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Straits Times
12-06-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
Blues surge into Super Rugby semi-final grudge match with Crusaders
The Auckland Blues threw a huge spanner into the works of the Super Rugby Pacific playoffs last week and on Friday will be out to do what no team has done in three decades of the competition as they battle for a spot in the final. The defending champion Blues scraped into the playoffs with only six wins from 14 regular season games but hit their powerful stride last week to pip the top-seeded Waikato Chiefs by a point in Hamilton. That earned them a trip to Christchurch to face the 12-times champion Crusaders, who last week extended their perfect home playoff record to 30 games with a convincing victory over the Queensland Reds. The Crusaders are now the top seeds and will host the final if they can get past Vern Cotter's side in the latest edition of New Zealand's biggest grudge match, a fierce provincial rivalry that long precedes Super Rugby. "There's been a Crusaders-Blues rivalry since Super began, but I think what's really etched into that, and runs right through that, is the Canterbury-Auckland rivalry," Crusaders assistant Brad Mooar said on Thursday. "The icons of the game have had moments in those games and now it's this group's opportunity to be in the sun. The eyes are shining, lump in the throat." Crusaders coach Rob Penney has made one enforced change for the clash with injured loosehead prop Tamaiti Williams replaced by fellow All Black George Bower. The Blues also made one change, Zarn Sullivan replacing Corey Evans at fullback. "We're putting things together at the right time of the year," said Cotter. "The guys know how to win big games and that's our goal again on Friday night." The Chiefs, runners-up for the last two years, are still alive in the competition as "lucky losers" and they host the ACT Brumbies at Waikato Stadium in Saturday's second semi-final. The Brumbies, as with all Australian teams, have never won a playoff match in New Zealand but feel their win over the Wellington Hurricanes last week shows they have the stuff to break their run of three consecutive semi-final losses. "There's full belief that if we come out on Saturday and deliver our game, we're able to put in a good performance," Brumbies captain Allan Alaalatoa said on Thursday. "(It'll be) a physical game, for sure. It's going to be one on small margins, the physicality around the breakdown, and your carry intent. It's going to be a good battle." The Brumbies have named an unchanged team studded with Wallabies as they look for their first win over the Chiefs in three years. Chiefs coach Clayton McMillan has captain Luke Jacobson back at flanker after injury and was able to name Quinn Tupaea in his side after the All Blacks centre recovered from a nasty gash to his eye and concussion. "They're hardened, well-drilled and know how to close out a tight contest," McMillan said of the Brumbies. "Their performance against the Hurricanes shows they can be clinical and composed under pressure." REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Reuters
12-06-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
Blues surge into Super Rugby semi-final grudge match with Crusaders
June 12 (Reuters) - The Auckland Blues threw a huge spanner into the works of the Super Rugby Pacific playoffs last week and on Friday will be out to do what no team has done in three decades of the competition as they battle for a spot in the final. The defending champion Blues scraped into the playoffs with only six wins from 14 regular season games but hit their powerful stride last week to pip the top-seeded Waikato Chiefs by a point in Hamilton. That earned them a trip to Christchurch to face the 12-times champion Crusaders, who last week extended their perfect home playoff record to 30 games with a convincing victory over the Queensland Reds. The Crusaders are now the top seeds and will host the final if they can get past Vern Cotter's side in the latest edition of New Zealand's biggest grudge match, a fierce provincial rivalry that long precedes Super Rugby. "There's been a Crusaders-Blues rivalry since Super began, but I think what's really etched into that, and runs right through that, is the Canterbury-Auckland rivalry," Crusaders assistant Brad Mooar said on Thursday. "The icons of the game have had moments in those games and now it's this group's opportunity to be in the sun. The eyes are shining, lump in the throat." Crusaders coach Rob Penney has made one enforced change for the clash with injured loosehead prop Tamaiti Williams replaced by fellow All Black George Bower. The Blues also made one change, Zarn Sullivan replacing Corey Evans at fullback. "We're putting things together at the right time of the year," said Cotter. "The guys know how to win big games and that's our goal again on Friday night." The Chiefs, runners-up for the last two years, are still alive in the competition as "lucky losers" and they host the ACT Brumbies at Waikato Stadium in Saturday's second semi-final. The Brumbies, as with all Australian teams, have never won a playoff match in New Zealand but feel their win over the Wellington Hurricanes last week shows they have the stuff to break their run of three consecutive semi-final losses. "There's full belief that if we come out on Saturday and deliver our game, we're able to put in a good performance," Brumbies captain Allan Alaalatoa said on Thursday. "(It'll be) a physical game, for sure. It's going to be one on small margins, the physicality around the breakdown, and your carry intent. It's going to be a good battle." The Brumbies have named an unchanged team studded with Wallabies as they look for their first win over the Chiefs in three years. Chiefs coach Clayton McMillan has captain Luke Jacobson back at flanker after injury and was able to name Quinn Tupaea in his side after the All Blacks centre recovered from a nasty gash to his eye and concussion. "They're hardened, well-drilled and know how to close out a tight contest," McMillan said of the Brumbies. "Their performance against the Hurricanes shows they can be clinical and composed under pressure."
France 24
12-06-2025
- Sport
- France 24
Blues out to end Crusaders home dominance in Super Rugby semis
The Blues were surprise 20-19 winners in their elimination match against the top-seeded Waikato Chiefs last weekend thanks to All Blacks veteran Beauden Barrett's late conversion. It set up a semi-final against the Crusaders in Christchurch, where the 14-time tournament winners have won 30 play-off matches and never lost. "Yet," said Blues coach Vern Cotter when confronted with those numbers after the Chiefs game. "All I'm saying is... nothing lasts forever." Cotter, the former Scotland and Fiji head coach and forwards coach of the Crusaders when they won titles in 2005 and 2006, continued his fighting talk this week. "They're going to lose one day. When I was at Clermont we won 77 (home) games in a row and, in the end, the pressure was heavy," he said. "One day we knew it was going to happen. They're on 30 and one day it's going to happen. Will it be this week? I don't know, but the boys will be up to push it as best they can." The Crusaders are gunning for an eighth title in nine years after a poor 2024 season which saw them miss the play-offs entirely in coach Rob Penney's first year in charge. They enter Friday's clash without All Blacks prop Tamaiti Williams after he succumbed to a knee injury in the dominant 32-12 win over the Queensland Reds in their qualifying final. Fellow All Black George Bower comes into the starting side. Lifeline The Chiefs are aiming to bounce back from their loss to the Blues when they host the ACT Brumbies on Saturday in Hamilton. Their lifeline came courtesy of a new format for Super Rugby, where the three qualifying final winners, and the top-ranked loser, go through to the last four. Chiefs lock Naitoa Ah Kuoi said they planned to capitalise. "It was a weird Monday but coach (Clayton McMillan) came in and reminded us that we were top of the table coming into the finals, which gave us a lifeline and we can't waste it," Ah Kuoi said. "We've got to be grateful that we're here and make sure we nail that opportunity now that we've been given this extra week." Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham said his side was up to the challenge of facing the Chiefs, after they ended the Wellington Hurricanes' season in a high-scoring 35-28 win in Canberra. "The boys can get a lot of confidence out of the way that we're playing," Larkham said. "There's a lot of stats that show that we're playing very good footy and we've also shown consistency throughout the season."
RNZ News
11-06-2025
- Sport
- RNZ News
Super Rugby Pacific: teams named for semi-finals
After an improbable run to the semi-finals, the Blues carry in much-needed momentum into Friday night's big clash with the Crusaders. They've only made one change to the side that beat the Chiefs but it's an interesting one, with Zarn Sullivan coming in at fullback. That suggests coach Vern Cotter is anticipating a bit of kicking, with Sullivan's boot perhaps the biggest in the country right now. Meanwhile, it's an unchanged Crusaders team that will meet them at Apollo Projects Stadium in Christchurch. There's a slight reshuffle in the loosies for the Chiefs in their side to take on the Brumbies on Saturday night in Hamilton. Wallace Sititi has been named to start at number eight, with Luke Jacobson returning at openside and Samipeni Finau on the blindside. Simon Parker picked up an ankle strain in the loss to the Blues and drops out of the squad, with Jimmy Tupou and Kaylum Boshier on the bench. Quinn Tupaea returns to starts at second five as well. Crusaders v Blues Kick-off: 7:05pm Friday 13 June Apollo Projects Stadium, Christchurch Live blog updates on RNZ Crusaders: 1. George Bower, 2. Codie Taylor, 3. Fletcher Newell, 4. Scott Barrett, 5. Antonio Shalfoon, 6. Ethan Blackadder, 7. Tom Christie, 8. Christian Lio-Willie, 9. Noah Hotham, 10. Rivez Reihana, 11. Sevu Reece, 12. David Havili, 13. Braydon Ennor, 14. Chay Fihaki, 15. Will Jordan Bench: 16. George Bell, 17. Kershawl Sykes-Martin, 18. Seb Calder, 19. Jamie Hannah, 20. Cullen Grace, 21. Kyle Preston, 22. James O'Connor, 23. Dallas McLeod Blues: 1. Joshua Fusitu'a, 2. Ricky Riccitelli, 3. Marcel Renata, 4. Patrick Tuipulotu (c), 5. Laghlan McWhannell, 6. Adrian Choat, 7. Dalton Papali'i, 8. Hoskins Sotutu, 9. Finlay Christie, 10. Beauden Barrett, 11. Caleb Clarke, 12. AJ Lam, 13. Rieko Ioane, 14. Mark Tele'a, 15. Zarn Sullivan Bench: 16. Kurt Eklund, 17. Jordan Lay, 18. Angus Ta'avao, 19. Josh Beehre, 20. Anton Segner, 21. Sam Nock, 22. Harry Plummer, 23. Cole Forbes Zarn Sullivan of the Blues. Photo: Andrew Cornaga/ Chiefs v Brumbies Kick-off: 7:05pm Saturday 14 June FMG Stadium Waikato, Hamilton Live blog updates on RNZ Chiefs: 1. Ollie Norris, 2. Samisoni Taukei'aho, 3. George Dyer, 4. Naitoa Ah Kuoi, 5. Tupou Vaa'i, 6. Samipeni Finau, 7. Luke Jacobson, 8. Wallace Sititi, 9. Cortez Ratima, 10. Damian McKenzie, 11. Leroy Carter, 12. Quinn Tupaea, 13. Daniel Rona, 14. Emoni Narawa, 15. Shaun Stevenson Bench: 16. Brodie McAlister, 17. Jared Proffit, 18. Reuben O'Neill, 19. Jimmy Tupou, 20. Kaylum Boshier, 21. Xavier Roe, 22. Josh Jacomb, 23. Gideon Wrampling
RNZ News
05-06-2025
- Sport
- RNZ News
Super Rugby playoffs: No calculators required for defending champion Blues
Blues head coach Vern Cotter during a Blues Super Rugby Pacific training session at Alexandra Park in Auckland. Photo: Andrew Cornaga / / Photosport Ltd Chiefs v Blues Kick-off: 7:05pm Saturday 7 June FMG Stadium Waikato, Hamilton Live blog coverage on RNZ Sport While the Super Rugby playoff picture appears complicated, it's a very simple equation for the Blues. The new finals format is introduced this weekend, which features a second life for one 'lucky loser.' However, there will be no such reprieve for the defending champions. No calculators required; win and progress, or lose and it's 'better luck next year'. "The weight is off the shoulders. We have qualified. It's 80 minutes of rugby. It's pretty straightforward," said Blues coach Vern Cotter. The Blues have arguably the toughest task of all sides this weekend, heading down the highway to meet a rampant Chiefs side. "It hasn't been an easy season. But we love this time of year, this is what we are in this game for, to be able to challenge for trophies. The objective is clear, it's a knockout game, we need to win to move forward." The quarter-final may see the final appearances in blue for the departing Mark Tele'a, Harry Plummer, Ricky Riccitelli, and Adrian Choat, however there will be no focus on farewells. "That was last week . Now it's just about playoffs and winning." While it's been a poor campaign from the Blues, squeaking into the top six at the expense of a Moana Pasifika side which ran out of gas, Cotter has seen a positive trend from his side in the past month, which most recently included a 46-6 drubbing of the Waratahs to secure their finals berth. "It's all about timing, you've just got to get there, and this is the time you front. As much as the team has been criticised, it has held tough." Rieko Ioane with Blues head coach Vern Cotter. Photo: Brett Phibbs / Chiefs coach Clayton McMillan has made a surprise selection for the quarter, opting to shift 2024 breakout sensation Wallace Sititi to the bench. "That's representative of the depth they have, if we start well, we will we have to finish well because they are a team that can turn things around at any moment, and their bench has been big for them this year." One area of vulnerability for the Chiefs may be their midfield, with incumbents Anton Lienert-Brown and Quinn Tupaea both sidelined with injury. Conversely, Blues centre Reiko Ioane responded to weeks of criticism for poor performances with a hat-trick in the Waratahs rout. "We have gone into play-off mode now."
