The Crusaders won their 15th Super Rugby championship after a tough 16–12 victory over the Chiefs on Saturday, June 22. The match took place in cold, damp conditions in Christchurch, which seemed to suit the home team well.
The game started strongly for the Chiefs, who scored first after two early scrum penalties against the Crusaders. But the Crusaders fought back quickly with a try by Codie Taylor and two penalty kicks by Rivez Reihana.
Though the Chiefs kept it close, the Crusaders’ solid defence and smart kicking game helped them hold the lead. Reihana added another penalty in the second half, and even when their captain, David Havili, received a yellow card, the team stayed calm.
One key moment came when the Crusaders stopped a dangerous Chiefs attack just in time. This helped them keep control of the match until the end. The Chiefs had beaten the Crusaders earlier in the season, but in this final, they struggled to find space and made some errors.
The Crusaders’ victory is even more impressive because they had a poor season last year, winning only four games. This year’s win also continues their perfect home playoff record. They’ve now won all 32 playoff games played at home.
For the Chiefs, this loss was their third straight defeat in a final, making it a difficult goodbye for their coach Clayton McMillan, who is leaving to coach in Ireland.
