{"id":474596,"date":"2026-06-13T00:49:12","date_gmt":"2026-06-13T00:49:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/474596\/"},"modified":"2026-06-13T00:49:12","modified_gmt":"2026-06-13T00:49:12","slug":"chiefs-thrash-crusaders-to-secure-super-rugby-final","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/474596\/","title":{"rendered":"Chiefs thrash Crusaders to secure Super Rugby final"},"content":{"rendered":"

If Chiefs coach Jonno Gibbes was allowed to write the script himself, he couldn’t have penned a better first-half performance than the one his team produced in their 49-12 semifinal win over the Crusaders.<\/p>\n

The Chiefs were simply sensational in the opening 40 minutes, ruthlessly racking up a scarcely believable 42-5 scoreline.<\/p>\n

The defending champs had no answers, as the Chiefs ran in seven stunning tries to slam the gate shut on Crusaders’ hopes before halftime.<\/p>\n

As flawless as the first was, the second half was equally as sloppy, with the Chiefs adding just one more try to their total.<\/p>\n

First-five Damian McKenzie conducted the carnage with typically mercurial touches, while wing Kyren Taumoefolau opened the scoring with a couple of corkers.<\/p>\n

\"Leroy<\/p>\n

Leroy Carter of the Chiefs dives to score a try, Chiefs v Crusaders, semi final match of the 2026 Super Rugby Pacific rugby union competition at FMG Stadium, Hamilton. (Source: Photosport)<\/p>\n

First, centre Lalakai Foketi sent him away, before a dinky McKenzie grubber landed at Taumoefolau’s feet, as he expertly nudged it back infield, beat the cover and scooped it up to score a stunner.<\/p>\n

Foketi then busted them right open in the midfield, linking with fullback Isaac Hutchinson to spin over the chalk in the tackle of wing Chay Fihaki.<\/p>\n

Hooker Samesoni Taukei’aho went in next, before some individual brilliance by Crusaders first-five Taha Kemara saw him explode through with some silky footwork, throwing it wide to Fihaki to finish in the corner.<\/p>\n

The joy was short-lived though, as the Chiefs struck straight back, McKenzie floating a beautiful ball to wing Leroy Carter, who waltzed over.<\/p>\n

More magic followed, as Liam Coombs-Fabling chipped over the top and regathered, finding Foketi rampaging down the sideline, who threw it inside to lock Tupou Va’ii to dive over.<\/p>\n

\"Samipeni<\/p>\n

Samipeni Finau of the Chiefs and Sevu Reece of the Crusaders after the match, Chiefs v Crusaders, semi final match of the 2026 Super Rugby Pacific rugby union competition at FMG Stadium, Hamilton. (Source: Photosport)<\/p>\n

The try left a shell-shocked Crusaders staring down the barrel of a record halftime deficit.<\/p>\n

After the fireworks of the first, the match meandered to an inevitable result with an error-riddled second half, just one try for each side.<\/p>\n

Second-five David Havili pulled one back for the Crusaders with a determined drive over the line, but replacement halfback Xavier Roe closed the show in the 79th minute, with a strong run from the ruck.<\/p>\n

The second 40 was disjointed, but the damage had well and truly been done in one of the most clinical and decisive wins in Chiefs history.<\/p>\n

Now into a fourth straight final, the side have the opportunity to banish the demons of three consecutive defeats in the big dance.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"If Chiefs coach Jonno Gibbes was allowed to write the script himself, he couldn’t have penned a better…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":474597,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[17909,56380,111,139,69,213],"class_list":["post-474596","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-sports","tag-chiefs","tag-crusaders","tag-new-zealand","tag-newzealand","tag-nz","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/474596","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=474596"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/474596\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/474597"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=474596"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=474596"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=474596"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}