkamp

Substitutes: 16. Bandise Maku, 17. Bees Roux, 18. Flip van der Merwe, 19. Pedrie Wannenberg, 20. Heini Adams, 21. Jacques-Louis Potgieter, 22. Jaco van der Westhuyzen