Les Kiss can start plotting his Wallabies tenure after the Chiefs ended Australia’s Super Rugby title hopes in rainy Hamilton on Saturday night.
Damian McKenzie’s second half double gave the Chiefs some breathing room in the 46-24 win over the Queensland Reds after they led the qualifying final 22-17 at halftime.
Samisoni Taukei’aho of the Chiefs is tackled. Phil Walter
The other Aussie hope, the ACT Brumbies, were belted 66-12 in a record loss to the Hurricanes in Wellington.
The Chiefs will host the defending Crusaders in the first semi-final on Friday while the Hurricanes will welcome the ‘lucky loser’ Blues next Saturday.
The last time an Australian team failed to make the semis of a fully fledged competition was in 2017.
That doesn’t include the 2020 and 2021 seasons which were affected by the coronavirus pandemic.
Reds coach Kiss can now turn his attention to the national team after three seasons with Queensland.
He will succeed Joe Schmidt at the Wallabies helm after the three Nations Championship home Tests against Ireland, France and Italy in July.
Kiss’ first game in charge will be the clash with Eddie Jones’ Japan in Osaka on August 8.
Les Kiss. Phil Walter
Winger Kyren Taumoefolau scored a first half brace for the Chiefs while hooker Samisoni Taukei’aho and fullback Isaac Hutchinson also got on the scoresheet.
Captain Fraser McReight did his best for the Reds, whose three tries went to fellow forwards Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, Aidan Ross and Matt Faessler.
Salakaia-Loto was yellow carded in the first half for a high shot on Chiefs No.8 Wallace Sititi.
Sititi was taken to hospital for further assessment but replays showed he was concussed by a head clash with teammate Sione Ahio.
All Blacks star Sititi was World Rugby’s breakthrough player of the year for 2025.
An Australian team hasn’t won the title since Michael Cheika’s NSW Waratahs way back in 2014.
And Aussie teams are now 0-23 in finals games in New Zealand.
Speaking before the finals, Super Rugby chief executive Jack Mesley admitted he would have liked a more even trans-Tasman ledger.
“I think the Aussie teams would be disappointed,” Mesley told Rugby Direct.
Wallace Sititi of the Chiefs is tackled to the ground. Phil Walter
“Early in the season, the Brumbies were flying and I think they had a number of games that they probably let slip that really should have had them finishing in the top two. So, yeah, I think the teams will be disappointed. I would have liked to have seen more Aussie teams play through the finals series.
“Not because I’m an Aussie, but because it’s a very big market here. And for the growth of the competition, we need to be penetrating those teams…
“I probably would have liked to have seen a few of the Aussie sides finish higher, just so that we were penetrating the Aussie market a bit more.”
MORE TO COME…
SUPER RUGBY SEMI-FINALS
FRIDAY 12 JUNE
5.05pm AEST – Chiefs (2) vs. Crusaders (3) – FMG Stadium Waikato, Hamilton
SATURDAY 13 JUNE
5.05pm AEST – Hurricanes (1) vs. Blues (4) – Hnry Stadium, Wellington