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The Chiefs (formerly known as '''Waikato Chiefs'''), are a New Zealand Rugby Union team based in Hamilton, New Zealand , and representing the Counties Manukau , Waikato, Thames Valley, King Country and Bay of Plenty unions; up until 1999 North Harbour which was ''swapped'' with the Blues for Counties Manukau. The Chiefs are based in the city of Hamilton, with their home ground being the Waikato Stadium. Originally the Chiefs had North Harbour and Northland in an effort by the NZRU to prevent the Blues from playing a team of All Blacks in all but name due to the preponderence of All Blacks from the Auckland, Counties Manukau and North Harbour at the time. They compete in the Super 14 competition (which was known as the Super 12 from 1996 through to 2005), in which it has been the least successful of the competition's five New Zealand sides. In 2004 , the Chiefs earned their first semifinal berth. Until this point the Chiefs had been the only New Zealand side that never qualified for the Super 12 semifinals. although they bowed out in 4th place, defeated 37-20 in the semifinal by the ACT Brumbies . SUPER 12 POSITIONS CURRENT PLAYERS FORMER PLAYERS EXTERNAL LINKS
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