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Chiefs outmuscle Waratahs up front in big Hamilton win

HAMILTON, NEW ZEALAND - APRIL 04: Quinn Tupaea of the Chiefs celebrates after scoring a try during the round eight Super Rugby match between Chiefs and NSW Waratahs at FMG Stadium Waikato, on April 04, 2026, in Hamilton, New Zealand. (Photo by Phil Walter/Getty Images)

The NSW Waratahs have crashed back to earth with a crushing 42-14 Super Rugby Pacific loss to the Chiefs in Hamilton.

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After snapping an eight-match losing streak against the ACT Brumbies in Canberra, the Waratahs travelled to Waikato chasing another hoodoo-busting win to regain a place in the competition’s top six.

Instead, Dan McKellar’s men will return to Sydney with tails between their legs after leaving the coach once again shaking his head in anguish on Saturday.

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The Tahs last won in Hamilton in 2014 – the year the franchise won their one and only title – and had high hopes of another famous victory after taking down the then-ladder-leading Chiefs in Sydney last year.

But the visitors were never truly in the contest after heading to the sheds trailing 24-7 at the break.

Attack

187
Passes
169
135
Ball Carries
86
358m
Post Contact Metres
215m
9
Line Breaks
9

The Chiefs jagged the first try of the night when Waratahs fullback Sid Harvey, a goalkicking hero in last week’s 30-28 win over the Brumbies, was unable to clean up a probing Xavier Rie kick as winger Kyren Taumoefolau pounced to score.

A Josh Jacomb penalty extended the lead to 8-0 before the Waratahs had their only joy of the opening half when Harvey fielded a 20-metre pass from Max Jorgensen to cross in the left corner.

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Two more strikes from hooker Samisoni Taukei’aho and centre Quinn Tupaea, and another Jacomb penalty earned the Chiefs their commanding 18-point halftime lead.

Not even the introduction of Wallabies pair Jake Gordon and Folau Faingaa straight after the interval could swing back the momentum as Tupaea crossed again before flanker Samipeni Finau secured the Chiefs a bonus point and third spot on the table.

Pete Samu bagged a consolation try as the Waratahs slumped to eighth on the ladder nearing the halfway point of the season, before the Chiefs had the final say through another five-pointer from Taumoefolau.

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Comments

6 Comments
B
Bazzallina 13 days ago

Man I dislike to pick on players but the Tahs 10s have been doodoo this year Lawson was forever dropping the ball and hardly passing it when he was at 10 ( had the most carries for zero line breaks) Jack in this game was dropping it kicking it out on the full both just wasting ball and not balancing that by getting breaks and tries and or assists sooner they find somebody else the better they will be, get Pasitoa back to Oz the reds have 1 to many 10s or next year move the young fella at the back into the drivers seat that’s my take anyhow

J
JW 13 days ago

Pasitoa not much better I think but Landers fan talk like they can’t keep Millar and Jacomb (which seems absurd to me), so might be on a longer contract?

M
Mgreg 13 days ago

Diabolical from the tahs. Hammered across the park. Out-coached with no response maybe the most concerning part. Eg: demo job in the scrum and not replacing the TH, no pick and go off ruck and second man plays in the backline signposted.

J
JW 12 days ago

Yeah appeard to me Tahs attrocious depth in fr was hindering them. And Gamble looked short of a gallop.

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