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Crusaders reign again as Chiefs suffer historic third Grand Final heartbreak
By AAP
The Crusaders are again the kings of Super Rugby Pacific after consigning the Chiefs to a third-straight loss in the title decider.
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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’s 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.
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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 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.
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“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.”
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Congratulations Crusaders people.
We seriously need to move Super Rugby. The season should only just be starting now, having just finished a pre season Cup competition with Japans JRLO clubs. That was a terrible spectacle and advertisment for the game. It will never grow and compete with European comps for numbers unless they improve the product to draw Pacific and North American viewers.
Of course a replay next year would be played under the roof, but then again theres no chance Crusaders are any shot at reaching the final playing under dry running conditions, so that point is moot LOL
So if Super Rugby starts now what happens to the international season.
Your comments once again reek of anti Crusader bias.
Especially the last paragraph.
Obviously to get to the final the Crusaders didn't have to win any matches earlier in the season when the weather was warm. Go figure.
I'm a neutral in this (being a masochist Tahs fan)but if you didn't enjoy the game last night you need to take your eye patch off.
It was a classic game of finals rugby.
If I was you I would start watching another sport.
Tiddlywinks would probably suit your intellect.
Congrats to the crusaders, well deserved.
Rivez Reihana really needs to be selected into the All Blacks today.
He is clearly a better 10 at this stage of his development than Love, Jacombs, or Perofeta. He has been exceptional in three high pressure knockout matches and the semi-final vs the Blues and Grand Final vs the Chiefs have been immensely physical at test level intensity. And Reihana has more than just held his own against Barrett and McKenzie in those matches. His goal kicking was exceptional as Reihana was 3/3 of the tee vs Blues and 4/5 vs the Chiefs with his only miss being a 55m attempt.
In a squad of 35, with 15 backs, there is room for three specialist 10s, along with three 9s, 4 midfielders, 3 wings, and 2 fullbacks (where I would expect Ruben Love to be selected to backup the world class Will Jordan).
DMac is a liability against the good teams because no one appears to be tell him he’s not allowed to die with the ball. They amount of times that guy gets tackled and goes to ground is crazy.
I’d have Reihana (or Love, still a better alround option imo) in against those teams for his kicking and strength in contact in a heartbeat. Dmac can playing in the more open games, or learn some 9 play (or fix his carry style and compete with those two).
He’s looking good but I wouldn’t pick him over Love. He’s had some good games but he’s still pretty green.
Agreed, I’d have both Love (as an outside back) and Rivez in the squad. Both outstanding prospects. Mistake to put Love to 15 in the quarters, he’d been running the cutter brilliantly.
Had to get up proper early for this one but well worth it.
Total neutral but it was a great final.
It's been a brilliant season for SR and it deserved a memorable final.
Always looks a great atmosphere at those Christchurch games. Not bad for a pop-up stadium.
Awesome effort by the Crusaders in defence, the scrum and under the high ball. Titles are won in winter.
Shouldn’t be, why does the NPC get the spotlight treatment finishing in Spring? They need to fix the season or die on a winter vine.
As someone who just wants to enjoy a good game of rugby that was a terrible exhibition, even the scrums were a mockery to the game, nothing but a slip sliding penalty lottery.
So much for the Chiefs being full of xfactor and a rolls royce backline. Mex called it about the opposite of the result. Tupaea was immense but what about Jordan taking the last 4 or 5 aerial takes in the end, killed it…. Where the F were the chiefs backs on those high balls? Nowhere
Back lines can't crack a good defence with their x factor when their forwards are going backwards. The Chiefs were ok first half but didn't have their usual reinforcements in the second.
Previously the Chiefs had Finau, Lord and Samisoni coming on, this time it was Boshier, Tupou and McAllister. Meanwhile their opponents had Grace, Hannah, Bower and Bell.
Thought Tupaea really stood out in an otherwise poor Chiefs backline that lacked space and ideas. If there was any doubt before he surely played his way into ABs contention.
Ultimate redemption story, Rob Penney , so pleased for him. I was at the final , what a battle between Crusaders andChiefs. Rivez Reihana , stepped up over last 6 weeks, at 10 a cool customer.Barrett, Ethan Blackadder, Codie Taylor, Fletcher Newell , one of the great forward packs around. Crusaders . A great night.
The tools on here looking for Rob Pennys head last season. Patience when rebuilding is key, he’s turned it around quickly. That’s how you play knockout finals rugby. They suffocated the chiefs, they kept them deep defending in their own half, they couldn’t get out, through excellent forward power, clever kicking and a solid scrum that they couldn’t cope with.
The Chiefs have shown no ability to play their game all season, unless the physically overpower the opposition, so I wouldn’t say the suffocated them, just fronted up like you’d expect. It would actually be the Chiefs who suffocated the Crusaders.
When said on those fools who weren’t even interested in understand who was fit and playing last season. Without Jordan alone this team would be 4th of 5th best in the comp, let alone the dozen other front liners that were out for most of the year.
Last year (and Hurricanes this year) is one of the reasons why you need more than half the teams qualify for finals when the competition is played over such a short (where a typical injury takes you out for most of it) window. The Crusaders were playing this well with all on board for the final 3 or 4 games and it was one of the most exciting regular season finishes Super Rugby has had.
No. We were justified. Penney was terrible. We knew & he knew that he & his coaches had to step up in his 2nd year. The manner in which we were losing games was unacceptable. So he changed up his 2025 coaching team, learned from his harsh lessons, & here we are.
Why the delay in posting? Did the RugbyPass contributors have to ditch their “Chiefs Win” articles & rewrite? 😂😂😂😂😂😂
?? Very short article, is this the main one?
Yes I wonder how Hamish Bidwell is going.
Crusaders played the best finals footie over the 3 rounds, deserved winners.
Chiefs must be rueing the “Bidwell Curse”