A commanding second-half performance from the table-topping Chiefs saw them claim a convincing 56-22 victory over the Western Force on ANZAC Day at Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui.
Key moments:
2′ – Josh Jacomb penalty gives Chiefs early lead (3-0)
5′ – Bayley Kuenzle scores after lineout error, Donaldson converts (3-7)
10′ – Emoni Narawa collects Stevenson chip to score, Jacomb converts (10-7)
11′ – Harry Potter scores directly from restart after Chiefs caught napping (10-12)
20′ – Sio Tomkinson yellow carded for high tackle on Jacomb
21′ – Samisoni Taukei’aho scores in his 100th match (15-12)
29′ – Ben Donaldson penalty levels the scores (15-15)
32′ – Jacomb penalty restores Chiefs’ lead (18-15)
37′ – Kaylum Boshier try confirmed after TMO review, Jacomb converts (25-15)
44′ – Ollie Norris crosses for first try after halftime (30-15)
46′ – Cortez Ratima scores first of two tries (37-15)
54′ – Harry Potter completes brace with brilliant individual effort (37-22)
57′ – Ratima gets his second, extending Chiefs’ lead (44-22)
69′ – Luke Jacobson scores from dominant scrum (49-22)
78′ – Daniel Rona brings up half-century (56-22)
In front of a sellout crowd at the first-ever Super Rugby Pacific match held at the traditional cricket venue, Clayton McMillan’s men overcame a spirited first-half challenge to run in seven tries, maintaining their position atop the ladder.
The match held special significance for All Blacks hooker Samisoni Taukei’aho, who celebrated his 100th appearance for the franchise with a try, while fans also witnessed the much-anticipated return of World Rugby’s 2024 Breakthrough Player of the Year, Wallace Sititi, from knee surgery.
Playing without injured superstar Damian McKenzie, the Chiefs were tested early when the Force struck first through winger Bayley Kuenzle. After a Chiefs lineout five metres from their line went horribly wrong with no lifters engaged, Wallabies lock Darcy Swain pounced on the loose ball. Quick hands found Kuenzle unmarked on the left wing, who strolled over for the opening score after just five minutes.
The Chiefs’ response was swift and spectacular. Fullback Shaun Stevenson, spotting space behind the Force’s defensive line, delivered a perfectly weighted crossfield kick that local boy Emoni Narawa gathered at full pace. The winger showed electric acceleration to race clear of covering defenders, slicing through to score under the posts.
What followed was one of the most remarkable tries of the Super Rugby season. With the Chiefs still regrouping from Narawa’s score, Force flyhalf Ben Donaldson took a quick restart that caught the home side completely unprepared. His precise kick found space on the right wing where Harry Potter, showcasing remarkable awareness, won the footrace to gather and dive over. The Bay Oval crowd sat in stunned silence as the Force reclaimed the lead at 12-10 within seconds of conceding.
The match’s turning point came in the 20th minute when Force centre Sio Tomkinson was shown a yellow card for a high tackle on Jacomb while chasing a high kick. Though the TMO review determined Jacomb had dipped into the contact, referee James Doleman deemed the offence worthy of ten minutes in the sin bin.
The Chiefs immediately capitalised on their numerical advantage. After finding field position from the penalty, Ratima broke from the lineout and linked with Ollie Norris, who found Taukei’aho looming on his inside. The All Blacks hooker, in his milestone 100th match, showcased both power and pace to brush off multiple defenders and crash over for an emotional score that put the hosts back in front at 15-12.
A controversial try in the 37th minute gave the Chiefs breathing space before halftime. Following sustained pressure, openside flanker Kaylum Boshier appeared to lose control reaching for the line, but after extended TMO deliberation, the try was awarded despite Force protests. Jacomb’s conversion gave the Chiefs a 25-15 buffer at the interval.
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Any hopes of a Force comeback were swiftly extinguished within four minutes of the restart. Josh Jacomb split the Force defence with a scything run before finding Ratima in support. The scrum-half was caught just short of the line, but a quick recycle allowed replacement prop Ollie Norris to burrow over from close range, extending the lead to 30-15.
Just three minutes later, the Chiefs effectively sealed the contest with a superb team try. Replacement back Kaleb Trask, on for the injured Anton Lienert-Brown, delivered a perfectly timed inside ball to Boshier who burst through the defensive line. The flanker showed excellent awareness to find Ratima in support, who had too much pace for the covering defence, racing away to score his first of the night and push the lead to 37-15.
The Force refused to surrender, however, and Potter delivered another moment of individual brilliance in the 54th minute. Taking advantage of broken play, Donaldson chipped behind the Chiefs’ defensive line where Potter—showcasing his footballing skills—regathered his own grubber kick before stepping past three defenders with remarkable footwork to claim his second try. The score briefly gave the visitors hope at 37-22.
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Any thoughts of a comeback were quickly extinguished when the Chiefs’ backline clicked into top gear three minutes later. Shaun Stevenson, increasingly influential as the match progressed, carved through the Force defence on the right wing before finding Ratima on his inside shoulder. The diminutive scrum-half showed impressive acceleration to outpace the covering defence for his second try, restoring the Chiefs’ commanding lead at 44-22.
The Chiefs’ forward dominance was emphatically demonstrated in the 69th minute when they opted for a scrum five meters from the Force line. As they had done repeatedly in the second half, the home pack secured a powerful surge, allowing captain Luke Jacobson to control the ball expertly at the base before picking up and crashing over for the Chiefs’ sixth try of the night.
The scoring was completed in the 78th minute through slick hands from the Chiefs backs. Sititi, making his long-awaited return from knee surgery, showed his class with quick hands in the midfield before Stevenson delivered the final pass to Daniel Rona, who dived over in the corner to bring up the half-century.
For the visitors, Potter was electric with two outstanding tries while Donaldson controlled proceedings admirably at fly-half, but they struggled to contain the Chiefs’ firepower as the match wore on.
The sell-out crowd also witnessed Sititi’s return to action in the final ten minutes, with the dynamic loose forward immediately making his presence felt with a scything break.
The comprehensive victory cements the Chiefs’ status as title favourites, sitting clear at the top of the Super Rugby Pacific table with five rounds remaining. For the Force, who entered the contest with genuine playoff ambitions, they must regroup quickly despite showing promising glimpses of potential.
The Chiefs will continue their charge towards the playoffs with all their remaining fixtures on New Zealand soil, a significant advantage as they look to secure home knockout matches. The return of Sititi adds another dimension to their already fearsome loose forward trio, though the injuries to Lienert-Brown and Trask could test their backline depth in coming weeks.
For the Force, currently sitting fifth on the ladder with a 4-1-5 record, their playoff hopes remain alive despite this setback. However, the loss of key personnel to injury, including half-back Nic White, continues to test their depth as the business end of the season approaches.
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