The Crusaders and the Chiefs have both made it to the Super Rugby final after exciting semifinal victories. The final will take place next Saturday in Christchurch, New Zealand.
The Chiefs defeated the ACT Brumbies 37-17 in Hamilton. This is the third year in a row that the Chiefs have reached the final. Winger Emoni Narawa scored two tries, and fly-half Damian McKenzie was the star, kicking six penalties and two conversions for a total of 22 points. McKenzie’s smart plays helped the Chiefs stay ahead, especially after fullback Josh Jacomb scored a key try in the second half.
The Brumbies scored three tries, including two from Corey Toole. However, they missed their main kicker, Noah Lolesio, who had to leave the game early due to a head injury. This loss means Australian teams have now lost 21 straight Super Rugby games in New Zealand.
In another exciting match, the Crusaders held off the Blues with a 21-14 win in Christchurch. The Crusaders stayed calm under pressure, especially in the final five minutes when the Blues came close to scoring again. The win keeps the Crusaders’ amazing home playoff record perfect at 31-0.
Fullback Will Jordan scored two tries, and flanker Tom Christie added another to help the Crusaders come back from a 14-0 deficit. The Blues started strong, with tries from Mark Tele’a and Rieko Ioane, but couldn’t score again after the first half.
