In a pulsating grand final rematch, the Chiefs exacted sweet revenge with a clinical 25-14 victory over defending champions Blues at Eden Park, spearheaded by a masterful performance from Damian McKenzie.
Key moments:
13′ – McKenzie penalty puts Chiefs ahead (3-0)
28′ – Papali’i powers over for Blues’ opening try, Barrett converts (7-3)
34′ – McKenzie penalty narrows gap (7-6)
40′ – Lam finishes brilliant counter-attack, Barrett converts (14-6)
53′ – McKenzie scores first try after breaking through defense (14-11)
62′ – Fusitu’a yellow carded for high tackle on Finau
66′ – Carter crosses to give Chiefs the lead, McKenzie converts (14-18)
69′ – Ratima’s try-saving tackle denies Tele’a in corner
75′ – McKenzie seals victory with second try, adds conversion (14-25)
The All Blacks utility back, starting at fullback but later shifting to first-five, scored two tries and kicked nine points in a dominant second-half display that saw the Chiefs overturn a 14-6 halftime deficit, leaving the 25,200-strong Auckland crowd stunned into silence.
On a rain-swept evening that made handling difficult, it was the Chiefs who drew first blood through McKenzie’s penalty in the 13th minute. The visitors had earned the opportunity after building sustained pressure in the Blues’ 22, though they might have felt frustrated at not converting several penalties and a yellow card warning into a try.
The Blues gradually wrestled control through their powerful forward pack, and their patience was rewarded when Dalton Papali’i crashed over in the 28th minute. The All Blacks flanker, maintaining his remarkable streak of scoring in season openers for three consecutive years, powered through from close range after the Blues had successfully repelled an earlier Chiefs’ maul. Barrett’s conversion gave the hosts a 7-3 lead.
McKenzie narrowed the gap to one point with his second penalty in the 34th minute, but the Blues appeared to have struck a decisive blow just before the interval. A brilliant piece of counter-attacking play saw Mark Tele’a break free down the right wing before finding AJ Lam in support, who finished spectacularly in the corner. Barrett’s excellent conversion from the touchline sent the Blues into halftime with a comfortable 14-6 advantage.
However, the Chiefs’ response after the break was emphatic. Coach Clayton McMillan’s inspired decision to introduce his star-studded bench around the 50-minute mark – including All Blacks Tupou Vaa’i, Samipeni Finau, Cortez Ratima, Anton Lienert-Brown and Emoni Narawa – proved decisive in shifting momentum.
McKenzie ignited the comeback in the 53rd minute, scything through the Blues’ defensive line after good build-up work from the forwards. Though he surprisingly missed the relatively straightforward conversion, the try energised the visitors and silenced the home crowd.
The turning point came in the 62nd minute when Blues replacement prop Josh Fusitu’a was yellow-carded for a high tackle on Samipeni Finau. Initially, the Chiefs were aggrieved when Finau was penalized for a dangerous tackle on Caleb Clarke in the air, but referee Murphy and TMO Brett Cronan reviewed earlier footage showing Fusitu’a’s high shot. The resulting penalty and one-man advantage proved crucial.
The Chiefs immediately capitalized. After kicking to the corner, they won clean lineout ball through Ah Kuoi. Quick hands stretched the depleted defence, creating an overlap on the left wing. Debutant Leroy Carter, showing the pace that made him a standout in sevens, strolled in untouched after receiving the final pass from Nanai-Seturo. McKenzie’s conversion put the Chiefs ahead 18-14.
The Blues nearly responded immediately when awarded a penalty for Chiefs players going off their feet at the ruck. From the resulting lineout, they worked their way into the Chiefs’ 22, where Tele’a appeared to have scored in the corner. However, replacement halfback Cortez Ratima produced a match-defining defensive play, his desperate sliding tackle forcing Tele’a into touch before the ball could be grounded.
McKenzie, who had been instrumental throughout, sealed the victory with his second try five minutes from time. After sustained forward pressure, Ratima’s quick service allowed McKenzie to hit a gap close to the posts, with his subsequent conversion putting the result beyond doubt at 25-14.
“We showed tremendous character to come back in those conditions,” said Chiefs coach Clayton McMillan. “Damian was outstanding, but it was our forward pack that really stood up in that second half when it mattered most. The impact from our bench was exactly what we needed at the right time.”
The result marked a disappointing start to the Blues’ title defence, with coach Vern Cotter’s side failing to register a single point after the interval. Despite strong performances from Papali’i and lock Laghlan McWhannell, who made several crucial defensive plays including a textbook tackle on a charging McKenzie, they were ultimately undone by handling errors and disciplinary lapses in the deteriorating conditions.
The victory carries extra significance for the Chiefs, representing their first win at Eden Park since January 2020, and sets up an enticing clash with a resurgent Crusaders, who defeated the Hurricanes in round one, in Hamilton next Friday. The Blues, meanwhile, must regroup quickly before travelling to Dunedin to face the Highlanders.
The manner of this victory, particularly the Chiefs’ composure in difficult conditions and their tactical superiority in the crucial final quarter, will serve notice to their rivals that they are determined to go one better than last season’s runner-up finish.
For the Blues, on a night that should have celebrated Ofa Tu’ungafasi’s 150th appearance for the club, it was a sobering reminder that defending their historic title will be no easy task.
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