The Chiefs head into the first round of Super Rugby playoffs as top seeds and favorites, poised to win their first title since 2013 after finishing runners-up in the past two seasons.
The Hamilton-based Chiefs face the Auckland-based Blues tomorrow in a repeat of last year’s final, which was won by the Blues 40-10. This year, the Blues are seeded sixth in the qualifying playoffs and the advantage — not just home advantage — seems to be with the Chiefs, who won 11 of 14 matches in the regular season.
“It’s only our time if we make it our time,” Chiefs captain Luke Jacobson said. “We have to earn everything. We’ve learned a bit over the last few years in coming close. I’d like to think we’re in a better spot than we were last year.”
Photo: AFP
The second-seeded Crusaders host the fifth-seeded Queensland Reds in the first playoff match in Christchurch today and the third-seeded Brumbies host the Wellington-based Hurricanes in Canberra tomorrow.
In a quirk of the new playoffs system, the Brumbies and Hurricanes would both progress to the semi-finals if the top two seeds win their matches. The winner in Canberra would go through automatically, the other as the highest-ranked loser.
The Chiefs seem fated to win their third Super Rugby title after losing in last year’s final to the Blues after losing the 2023 final 25-20 to the Crusaders.
The Chiefs have won the title twice before, in 2012 and 2013 under Dave Rennie, who went on to become Wallabies coach. This year under Clayton McMillan, who will leave New Zealand after the final to coach Munster in Ireland, the Chiefs have been at the top of the standings throughout the season.
They have twice beaten the Blues, 25-14 and 32-31; have beaten the Crusaders 49-24 and 35-19; the Brumbies 49-34 and the Reds 27-15, although they lost to the Hurricanes 35-17.
The Chiefs’ style, playing at high tempo and using the width of the field, is hard to counter. The Hurricanes showed the best way is to deprive the Chiefs of possession. When they have the ball, flyhalf Damian McKenzie orchestrates the Chiefs attack superbly.
The Blues play much more conservatively in the middle of the pitch and have been at sixes and sevens when stretched.
The Crusaders have bounced back from last season when they won only four matches to again reach the playoffs. They also have won 11 games this season, but have scored fewer and conceded more points than the Chiefs.
The Reds and Brumbies carry Australia’s hopes into the finals, with the knowledge that no Australian team has won a playoff match in New Zealand in 19 attempts. The Brumbies are 0-8 and the Reds 0-4 in the post-season in New Zealand.
Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt is to keep a close eye on the playoffs and the selection spotlight for the Australian squad would be on the Reds backrow and flyhalf Tom Lynagh.
“We won’t let the occasion really dictate, but we know you’ve just got to play smart footy in finals. That’s balance really, so you are playing in the right areas of the field,” Lynagh said. “When things don’t go our way, it’s making sure you get little wins and stack them to get back momentum.”
The Brumbies again are the top-ranked Australian team in the playoffs. They won twice against New Zealand opponents during the regular season, but lost to the Hurricanes 35-29 in Canberra.
“We are the last game this weekend, but we’ve been pretty firm on making sure that we get a good performance out there on the field,” Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham said. “Irrespective of the other results, we need to know that we’re playing well. We can’t get distracted by these other games and the other results.”
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