Lucky 13: The Crusaders beat the Chiefs 16-12 to win the Super Rugby title for the 13th time
CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand (AP) — The Crusaders won the Super Rugby title for the 13th time by edging the Chiefs 16-12 on Saturday for their 32nd straight win in home playoffs.
The Hamilton-based Chiefs lost in the final for the third straight year and for the second time to the Crusaders by a margin of five points or less.
The Crusaders clung to a one-point lead for 33 minutes, from just before halftime until the 71st minute when flyhalf Rivez Reihana kicked a penalty for the only points of the second half. They then held on under immense pressure to clinch their victory.
The win was especially poignant for the Crusaders, who won only four matches last year in one of their worst-ever seasons, ending their run of seven-straight titles. They were also playing for the last time in the 'temporary' stadium that has been their home ground since their former headquarters was destroyed in the 2011 Christchurch earthquake.
The Crusaders' kicking game was superb and they dominated the contest in the air, particularly through fullback Will Jordan. They kept Chiefs' flyhalf Damian McKenzie under wraps and their defense was superb, though the Chiefs scored first-half tries through prop George Dyer and fullback Shaun Stevenson.
The Crusaders scored a try through veteran hooker Codie Taylor and led 13-12 at halftime with a conversion and two penalties to Reihana.
'Where we were at the end of last year, the start of this year we had a mountain to climb,' said Jordan, who won his seventh Super Rugby title. 'Everyone had to dig deep and it hasn't been easy.
'It's taken some long hours, some hard conversations but we just ground it out tonight in front of our fans.'
The Chiefs were stifled for long periods by the Crusaders' smothering defense. While they disrupted the Crusaders' lineout, they were under pressure at scrums and they weren't able to create the space their backs needed in the second half.
'It was a classic final, two great teams going at it and a small margin,' Chiefs captain Luke Jacobson said. 'The Crusaders did really well to win the halfway and play at the right end of the field.
'I felt we had some good attack when we got into their half, we put some good pressure on them but we just didn't play enough footy down there.'
The Crusaders started the match applying pressure on the Chiefs inside their 22. When the Chiefs finally got possession, they had 24 phases inside the Crusaders' 22 before McKenzie knocked on.
The Crusaders conceded two early scrum penalties, then the Chiefs conceded two as the set piece began untidily.
Crusaders captain David Havili was shown a yellow card in the 12th minute after a head clash with Chiefs winger Emoni Narawa. From the resulting penalty, the Chiefs kicked into the corner, won the lineout and midfielder Quinn Tupaea had two strong carries before Dyer scored under the posts.
Taylor broke away from a disintegrating maul in the 26th minute and dashed more than 20 meters down the narrow left flank to score. Reihana's conversion leveled the score at 7-7 and the Crusaders led for the first time in the 28th minute when a Reihana penalty. Another penalty made the score 13-7.
The Chiefs hit back just before halftime with a try to Stevenson who scored in the right corner after 16 phases.
___
AP rugby: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby
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SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Tenesi played the character of Billy Charlebois in the 1977 classic sports movie and played several seasons of pro hockey in various minor leagues. A cause of death was not announced. 'We're saddened to learn of the passing of Guido Tenesi, a member of our roster during the 1974 Calder Cup championship, and was known to many more for his role as Billy Charlebois in the classic hockey film Slap Shot ,' the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League posted on X. 'Our hearts are with his family, friends, and teammates.' We're saddened to learn of the passing of Guido Tenesi, a member of our roster during the 1974 Calder Cup championship, and was known to many more for his role as Billy Charlebois in the classic hockey film 'Slapshot.' Our hearts are with his family, friends, and teammates. — Hershey Bears (@TheHersheyBears) June 20, 2025 Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The native of Detroit played two seasons in the OHL with the Oshawa Generals before being selected in the fifth round of the 1973 NHL draft by the Pittsburgh Penguins and also in the ninth round of the WHA amateur draft by the Toronto Toros. Over his seven-year career, the defenceman never made it to the big show, playing a total of seven seasons with the Bears, Tulsa Oilers, Johnstown Jets, Maine Nordiques and Grand Rapids Owls. During his time with the Jets — where he helped the team win the North American Hockey League championship in 1975 — he landed the role in the Paul Newman film. 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RIP Guido Tenesi "Pretty boy" Good guy gone too behalf of myself and Vicki We send our heartfelt condolences. He always had HONOR and Class. Prayers for comfort to the entire family and my fellow teammates and co actors who experience yet another loss of the teammate — Steve Carlson #17 (@steve_carlson17) June 19, 2025 This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'On behalf of myself and Vicki We send our heartfelt condolences. He always had HONOR and Class. Prayers for comfort to the entire family and my fellow teammates and co actors who experience yet another loss of the teammate,' he added Slap Shot was Tenesi's only acting credit and, after retiring from hockey in 1987 following a season in the Italian league, he worked as a swimming pool technician in Toronto. 'He never chased fame. He never needed to. 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