The Crusaders claimed their 15th Super Rugby title with a nerve-shredding 16-12 victory over the Chiefs in a final that epitomised everything compelling about championship rugby at Apollo Projects Stadium. Champions once more, and with it the ultimate redemption for head coach Rob Penney.
Key moments
12′ – David Havili (Crusaders) yellow card for head-on-head contact with Emoni Narawa
13′ – George Dyer crashes over from Luke Jacobson’s short ball (0-5)
14′ – Damian McKenzie converts (0-7)
26′ – Codie Taylor breaks down blindside to score in corner (5-7)
27′ – Rivez Reihana converts from touchline (7-7)
29′ – Reihana penalty goal after turnover (10-7)
35′ – Reihana penalty extends lead (13-7)
38′ – Shaun Stevenson dives over in corner after quick recycle (13-12)
54′ – McKenzie penalty attempt from 43m drifts wide right
63′ – Christian Lio-Willie held up over the line after 20+ phases
66′ – David Havili disallowed try – Noah Hotham ruled offside
73′ – Reihana penalty from scrum dominance seals victory (16-12)
In front of a sold-out crowd of 17,000 passionate supporters, the hosts demonstrated the championship mettle that has made them the competition’s most successful franchise, grinding out victory through superior set-piece work and clinical goal-kicking from Rivez Reihana. It capped the Crusaders’ bounce-back season in the best possible way, burying the demons of their disastrous 2024 campaign which threatened to cost Penney his job after just one year.
The opening exchanges set the tone for what would become a brutal arm-wrestle between two sides who had split their regular season encounters. The Chiefs struck the early blow when David Havili’s 12th-minute yellow card for a head-on-head collision with Emoni Narawa left the Crusaders temporarily down to 14 men.
The visitors immediately capitalised on their numerical advantage, building through 25 phases before Luke Jacobson’s brilliant short ball sent George Dyer crashing over under the posts. Damian McKenzie’s conversion gave the Chiefs a deserved 7-0 lead.
However, the Crusaders’ championship DNA emerged when they needed it most. Veteran hooker Codie Taylor demonstrated why experience matters in finals rugby, spotting space on the blindside when a rolling maul stalled and sprinting clear with surprising pace to score in the corner. Reihana’s superb touchline conversion levelled proceedings at 7-7.
The momentum shifted decisively towards the home side as their defensive intensity increased. David Havili and Sevu Reece combined to put immense pressure on Chiefs fullback Leroy Carter, forcing a crucial turnover that Reihana converted for a 10-7 lead. The flyhalf extended the advantage to six points with another penalty on 35 minutes.
The Chiefs demonstrated their resilience with a dramatic finish to the first half. After excellent work from Quinn Tupaea under the high ball, Cortez Ratima’s quick thinking saw him fire the ball wide to Shaun Stevenson, who ghosted around his marker to dive over in the corner with seconds remaining. McKenzie’s conversion attempt drifted wide, leaving the visitors trailing 13-12 at the interval.
The second half developed into a territorial chess match, with both sides understanding that one moment of brilliance or error could decide the championship. The Chiefs had the better of the early exchanges, with McKenzie missing a crucial penalty attempt from 43 metres on 54 minutes that would have put them in front.
The Crusaders’ response was immediate and brutal. They launched wave after wave of attack at the Chiefs line, coming agonisingly close when Christian Lio-Willie was held up over the line after more than 20 phases of relentless pressure. The visitors’ defence was heroic, with multiple players throwing their bodies on the line to prevent what seemed inevitable.
Drama reached fever pitch when David Havili appeared to have scored the decisive try after Noah Hotham pressured McKenzie into an error. However, the Television Match Official correctly ruled that Hotham was in an offside position when creating the turnover, denying the Crusaders what would have been a match-winning score.
The decisive moment arrived in the 73rd minute through the Crusaders’ scrum dominance. With Tamaiti Williams anchoring a pack that had grown stronger as the match progressed, they forced a crucial penalty directly in front of the posts after Josh Jacomb spilled a Will Jordan bomb. Reihana, as cool as you like, slotted the goal to establish a four-point buffer that would prove insurmountable – making it a 32nd consecutive home playoff victory for the red and blacks.
The final seven minutes saw the Crusaders employ every trick in the championship playbook to protect their lead. They controlled territory expertly, with Will Jordan’s aerial skills proving crucial in maintaining field position. When the Chiefs finally regained possession in the dying moments, their ambitious cross-field kick backfired, trickling into touch and handing control back to the hosts.
As the siren sounded with the Crusaders in possession, the Apollo Projects Stadium erupted in celebration of a 15th Super Rugby title. For the Chiefs, it marked a third consecutive final defeat, ensuring Clayton McMillan’s departure to Munster came without the crown he desperately wanted as a farewell gift.
Reihana finished with 11 points from the boot, proving the difference between two sides separated by the finest of margins. The former Chiefs player – who was a member of the side that lost the 2023 decider to these same Crusaders – guided his team to victory with maturity beyond his years. Codie Taylor’s veteran leadership and Christian Lio-Willie’s tireless work in the pack epitomised the Crusaders’ championship resolve, whilst Will Jordan’s aerial dominance proved crucial in the territorial battle.
For the Chiefs, Luke Jacobson’s breakdown work was exceptional until his departure for a head injury assessment, whilst Damian McKenzie’s general play was outstanding despite missing the crucial penalty that could have changed the contest’s complexion.
The victory ensures the Apollo Projects Stadium’s final Super Rugby match was crowned with silverware before the franchise moves to their new home next season. As was the case in 2023, the Crusaders put two regular season defeats to the Chiefs behind them and won the fixture that counted most – proving once again that when the stakes are highest, the red and blacks simply know how to get the job done.
