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News24
9 hours ago
- Sport
- News24
15 of the best for Crusaders as Chiefs choke on third consecutive Super Rugby Final attempt
The Crusaders returned to the summit of Super Rugby Pacific, where they've generally belonged, after they beat the Chiefs 16-12 in the grand final in Christchurch. The Chiefs lost a third consecutive final, while the Crusaders, who were disappointing last year, sealed a 15th title. The Crusaders have now won 32 consecutive playoff matches since 1998 when they first hosted a semi-final when they beat the Sharks. For more, please visit News24 Sport's rugby section. The Crusaders edged the Chiefs 16-12 in an intense Super Rugby Pacific final battle in Christchurch on Saturday to claim their 15th title in 30 years of the Southern Hemisphere competition. Hooker Codie Taylor scored a try and Rivez Reihana contributed 11 points from the kicking tee as the most dominant team in Super Rugby history extended their perfect home playoff record to 32 successive matches since 1998. They won the 1998 semi-final against the Sharks 36-32, from where they won the first of their 15 titles with their 20-13 win over the Blues at Eden Park. The Chiefs, who were looking for a first title since 2013, scored first-half tries through George Dyer and Shaun Stevenson but were unable to register a point after the break and fell to defeat in the final for the third straight year. The contest between two New Zealand heavyweights was predicted to be an arm-wrestle and so it proved with big collisions, a ferocious battle at the breakdown and accurate tactical kicking. Crusaders skipper David Havili was sent to the sin bin in the 11th minute for a high tackle on Emoni Narawa and the Chiefs cashed in when prop Dyer crashed over for a converted try. The lead lasted until the 26th minute when All Black Taylor broke off maul on the 22 and raced down the touchline to open the scoring for the Crusaders. Home flyhalf Reihana converted and kicked two penalties in six minutes around the half-hour mark to delight the sellout crowd and open up a 13-7 lead. The Chiefs hit back just before the break when fullback Stevenson went over for a try in the corner but Damian McKenzie failed to nail the conversion from wide out and the Crusaders retained a 13-12 lead at halftime. The physicality was unrelenting in the second half with McKenzie coming in for particular attention from the Crusaders and the slight flyhalf missed a long-range penalty which would have put the Chiefs ahead in the 55th minute. READ | SA Rugby chief Oberholzer pours cold water on White's Bok complaints The Chiefs then held up Christian Lio-Willie over the line to repel the Crusaders after 25 phases of attack to keep the match a one-point affair. McKenzie was caught in possession and stripped of the ball under the posts in the 66th minute but the Crusaders again came away without points as scrumhalf Noah Hotham was penalised for offside. A dominant scrum earned the Crusaders a penalty seven minutes from time and Reihana slotted home the kick to score the first points of the second half and give the home side enough of a cushion to get over the line. The Crusaders have now won 13 full editions of Super Rugby, including three in the last four years, as well as two New Zealand-only versions played in 2020 and 2021 during the COVID pandemic.
The Guardian
9 hours ago
- Sport
- The Guardian
Crusaders pile more misery on Chiefs to win 13th Super Rugby title
The Crusaders are again the kings of Super Rugby Pacific after consigning the Chiefs to a third-straight loss in the title decider. Playing in Christchurch, the Crusaders claimed a 32nd successive play-off home match victory over three decades of Super Rugby as they downed the Chiefs 16-12 in Saturday's final. It is the Crusaders' 13th title in a combined competition while the Chiefs, who were minor premiers, become just the second team in history to lose three straight Super finals, joining the Lions from South Africa (2016-2018). The victory was all the more remarkable given they missed the top eight play-offs in 2024, although they have now won three of the last four titles on offer. 'Where we were at the end of last year, the start of this year we had a mountain to climb,' said Crusaders fullback Will Jordan, who won his seventh Super Rugby title. 'Everyone had to dig deep and it hasn't been easy.' The victory came in a disappointing week for their Australian veteran playmaker James O'Connor, who missed selection for the Wallabies' squad to face Fiji and likely the British and Irish Lions, seeemingly drawing the curtain on his Test career. Used off the bench for most of the season, O'Connor only came on the field to replace rising star Rivez Reihana with just over a minute remaining, having been a a steady contributor since leaving Queensland to take his chances with the Crusaders in 2025. The Crusaders' All Blacks hooker Codie Taylor scored a brilliant try and Reihana contributed 11 points from the kicking tee, including a crucial second-half penalty while his opposite Damian McKenzie missed a 54th minute penalty and a first-half conversion. Hunting their first title since 2013, the Chiefs scored first-half tries through prop George Dyer and fullback Shaun Stevenson but were unable to register a point after the break as the Crusaders' forward and defensive pressure took its toll. The Crusaders have now won 13 full editions of Super Rugby, including three in the last four years, as well as two New Zealand-only versions played in 2020 and 2021 during the COVID pandemic. The final siren sounds at the Super Rugby Pacific Grand Final 🤩#SuperRugbyPacific #CRUvCHI #SRPGrandFinal The defeat was a bitter blow for the Chiefs. '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.'
CNA
9 hours ago
- Sport
- CNA
Crusaders back on top after edging Chiefs in Super Rugby final
The Canterbury Crusaders edged the Waikato Chiefs 16-12 in an intense Super Rugby Pacific final battle in Christchurch on Saturday to claim their 15th title in 30 years of the Southern Hemisphere competition. Hooker Codie Taylor scored a try and Rivez Reihana contributed 11 points from the kicking tee as the most dominant team in Super Rugby history got back to title-winning ways after missing the playoffs last season. "We had a shocking year last year but we're back at the top," said flyhalf Reihana, who was named Player of the Match. "Just so stoked to be a part of this team... lucky we've got some world-class players that we're able to rely on in those crunch moments." The Chiefs, who were looking for a first title since 2013, scored first-half tries through George Dyer and Shaun Stevenson but were unable to register a point after the break and fell to defeat in the final for the third straight year. "I think it was a classic final, two good teams going at it, small margins," said Chiefs skipper Luke Jacobson. "I felt like we had some really 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 contest between two New Zealand heavyweights was predicted to be an arm-wrestle and so it proved with big collisions, a ferocious battle at the breakdown and accurate tactical kicking. Crusaders skipper David Havili was sent to the sin bin in the 11th minute for a high tackle on Emoni Narawa and the Chiefs cashed in when prop Dyer crashed over for a converted try. The lead lasted until the 26th minute when All Black Taylor broke off maul on the 22 and raced down the touchline to open the scoring for the Crusaders. Home flyhalf Reihana converted and kicked two penalties in six minutes around the half-hour mark to delight the sellout crowd and open up a 13-7 lead. The Chiefs hit back just before the break when fullback Stevenson went over for a try in the corner but Damian McKenzie failed to nail the conversion from wide out and the Crusaders retained a 13-12 lead at halftime. The physicality was unrelenting in the second half with McKenzie coming in for particular attention from the Crusaders and the slight flyhalf missed a long-range penalty which would have put the Chiefs ahead in the 55th minute. The Chiefs then held up Christian Lio-Willie over the line to repel the Crusaders after 25 phases of attack to keep the match a one-point affair. McKenzie was caught in possession and stripped of the ball under the posts in the 66th minute but the Crusaders again came away without points as scrumhalf Noah Hotham was penalised for offside. A dominant scrum earned the Crusaders a penalty seven minutes from time and Reihana slotted home the kick to score the first points of the second half and give his team enough of a cushion to extend their perfect home playoff record to 32 matches. The Crusaders have now won 13 full editions of Super Rugby, including three in the last four years, as well as two New Zealand-only versions played in 2020 and 2021 during the COVID pandemic.
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
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. Advertisement 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. Advertisement '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. Advertisement '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. Advertisement 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:
Associated Press
9 hours ago
- Sport
- Associated Press
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:
