Following the Chiefs’ 46-24 win over the Reds in Super Rugby Pacific, here are our five takeaways from the last of the three qualifying finals at FMG Stadium Waikato in Hamilton.
The top line
Damian McKenzie made a 26-point return from concussion to book the Chiefs a home semi-final against Crusaders in a match overshadowed by a sickening head injury to All Blacks star Wallace Sititi.
McKenzie scored two tries and landed seven of his eight kicks at goal as Waikato’s finest twice came from behind to beat a gutsy Queensland outfit in head coach Les Kiss’ final match in charge before taking over the Wallabies.
But celebrations at booking a last-four clash with the Crusaders were dampened by the loss of Sititi, who was knocked out in the first quarter by an accidental blow to the head from a team-mate.
Amid concerning scenes the game was stopped for 10 minutes as the number eight received extensive treatment before being taken away on the back of a buggy.
The Chiefs fell behind after Sititi‘s departure but recovered their composure to lead at the break and then win the second half 24-7, adding to Kyren Taumoefolau’s first period brace with tries by Samisoni Taukei’aho, McKenzie (2) and Isaac Hutchinson.
They take on the Crusaders in Hamilton next Friday knowing they will need to raise their level from the regular season when they were beaten home and away by the 13-time champions.
Sititi horror injury a blow to club and country
Sititi will almost certainly miss the rest of the Super Rugby campaign and could be a doubt for the All Blacks’ opening Nations Championship clash with France on July 4 after a ‘friendly fire’ blow to the head that left him shaking on the ground.
The 23-year-old back-row is a key man not only for the Chiefs but also for a national team about to be taken over by Dave Rennie. How much he means to his team-mates quickly became apparent at the final whistle.
“I want to send our love and our prayers to Wally,” McKenzie interjected at the start of his player of the match on-field interview. “Hopefully he’s doing alright. We’re all behind you, brother.”
Chiefs captain Luke Jacobson added: “Thoughts and prayers with Wallace. Never nice seeing your team mate like that. We know he’s in the best of hands, but thoughts and prayers to him and his family.”
Lukhan Salakaia-Loto was initially held responsible for the incident, sent to the sin bin by referee James Doleman. He was booed by the crowd when returning to the field.
But replays showed that while he made the initial tackle, the damage was done by a Chiefs team-mate following Sititi into the breakdown.
McKenzie the Chief-in-chief
McKenzie was back in action for the first time since being knocked out by a boot to the face playing against the Highlanders last month – and how thankful his team were for that.
With the Reds leading on the stroke of half-time, the 31-year-old fly-half landed the conversion which sent his side into the break ahead and then took the game away from the visitors by scoring the game’s next two tries.
A split-second lapse in concentration from the Aussies was punished ruthlessly by McKenzie, taking a quick tap and diving over, and the Invercargill-born points machine put the game to bed with his second on 66 minutes.
In between those scores he teamed up with the outstanding Cortez Ratima to make a try-saving tackle on Reds replacement Treyvon Pritchard. He then put a cherry on the cake with a spectacular 20-metre pass out the back door which Hutchinson ran in from almost halfway to seal the win.
Aussie dreams die another day
No Australian side had won a play-off match in Aotearoa in 21 attempts dating back 30 years. The last time the Reds won a post-season game anywhere away from home was in 1995, the amateur days of Super 10.
History was therefore stacked against Queensland on a wet and cold evening on New Zealand’s North Island. But what a decent fist they made of overcoming it.
When Salakaia-Loto gave them a shock lead with the game’s first try on six minutes, it did more than give the visitors hope; it brought back uncomfortable memories for Chiefs fans of last year’s quarter-final.
On that occasion, having secured the minor premiership with only three defeats in the regular season, they were stunned by sixth-placed Blues, losing to a last-gasp Josh Beehre score.
Those Waikato nerves were back on display as Auckland-born lock Salakaia-Loto dotted down after fine work by the ball-juggling Fraser McReight and ever-alert Tate McDermott.
Even though the home side bounced back strongly with tries by Taumoefolau – brilliantly made by Ratima – and Taukei’aho, the Reds reclaimed the lead.
Loosehead prop Aidan Ross, who played 101 times for Chiefs between 2017-25, crossed against his former team. The fact Reds were down to 14, with Salakaia-Loto in the sin bin, only added to the sense of achievement.
Even when McKenzie put his side back in charge the Reds would not go quietly; Matt Faessler scoring for Carter Gordon to convert and reduce the arrears to a dozen points.
It was still not enough, however, and the interminable wait for Australian rugby goes on.
Les Kiss’ last match – now for to make Wallabies great again
Defeat marked the end of Kiss’ three-year tenure in Queensland but Australia‘s new head coach steps into Joe Schmidt’s shoes with a bit more optimism after this.
The Brumbies’ 66-point thrashing in Wellington on Friday was a demoralising loss for all of Aussie rugby and Queensland’s elimination means an all-Kiwi semi-final.
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But the spirit shown by the Reds, particularly in the first half, augurs well going forward. The fight from Fraser McReight, on his 100th cap, Harry Wilson and McDermott reminded us just how good this Wallaby trio is. Gordon, too, let nobody down.
“We put up a great shift and went into half-time full of confidence,” said McReight. “But credit to them (Chiefs) they were able to execute a lot better than we were.
“We did throw everything into it. The fight from our group all year has been outstanding. That’s all you can ask for. They definitely delivered that tonight. I am proud of the boys.”
READ MORE: Chiefs v Reds: Result, stats and line-ups from the Super Rugby Pacific Qualifying Final