Blues shock title favourite Chiefs with 83rd-minute game winner

A rematch of 2024’s Super Rugby Pacific final took place at FMG Stadium Waikato in Hamilton on a clear Saturday night, where the Blues beat the Chiefs, 20-19.

After losing eight games out of the 14 regular-season games, Vern Cotter and the Blues have earned the right to play in the semi-finals, where they will look to defend their Super Rugby Pacific title.

The Chiefs will return to Hamilton next week to take on either the Brumbies or the Hurricanes, depending on the result of their game later on Saturday.

It was the home side who started on the front foot after the Blues were caught not rolling away. The Chiefs decided to take the three from nearly halfway, with McKenzie slotting the kick down the middle.

The Chiefs were then penalised for the exact same thing, and Beauden Barrett’s penalty was successful from right out in front. The scores were locked at 3-3 after five minutes.

Chiefs fullback Shaun Stevenson got his hands on the ball in midfield before a pinpoint cross-field kick fell into Emoni Narawa’s hands. Narawa offloaded it to Samipeni Finau, who was stopped five meters short of the line.

The Chiefs eventually dropped the ball through Naitoa Ah Kuoi, but it was the Chiefs who enjoyed the first dangerous attack with the ball in hand.

The next 15 minutes were dominated mostly by the Chiefs, who had the ball in hand, but the Blues’ defence held strong.

A Finlay Christie midfield box kick backfired on the Blues, as Daniel Rona pounced on a loose ball and sprinted towards the line. Rona saw Cortez Ratima on the inside and kicked him the ball, but Ratima stumbled and dropped the ball just before the line.

Laghlan McWhannell was then caught over the ball illegally, resulting in another Damian McKenzie penalty. McKenzie’s kick sailed between the posts, giving the Chiefs a 6-3 lead after a tense first 30 minutes.

Stevenson once again saw some space in behind the Blues defence, using a short chip kick for McKenzie, who was checked by Ricky Riccitelli. Referee Angus Gardner deemed Riccitelli to have tripped McKenzie, resulting in a yellow card for the Blues hooker.

A bit of Beauden Barrett magic saw him set himself up for what looked like an easy try under the posts, but Barrett couldn’t regather the ball as he slid towards the line.

HT: 9-3 to the Chiefs.

The away side started the better of the two teams in the second half, putting pressure on the Chiefs inside their 22. Adrian Choat went close, before a huge tackle from Finau sent the Blues loose forward backwards. The Chiefs were then penalised out in front, with Barrett adding the three points. 9-6 to the Chiefs after 50 minutes.

The Chiefs’ front row earned the home side another penalty, and McKenzie once again added the three points.

The momentum then shifted towards the Chiefs, as the forwards rolled up their sleeves and decided to use a tap-and-go set play close to the line.

Ratima then fired a pass to McKenzie, who threw an inch-perfect bullet pass to Rona, who found a gap in the Blues’ defensive line. Rona’s try extended the lead to thirteen with 20 minutes to go.

The Blues then thought they had scored, but Caleb Clarke dropped the ball after a bruising tackle by Samipeni Finau as he attempted to score close to the posts.

Referee Angus Gardner went back to a penalty advantage, before replacement Blues hooker Kurt Eklund pushed his way over the line. Eklund’s try was converted by Barrett, moving the Blues to within a converted try’s margin of the Chiefs, 19-13.

McKenzie had the opportunity to close out the game from the sideline, but his penalty attempt went just wide. The Blues then rolled up their sleeves close to the line and thought they had scored through Hoskins Sotutu, but the TMO ruled him to have made a double movement.

The Blues then used their forwards to go close once again, before replacement lock, Josh Beehre, powered his way through two Chiefs defenders to score close to the posts. Barrett successfully added the extras from out in front, giving the Blues the victory in Hamilton.

FT: 20-19 to the Blues.