Do the Chiefs and Highlanders have the most competitive Kiwi rivalry in Super Rugby?
Much has been made of the significance of inter-conference derbies since the conference system was introduced to Super Rugby by SANZAAR in 2011, and a particular emphasis has been placed on the brutality and intensity of the match-ups in the New Zealand conference.
The Highlanders and Chiefs contribute significantly to the competitiveness of the Kiwi conference, and that much will be expected of them when they face off again for the 33rd time in Dunedin on Saturday.
Since their inaugural meeting at the now-demolished Carisbrook in 1996, which finished in a 22-5 victory for the visitors, the Highlanders and Chiefs have enjoyed a long and storied history with one another.
Plenty of scintillating fixtures have taken place since then, with some of the most entertaining viewing coming in recent years, such as the Chiefs’ 41-27 season-opening win in 2013, while the Highlanders’ unbeaten run through 2015 and 2016 provided a lot of excitement.
In those matches, club greats such as Tim Nanai-Williams and Waisake Naholo shone with their sheer talent and x-factor value, while others including Aaron Smith and Damian McKenzie have been instrumental in making this clash a standout on the Super Rugby calendar.
That winning streak, which lasted from the end of 2014 through to the start of 2017, is one of many that these two sides have endured throughout their 32 previous encounters.
In fact, there have been just five one-off wins between the two clubs that weren’t followed up with a consecutive victory by the same outfit, with the last of those coming in the Highlanders’ 23-19 season-opening win in Hamilton seven seasons ago.
Since then, the Chiefs went through two long-term winning spells, the first spanning from June 2012 through to June 2014 and the second lasting from February 2017 until February this year.
Those two victorious runs sandwiched the Highlanders’ aforementioned winning run that kept the Chiefs winless against them for six matches.
These prolonged streaks of shared successes doesn’t just make for highly-entertaining clashes between these two clubs, but it makes for an incredibly competitive rivalry in Super Rugby.
After 32 matches in locations varying from the main centres of Hamilton and Dunedin through to Invercargill, Rotorua, Queenstown and Suva, the Highlanders and Chiefs have one of the most even head-to-head records in Kiwi derby history.
Heading into this weekend’s contest, the Chiefs have the slight historical advantage with 18 wins, edging the Highlanders’ 14 victories.
With a winning percentages of 56.25 percent versus 43.75 percent against each other, the two franchises come close to a 50-50 winning percentage split, which would make their list of encounters the most competitive in the 24-season history of New Zealand derbies in Super Rugby.
However, for all the entertainment that Highlanders v Chiefs match-ups have provided over the years, it isn’t the most competitiveness rivalry in New Zealand.
Unsurprisingly, the Crusaders have dominant winning records over all their New Zealand counterparts, which will no doubt have played a hugely significant role in them claiming their nine Super Rugby titles, nullifying the competitiveness of their rivalries from an historical head-to-head winning percentage perspective.
Not one of their winning records are as close as that of the Chiefs and Highlanders, while the former has sustained a close run of results with the Hurricanes over the years.
With 18 wins and two draws from 35 outings, the Hurricanes hold a slender 51.14 percent winning run over their counterparts, with the pair of stalemates from both this year and 2011 keeping the Chiefs at a winning percentage of 42.86 percent.
Take those draws out the equation though, and the Hurricanes’ win rate inflates up to 56.25 percent, as does the Chiefs’ at 43.75 percent – the exact same record that the Highlanders and Chiefs hold between each other.
There are only two New Zealand rivalries that can better the Hurricanes v Chiefs and Highlanders v Chiefs derbies, and one of those is the Hurricanes v Blues clash.
Although they’re yet to play this year in the midst of the Blues’ apparent resurgence from mediocrity, the Auckland-based side have allowed the Hurricanes to make amends for their abysmal opening to this rivalry at the dawn of Super Rugby.
The Blues won their first eight matches between the two sides from 1996 to 2003 as they went on to win three Super 12 crowns, but their well-documented performance issues since 2011 has resulted in the Wellingtonians having the upper hand recently, with John Plumtree’s men winning seven of their last eight meetings.
Leon MacDonald’s side haven’t tasted success against the Hurricanes since May 2014, and when both teams meet at Eden Park next week, it will be the visitors who have the slightly better record thanks to their winning percentage of 50 percent.
A 26-26 draw in 2004 leaves the Blues with a lower success rate of 46.67 percent, but exclude that result, and the Blues’ win rate inflates to 48.28 percent, as does the Hurricanes’ to 51.72 percent.
Ousting that rivalry as the most competitive in New Zealand Super Rugby, though, is the Gordon Hunter Memorial Trophy clash between the Highlanders and the Blues.
The added importance of competing for silverware in honour of the late coach who was in charge of both clubs during the late 1990s and early 2000s has clearly spurred on the Highlanders and Blues throughout their 33-match history.
Although their eight-year drought was extended by the Highlanders after re-securing the trophy for another season following their 24-12 win in Dunedin two weeks ago, it’s the Blues who have the stronger record over the course of time, but only just.
17 wins by the Blues pips the Highlanders’ 16 victories, handing them an extremely tight 51.52 percent win rate over the southerners’ 48.48 winning percentage, making their derby fixture the most competitive within New Zealand Super Rugby.
Nevertheless, while it isn’t the closest rivalry in the country, the Chiefs and Highlanders will proceed to entertain the masses this Saturday with another edition of high-octane running rugby under the roof of Forsyth Barr Stadium, adding another chapter to what has become one of the more exciting fixtures in both New Zealand rugby and Super Rugby.
New Zealand’s Super Rugby derbies from most to least competitive:
- Blues 51.52% vs Highlanders 48.48% (33 matches)
- Hurricanes 50% vs Blues 46.67% (30 matches – 1 draw) – 51.72% v 48.28% excluding draw
- Hurricanes 51.14% vs Chiefs 42.86% (35 matches – 2 draws) – 56.25% v 43.75% excluding draws
- Chiefs 56.25% vs Highlanders 43.75% (32 matches)
- Hurricanes 57.57% vs Highlanders 42.43% (33 matches)
- Crusaders 58.82% vs Chiefs 41.18% (34 matches)
- Crusaders 54.05% vs Hurricanes 32.43% (37 matches – 3 draws) – 64.71% v 35.29% excluding draws
- Chiefs 64.52% vs Blues 32.26% (31 matches – 1 draw) – 66.67% v 33.37% excluding draw
- Crusaders 66.67% vs Blues 33.33% (33 matches)
- Crusaders 66.67% vs Highlanders 30.5% (36 matches – 1 draw) – 68.57% v 31.43% excluding draw
In other news:
Comments on RugbyPass
100% agree with your comment about Touch. I’ve been playing it competitively since Covid. It’s on a Wednesday night after work. It means the weekend is free for time with my family.
1 Go to commentsRodda back is massively important for the Wallabies. Kaitu at hooker important too coz he was very good a few years ago.
1 Go to commentsThe pink cabous might be eligible this year and the Boks don’t need him
7 Go to commentsNasser and kaitu are options for hooker. Especially Nasser. You forgot Rodda who touch wood will be fit at test time and if fit he’s number one. Great partner for the great Skelton and Oz best lineout caller. Third best lock is LSL whom I’d be inclined to sub on for Skelton around 60 minutes. Probably start valetini at 8 because I like a big body back there. Cale should play 6 at the brumbies. For Wallabies definitely cale in the squad but as an apprentice. Dunno who starts at 6 seru wright Swinton hanigan with Will Harris and Harry Wilson not far away. Seru and Swinton my front runners but Swinton is going. Still if we don’t cap seru then Fiji must coz they need his lineout skills and easily compensate for his lack of weight
7 Go to commentsYeah but who was it?
8 Go to commentsThink you might have written this just before the Brumbies got thrashed last weekend
7 Go to commentsI really do believe that Billy Proctor should be selected at least in the larger squad but also it would be my choice at 13, much more a center than Ioane who can still play at wing. Roigard if fit should play, otherwise it should be Perenara or Christie. Also, Iose could deserve a spot at blindside. Of course, being a Canes supporter I’m biased but I really believe that at least Billy P is deserving a chance and being Holland one of the Selectors, I’m having a little hope he could grab it.
12 Go to commentsI would not play Swinton I’d pick Wright or Hanigan. The rest are decent starters, but can’t agree on any subs except Tupou. My take on the subs: Gibbon, Ueslese, Tupou, LSL, Wilson, White, Will Harrison, and Petaia.
7 Go to commentsSBW the biggest moron to pull on a black jersey a park footy player at best
8 Go to commentsSBW is fast becoming a laughing stock, his misplaced comments & lack of insight Is actually pretty sad.
8 Go to commentsJust well you guys are couch 🛋 potatoes selector's, picking a team of greenhorns to play England! “What are you people smoking?” The halfbacks will be Christie, Fakatava, Perenara Props; Newell, Bower, Lomax, Tunga'fasi, Hookers; Asosa Amua when fit, Taylor, Samisoni,
12 Go to commentsQuite frankly, all this is a bit pathetic. The first time Wales get the Wooden Spoon in 21 years and everyone is on the bandwagon for a ‘play-off’ game. Wales have no obligation to Georgia and no obligation to the rest of the Six Nations to play such a game. If they want Georgia in so badly then they need to include South Africa into a Northern Hemisphere competition with 2 leagues of 4 teams with the top 2 competing for the Championship. Sadly, this will end Triple Crowns and Grand Slams forever. Is this really what you want?
4 Go to commentsI think Finau to start Blackadder to come on. Poss Prokter instead of Ioane, haven't seen much from Reiko so far this year.
12 Go to commentsJoe will have had a good chat with Dave Rennie, a smart move to begin with while it’s doubtful Fast Eddie will be consulted? Plenty of Aus players hitting top form so they should go OK.
7 Go to commentsMmm. Not sure I like this article or see it as necessary.
8 Go to commentsBlackadder but no Finau! 😀 It’s Razor so you are probably right, plus Taylor at 2…
12 Go to commentsThe strongest possible AB side would actually include Aaron Smith, Bodie Retallick, Sam Whitelock, Leicester Fainga'anuku, Shannon Frizzel.. don’t get me started on the rest of the injury hit brigade that got flung on the heap so left. Many a whole not getting filled as of yet.
12 Go to commentsI don’t think anyone knows what Schmidt will do, one thing is certain it ain’t gonna be all the picks we on the keyboard will think. My impression of him is that he will be looking at who can step up and what is the best combination. He will ignore individuals as he looks for guys who can build a powerful team and not just guys who can make a flashy run or ignore the winger as they want to score themselves.
7 Go to commentsSome dumb selections there. Not Porecki Not Donaldson Not Gordon Not Lonegran - both Not Nic White - Fines instead Not Liam Wright Not Paisami Definitely not Vunivalu Other than that not bad.
7 Go to commentsI've never been convinced that Patty T is a test match all black. Otherwise I probably agree it's the best side available to beat the poms. Caveat that Codie Taylor is yet to be seen and could very likely warrant selection by June. I hope that Razor brings the young loosies, half backs and locks into the training squad and develops/ selects the best
12 Go to comments