The Chiefs made the perfect start to life under new coach Jono Gibbes, snatching a scrappy but precious 19-15 victory over the Blues at Eden Park as All Black halfback Cortez Ratima raced clear with four minutes remaining to silence the Auckland faithful.

Key moments

3 mins – PENALTY MISSED CHIEFS: Josh Jacomb, playing in place of new father Damian McKenzie, pulls his first kick badly to the left from 40 metres out in front. A poor start off the tee. (Blues 0-0 Chiefs)
7 mins – PENALTY MISSED BLUES: Stephen Perofeta does the exact same thing, dragging his kick hopelessly left from near in front. Dreadful miss that should have been converted with his eyes closed. (Blues 0-0 Chiefs)
19 mins – HELD UP BLUES: Bradley Slater nearly comes up with a dream start against his old side, but the new Blues hooker is held up over the line by Daniel Rona. Sums up a tense, scoreless opening quarter. (Blues 0-0 Chiefs)
28 mins – MISSED CHANCE CHIEFS: Quinn Tupaea spots space and opts for the crossfield kick to an unmarked Naitoa Ah Kuoi, but puts too much on it and the ball sails out of play. Should have just passed. (Blues 0-0 Chiefs)
32 mins – TRY CHIEFS: Tupou Vaa’i opens the scoring with an acrobatic effort. Josh Jacomb’s superb 50/22 puts the Chiefs on the attack, and from the resulting lineout, Vaa’i spots the Blues defenders going low and dives over the top to claim the first try. Jacomb misses the conversion from wide on the left. (Blues 0-5 Chiefs)
35 mins – TRY BLUES: The hosts strike back immediately. A Bradley Slater steal ignites the attack, and Caleb Clarke breaks through the line with a powerful run down the left touchline. Pita Ahki, on debut, provides an excellent offload to put Zarn Sullivan into a hole, and the fullback strides through the gap to score unopposed. Stephen Perofeta misses the conversion. (Blues 5-5 Chiefs)
38 mins – YELLOW CARD CHIEFS: Kaylum Boshier is sent to the sin bin after shoulder-to-head contact with Blues prop Josh Fusitu’a. The TMO confirms yellow card only, but the Chiefs will be down a man heading into the break. (Blues 5-5 Chiefs)
Half-time: Blues 5-5 Chiefs. A cagey, error-strewn opening 40 minutes with neither side able to gain control. Both goal-kickers wayward, both defences dominant. Blues have man advantage entering the second half after Boshier’s yellow card.
53 mins – TRY BLUES: Dalton Papali’i crashes over from close range for the captain’s try. Zarn Sullivan creates the opportunity with a powerful run that almost sees him burst through, and with the advantage up their sleeves, Papali’i is able to crash and smuggle his way to the line. Sullivan takes over the goal-kicking and curls through from out on the right. (Blues 12-5 Chiefs)
57 mins – CLOSE CALL CHIEFS: Etene Nanai-Seturo dribbles a kick towards the corner which bobbles into the in-goal, but Finlay Christie does superbly to win the race and ground it for a goal-line dropout. The Chiefs denied. (Blues 12-5 Chiefs)
63 mins – TRY CHIEFS: Samisoni Taukei’aho powers over from the back of the rolling maul. The Chiefs show patience, with the backs joining the drive as it charges towards the line before collapsing a metre out. Taukei’aho comes off the back, keeping low and powering his way to the line. Josh Jacomb converts from left of the posts. (Blues 12-12 Chiefs)
66 mins – PENALTY BLUES: Some sloppy play from the Chiefs at the restart—they fumble forward and are called for accidental offside. Zarn Sullivan slots the penalty from in front to reclaim the lead with 14 minutes remaining. (Blues 15-12 Chiefs)
74 mins – LINEOUT STOLEN CHIEFS: Crucial moment. Tupou Vaa’i and Naitoa Ah Kuoi thwart a Blues lineout drive in the corner, winning back possession with the visitors trailing by three. (Blues 15-12 Chiefs)
76 mins – TRY CHIEFS: The match-winner. Samipeni Finau takes a pop pass off Vaa’i to burst between defenders, breaking the line with a powerful surge. He pops it off his left shoulder to find Cortez Ratima in support, and the All Black halfback is too quick, racing clear to score under the posts with four minutes remaining. Josh Jacomb converts. (Blues 15-19 Chiefs)
78 mins – YELLOW CARD BLUES: Sam Nock is sent to the sin bin for a cynical infringement after Kaylum Boshier swoops on a horrid pass from Josh Beehre. The Blues’ hopes of a comeback take a fatal blow. (Blues 15-19 Chiefs)
80 mins – LINEOUT STOLEN CHIEFS: The final nail. The Blues have one last chance with a lineout on the Chiefs’ 10-metre line, but the visitors pinch the throw and run down the clock.
Full-time: Blues 15-19 Chiefs

In a derby dominated by the defences and littered with handling errors, it was a rare moment of attacking magic that decided the outcome. Samipeni Finau’s explosive break through tired defenders set up Ratima’s match-winning score, leaving the Blues to rue a game they had in their grasp.

For Gibbes, taking charge after replacing Clayton McMillan, it was a dream debut. The Chiefs begin another season desperate for their first title since 2013 after three consecutive grand final defeats under McMillan—and this gritty win at the home of their arch-rivals suggests they remain contenders.

Neither side had their star playmaker available. The Blues were without Beauden Barrett as he continues his managed return to play, while Damian McKenzie missed the birth of his first child, a baby boy. The battle between Stephen Perofeta and Josh Jacomb would determine much, but both flyhalves endured mixed evenings.

The opening quarter was a comedy of errors. Both Jacomb and Perofeta missed simple penalty goals within the first seven minutes—Jacomb pulling his effort badly left from 40 metres, Perofeta doing the exact same from even closer. Handling was poor, lineouts went astray, and few attacks stirred the Auckland crowd.

The Blues flirted with the try line in the 19th minute when new recruit Bradley Slater—facing his former side—lunged for the whitewash, only to be held up by Daniel Rona. The Chiefs had their own opportunity when Quinn Tupaea spotted an unmarked Naitoa Ah Kuoi on the wing, but his crossfield kick sailed out of play.

Eden Park had to wait until the 32nd minute for the first points. Jacomb’s excellent 50/22 gave the Chiefs prime attacking position, and from the resulting lineout, the ball was worked close to the line. Tupou Vaa’i—back to his pestering best after recovering from an ankle injury—spotted the Blues defenders going low and launched himself over the top with remarkable athleticism. Jacomb missed the conversion.

The Blues struck back within three minutes. A Slater steal at the breakdown ignited a counter-attack, and Caleb Clarke’s powerful run down the left touchline took the hosts inside the 22. Pita Ahki, making his first Blues appearance since 2015 after a lengthy stint in France, provided an excellent offload to put Zarn Sullivan into a hole. The fullback strode through the gap to score unopposed, though Perofeta’s conversion drifted wide.

To make matters worse for the Chiefs, Kaylum Boshier’s shoulder connected with the head of Blues prop Josh Fusitu’a before the break, earning a yellow card and leaving his side a man down heading into halftime locked at 5-5.

While the Blues had the numerical advantage, they could not capitalise before the interval. Quinn Tupaea won a crucial turnover on his own line to preserve parity.

The second half offered a slight improvement in execution. The Vern Cotter-inspired Blues forwards began to find their footing, working patiently towards the Chiefs’ tryline. In the 53rd minute, Sullivan almost burst through on a powerful run, and with the advantage up their sleeves, captain Dalton Papali’i crashed over from close range. Sullivan took over the goal-kicking duties and curled through from the right—the Blues led 12-5.

The Chiefs’ answer came from their set piece. After Finlay Christie denied Etene Nanai-Seturo with a superb goal-line recovery, the visitors went to the corner and set up the rolling maul. The backs joined the drive as it charged towards the line before collapsing a metre out. Samisoni Taukei’aho came off the back, keeping low and powering his way over. Jacomb’s conversion levelled scores at 12-12.

Some sloppy play from the Chiefs at the restart—fumbling forward and conceding accidental offside—presented Sullivan an easy chance to nudge the Blues back in front. His penalty from in front made it 15-12 with 14 minutes remaining.

Time was ticking on the Chiefs. When Vaa’i and Ah Kuoi thwarted a Blues lineout drive in the corner, it sparked hope. Then came the moment of decisive quality.
Finau, brought off the bench for impact, took a pop pass from Vaa’i to burst between tired defenders and break the line. He popped it off his left shoulder to find Ratima in support, and the All Black halfback was too quick, racing clear to dive over under the posts with four minutes remaining. Jacomb’s conversion made it 19-15.

The Blues lost their heads from there. A horrid pass from Josh Beehre was swooped upon by Boshier, and when Sam Nock infringed cynically after the cover tackle, he was sent to the sin bin. The final blow came when the Chiefs pinched a lineout on their 10-metre line with seconds remaining, allowing them to run down the clock and seal victory.

For the Blues, despite defeat, there were positives. Stand-in captain Papali’i was exceptional throughout, Sullivan looked sharp on his welcome return from injury, and Ahki showed his class on debut. But the late collapse will sting.

The Chiefs showed again that they will be contenders in 2026. Vaa’i was a menace on both sides of the ball, Luke Jacobson troubled around the rucks, and the bench impact from Finau and Ratima proved decisive. Even without McKenzie’s spark, this remains a dangerous side.

Match details

Blues 15 (Tries: Zarn Sullivan, Dalton Papali’i; Conversions: Zarn Sullivan 1/1; Penalties: Zarn Sullivan 1/1)
Chiefs 19 (Tries: Tupou Vaa’i, Samisoni Taukei’aho, Cortez Ratima; Conversions: Josh Jacomb 2/3)
Halftime: 5-5

Venue: Eden Park, Auckland
Referee: Ben O’Keeffe (New Zealand)
Assistant Referees: Todd Petrie, Maggie Cogger-Orr
TMO: Brett Cronan
Yellow Cards: Kaylum Boshier (Chiefs, 38′), Sam Nock (Blues, 78′)

What’s next

The Blues trek across to Perth to face the Western Force next Saturday, looking to bounce back from this late heartbreak. The Chiefs travel south to play the Highlanders in Dunedin on the same day, seeking to build on a winning start under Gibbes.

The NSW Waratahs broke the shackles to open the Super Rugby Pacific season with a rousing 36-12 derby win over the Queensland Reds, snapping a four-match losing streak against their arch-rivals as Wallabies wonder winger Max Jorgensen dazzled with a double.

Key moments

7 mins – TRY WARATAHS: Clem Halaholo marks his Super Rugby debut with the opening try after an intense assault on the Queensland line. Several rolling mauls are repelled but the Waratahs go off the top of a lineout, and the powerhouse flanker bulldozes through under several Reds defenders. Great story—Halaholo was told he wouldn’t be re-signed at the end of last season. Lawson Creighton converts. (Waratahs 7-0 Reds)
20 mins – TRY REDS: Chaos ends in a Tim Ryan try. After a breathless period where Jock Campbell makes a 35-metre break and Fraser McReight links well in another raid, NSW latch onto a turnover. When the ball comes loose, Reds backrower Joe Brial calmly seizes it and bangs a kick 40 metres into the corner. Ryan’s chase flusters the final Waratahs defender and the lightning winger grabs the ball to score. Harry McLaughlin-Phillips misses the conversion. (Waratahs 7-5 Reds)
35 mins – YELLOW CARD REDS: Vaiuta Latu is sent to the sin bin for repeated team infringements. Referee Paul Williams had issued multiple warnings to captain Fraser McReight. Miles Amatosero, returning from a two-game suspension for laying out teammate Angus Scott-Young in an infamous training bust-up, had found space for a 30-metre burst and dived over a ruck, but the referee wouldn’t allow it. McReight then pulls off two miraculous try-savers on Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii and Halaholo in the space of 20 seconds to keep the Tahs at bay. (Waratahs 7-5 Reds)
37 mins – PENALTY WARATAHS: New Sydney-born skipper Matt Philip, making his NSW debut at age 31, decides enough is enough and instructs Lawson Creighton to finally take the three points on offer. Creighton slots the easy kick. (Waratahs 10-5 Reds)
39 mins – TRY WARATAHS: Max Jorgensen lights up the stadium with a 70-metre solo effort. Nice offloading from Joey Walton and James Hendren sets the left winger free with a one-on-one against Reds fullback Jock Campbell. Jorgensen produces a huge sidestep—away then in—and burns Campbell before out-pacing the cover defence of flyhalf Louis Werchon. An early try of the year contender. Lawson Creighton converts. (Waratahs 17-5 Reds)
40+2 mins – TRY REDS: The halftime siren has sounded but the Reds steal possession when Miles Amatosero charges upfield instead of going to ground. McReight, with his back to the defence, dishes off a quick pass to Joe Brial who somehow crosses in the left corner. Harry McLaughlin-Phillips converts. (Waratahs 17-12 Reds)
Half-time: Waratahs 17-12 Reds. Waratahs dominate territory and possession but execution near the line costs them. Reds survive ten minutes down a man thanks to McReight’s heroics. Statistics tell the story: Waratahs had nine minutes in the Reds’ A-zone; Queensland had just 90 seconds in theirs.
42 mins – REDS RETURN TO 15: Vaiuta Latu returns from the sin bin as the Reds survive the yellow card period relatively unscathed. (Waratahs 17-12 Reds)
50 mins – BENCHES EMPTIED: Both coaches turn to their benches in search of a spark. Teddy Wilson replaces Jake Gordon for the Waratahs, while the Reds swap their entire front row. (Waratahs 17-12 Reds)
58 mins – TURNOVER MCREIGHT: When NSW weapon Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii makes a powerful charge, Lachie Anderson meets him front-on before Fraser McReight comes over the top for a classy steal 10 metres out. The Reds captain has been immense on both sides of the ball. (Waratahs 17-12 Reds)
65 mins – TRY WARATAHS: Isaac Kailea breaks the game open. After yet another Reds penalty, the Waratahs turn down an easy three points to extend their lead and it pays off. The replacement prop forces his way over near the posts to give the Tahs some breathing space. Charlie Gamble sets up the try with strong carrying. Lawson Creighton converts. (Waratahs 24-12 Reds)
72 mins – TRY WARATAHS: Max Jorgensen completes his double with a try that showcases Charlie Gamble’s brilliance. Jack Debreczeni’s pinpoint crossfield kick finds the fingertips of Gamble loitering on the wing. The flanker somehow stays in bounds while collecting above his head, then conjures a magical offload off the deck for Jorgensen surging through in support. Lawson Creighton converts. (Waratahs 31-12 Reds)
78 mins – TRY WARATAHS: Teddy Wilson puts the icing on the cake to secure a precious bonus point. The replacement scrumhalf pokes his head out of a ruck on the Reds line and puts the ball down. Lawson Creighton misses the conversion. (Waratahs 36-12 Reds)
Full-time: Waratahs 36-12 Reds

On a sweaty Sydney evening at Allianz Stadium, with moments of silence observed for Dame Marie Bashir and Easts’ young rugby player Nico Antic, who died as a result of a shark attack, it was NSW’s new-look forward pack that caused most of the carnage in a performance built on defensive grit and bench impact.

After losing experienced Test stars Taniela Tupou, Angus Bell, Dave Porecki, Rob Leota and Langi Gleeson from their engine room this season, inspirational newcomers Pete Samu and Clem Halaholo, along with naughty boy lock Miles Amatosero—returning from a two-game suspension for laying out teammate Angus Scott-Young in an infamous training bust-up—provided the Waratahs’ grunt.

The 36-12 triumph, featuring five goals from as many attempts from flyhalf Lawson Creighton, was only the Waratahs’ second win from their past 10 matches against the Reds since before COVID. In reality, they could have won by much more.

The Waratahs’ intent was clear from the outset. Within minutes, they were camped on the Queensland line after strong work from Matt Philip, whose charge-down of Louis Werchon’s clearance kick won a lineout 15 metres out. Several rolling mauls were repelled, but the hosts eventually found a way through when they went off the top of a lineout and the quicker pass allowed debutant Halaholo to bulldoze through under several Reds defenders in the seventh minute.

It was a fairy-tale moment for Halaholo, who was told at the end of last season he wouldn’t be re-signed. A superb off-season, particularly in the Super AUS competition, earned him another chance, and he seized it with both hands—his emotional celebration said it all.

The Reds found themselves in penalty trouble almost immediately. Referee Paul Williams issued multiple warnings to captain Fraser McReight as Queensland conceded penalty after penalty, frequently in their own territory.

Yet the visitors managed to stay in touch through a moment of quality game-sense and hustle in the 20th minute. After a breathless period where Jock Campbell made a damaging 35-metre break and McReight linked well in another raid, NSW latched onto a turnover. When the ball came loose, Reds backrower Joe Brial—the son of former Waratah and Wallaby Michael, now wearing Queensland colours—calmly seized it and banged a kick 40 metres into the corner. The opportunity was nothing without a great chase, and winger Tim Ryan delivered precisely that. His pursuit flustered the final Waratahs defender and the lightning-quick Ryan grabbed the ball to score.

The Waratahs’ defence, a point of emphasis throughout the off-season, was brutally effective. Queensland had extended spells of possession around 40 metres out and went nowhere, eventually resorting to kicking it away. Long spells of possession yielded nothing against the sky blue wall.

When Vaiuta Latu was finally yellow-carded for repeated infringements in the 35th minute, the Waratahs should have pulled clear. Amatosero, looking a man on a mission after his suspension, found himself in open space for a 30-metre burst and dived over a ruck in search of NSW’s second try. The referee wouldn’t allow it, but McReight then produced two miraculous try-savers in the space of 20 seconds—first on Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, then holding up Halaholo over the tryline—to keep the Tahs at bay.

It was respect for that defence that prompted new Sydney-born skipper Matt Philip, making his NSW debut at age 31, to instruct Creighton to finally take the three points on offer and nudge his side ahead 10-5.

Then came the moment of the match.

Nice offloading from Joey Walton and James Hendren set Jorgensen free on the left edge with a one-on-one against Campbell. What followed was mesmerising: the Wallabies winger produced a huge sidestep—away then in—that left the Reds fullback clutching at air. The 21-year-old then had the pace to burn past the covering Werchon and complete a stunning 70-metre solo try. An early contender for try of the season, it lit up the stadium and had the crowd on their feet.

Just when the Tahs figured they’d take a 12-point lead into the break, they produced a moment of classic ‘Tahsy’—that forehead-slapping tendency to do dumb things at the worst possible time.

The halftime siren had sounded, but Amatosero caught the restart and instead of going to ground for the ball to be kicked out, charged upfield. McReight, with his back to the defence, showed quick thinking to dish off a pass to Brial, who somehow crossed in the left corner. The big backrower’s second crucial involvement of the half suddenly had Queensland trailing just 17-12 at the break.

Queensland would have been delighted to only trail by five entering the second half after the home side dominated much of the opening 40 minutes. The statistics told the story: the Waratahs had nine minutes in the Reds’ A-zone; Queensland had just 90 seconds in theirs.

The second half became an attritional affair, with the parry-and-thrust typical of combative interstate games over decades. Both coaches emptied their benches around the 50-minute mark in search of a spark, with Teddy Wilson’s sniping at halfback providing the Waratahs with a different dimension.

McReight was magnificent throughout for Queensland, producing multiple turnovers that kept his side in the contest. When NSW weapon Suaalii made a powerful charge, Lachie Anderson met him front-on before McReight came over the top for a classy steal. But the Reds simply couldn’t stop conceding penalties, and eventually it cost them dearly.

The game remained poised at 17-12 past the hour mark. Then, after yet another Queensland infringement, the Waratahs turned down an easy three points, backing themselves to score from close range. The gamble paid off in the 65th minute when replacement prop Isaac Kailea forced his way over near the posts after strong carrying from Charlie Gamble set up the position. Creighton’s conversion stretched the lead to 12 and finally gave the Tahs some breathing space.

Seven minutes later, Jorgensen completed his double with a try that showcased Gamble’s brilliance. Jack Debreczeni, on for Joey Walton, delivered a pinpoint crossfield kick to the right edge where Gamble was loitering on the wing. The flanker somehow stayed in bounds while collecting above his head, then conjured a magical offload off the deck—popping a pass from the ground to find Jorgensen surging through in support. The winger went in untouched to seal victory at 31-12.

Wilson added the cherry on top in the 78th minute. The replacement scrumhalf spotted an opportunity, poking his head out of a ruck on the Reds line and putting the ball down to complete the bonus-point victory and spark joyous celebrations among the home fans.

For the Waratahs, it was a powerful effort across the park. While Jorgensen and James Hendren were excellent at the back and out wide, the performance was built on the work of the loose forwards—Samu, Gamble and Halaholo all had huge games in their engine room rebuild.

The Reds will be bitterly disappointed. McReight was the standout, picking up where he left off last season with an outstanding display on both sides of the ball—his try-saving tackles, turnovers and try assist showcasing his importance to this Queensland side. Hunter Paisami had a strong game with his defence and ball-carries in midfield. But the discipline issues are a major concern—17 penalties conceded, more than twice the Waratahs’ tally—and with seven Wallabies injured, the depth is being severely tested.

Finn Mackay made his Super Rugby Pacific debut at just 18 over the final 12 minutes as replacement flyhalf, while debuts were also milestones for starter Latu and reserves Xavier Rubens and James Martens.

What they said

Dan McKellar, Waratahs head coach: “We’re pleased, really pleased. There’s parts of the 80 minutes where we’ll certainly be better at, but just pleased with things that we spoke about around our defence, our fitness. We want to pride ourselves on being one of the fittest teams in the comp and also the impact of our bench. To sit here and have five points after round one against a team we’ve got enormous respect for is a good start to the year.”

Dan McKellar on Max Jorgensen: “You’re a fan, aren’t you? You’re like everyone else. He’s a unique talent. The best part about Jorgo is he’s just so down-to-earth, so humble. He doesn’t get ahead of himself at all. We want to try and get 30,000, 35,000 people here, and the Max Jorgensens of the world will certainly help that, because they’re players you want to watch live.”

Les Kiss, Reds head coach: “With 20 minutes to go, I thought our boys were digging in against a lot of things. If you get a break here or there, something can happen. That’s the footy game. A bit of weight of possession told and where the game was played. On our numbers, they had nine minutes in our A-zone. We had 90 seconds in theirs. That’s a massive difference.”

Fraser McReight, Reds captain: “It hurts. There were key moments where we had them and just didn’t need to give away a penalty. The last 20 minutes got away from us. We’ll regroup and get ready for our first game at home.”

Match details

Waratahs 36 (Tries: Clem Halaholo, Max Jorgensen 2, Isaac Kailea, Teddy Wilson; Conversions: Lawson Creighton 4/5; Penalties: Lawson Creighton 1/1)
Reds 12 (Tries: Tim Ryan, Joe Brial; Conversions: Harry McLaughlin-Phillips 1/2)
Halftime: 17-12
Venue: Allianz Stadium, Sydney
Referee: Paul Williams (New Zealand)
Assistant Referees: Angus Mabey, Michael Winter
TMO: Graham Cooper
Attendance: 16,655

What’s next
The Waratahs host the Fijian Drua at Allianz Stadium next Saturday, looking to build on this impressive start. The Reds have a bye week to address their discipline issues before hosting the Highlanders at Suncorp Stadium on February 27.

The 30th season of Super Rugby Pacific began with a seismic upset as the Highlanders toppled defending champions the Crusaders 25-23 at Forsyth Barr Stadium, Cameron Millar’s nerveless 79th-minute penalty completing a remarkable turnaround for last year’s wooden spooners.

Key moments

3 mins – PENALTY HIGHLANDERS: Cameron Millar opens the scoring after Christian Lio-Willie spills the kickoff receipt. The Highlanders win an early scrum and draw an offside penalty, with Millar slotting the simple shot from in front. (Highlanders 3-0 Crusaders)
15 mins – TRY HIGHLANDERS: Caleb Tangitau scores the first try of the 2026 Super Rugby Pacific season with devastating effect. Off a lineout, Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens finds space and offloads to Tangitau, who burns past Chay Fihaki and Rivez Reihana on a 20-metre blast to score in the corner. Cameron Millar’s conversion drifts wide. (Highlanders 8-0 Crusaders)
19 mins – TRY CRUSADERS: Noah Hotham strikes back for the visitors with a clever individual try. Sevu Reece pounces on a loose ball after a contestable kick goes wrong for the Highlanders, linking with Ethan Blackadder who drives deep into Highlanders territory. Hotham spots the vacant blindside and sprints 30 metres untouched to score. Rivez Reihana converts from wide. (Highlanders 8-7 Crusaders)
40 mins – PENALTY CRUSADERS: Rivez Reihana gives the Crusaders the lead at the break after Timoci Tavatavanawai is penalised for offside in the dying moments of the half. (Highlanders 8-10 Crusaders)
Half-time: Highlanders 8-10 Crusaders. Highlanders dominate territory with 71% in opening 30 minutes but Crusaders edge possession at 52%. Both teams struggle with handling—17 errors across both sides before the break, with the Crusaders most culpable. Highlanders lineout scratchy with four mistakes.
42 mins – PENALTY CRUSADERS: Ethan Blackadder wins a turnover straight from the restart and Rivez Reihana extends the lead from 35 metres. (Highlanders 8-13 Crusaders)
45 mins – TRY HIGHLANDERS: Angus Ta’avao crashes over on his first touch for his new club. Jonah Lowe breaks the line in midfield before Folau Fakatava delivers quick ball. Ta’avao finds an acre of space after Te Kamaka Howden’s decoy run wrong-foots Jamie Hannah and crashes over near the posts. Cameron Millar converts. (Highlanders 15-13 Crusaders)
49 mins – TRY HIGHLANDERS: Jonah Lowe finishes off the try of the match—a stunning 80-metre team movement. Oliver Haig wins the ball at the lineout on his side, and co-captain Timoci Tavatavanawai bursts past Braydon Ennor with brute strength, offloading out of contact to Jona Nareki. The winger draws fullback Chay Fihaki before releasing Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens down the touchline. Lowe arrives on the inside to finish. Cameron Millar converts from the sideline. (Highlanders 22-13 Crusaders)
50 mins – CRUSADERS BENCH: Rob Penney empties his bench, introducing All Blacks Codie Taylor, George Bower, Fletcher Newell, Corey Kellow and Will Jordan. (Highlanders 22-13 Crusaders)
61 mins – TRY CRUSADERS: Will Jordan’s class proves too much. Off a stable scrum platform, the ball is shifted left and Jordan receives from Taha Kemara with defenders in front. He steps sharply off his left foot, slips through three tacklers and reaches out to score his 48th try for the club—moving into third on the Crusaders’ all-time list. Taha Kemara converts from a tricky angle. (Highlanders 22-20 Crusaders)
67 mins – JORDAN BREAK: Will Jordan takes a mark, taps quickly and surges the length of the field before kicking in behind to force a goal-line dropout. The Crusaders’ pressure building. (Highlanders 22-20 Crusaders)
71 mins – PENALTY CRUSADERS: Will Jordan is caught high and Taha Kemara remains cool under pressure, slotting from in front to give the defending champions the lead with nine minutes remaining. (Highlanders 22-23 Crusaders)
79 mins – PENALTY HIGHLANDERS: The match-winner. Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens chips ahead and is taken out illegally by Codie Taylor, who changes his line to check the fullback. Cameron Millar, from 48 metres—having missed a crucial kick against the Crusaders in Christchurch last season—makes no mistake with 90 seconds remaining. (Highlanders 25-23 Crusaders)
80+ mins – KNOCKED ON: The Crusaders have one last chance from the restart, winning a scrum with seconds remaining. They launch a final sequence from just inside halfway, carrying hard through the middle, but Taha Kemara loses the ball in contact and referee Angus Gardner blows for full-time.
Full-time: Highlanders 25-23 Crusaders

With injured All Blacks lock Fabian Holland watching on from the stands after being ruled out for the season with a dislocated shoulder, the Highlanders made their way onto the field hoping to make a statement against the defending champions. They did precisely that.

The Highlanders, roared on by a packed Zoo, made their intentions clear from the opening whistle. Christian Lio-Willie’s failure to gather the kickoff handed the hosts immediate territory, and though they could only manufacture three points through Millar’s boot, the tone was set.

Jamie Joseph’s men continued to ask questions, and smart breakdown work in the opening 15 minutes—with Jack Taylor, debutant Lucas Casey, and Timoci Tavatavanawai prominent—got the Highlanders clear of early Crusaders surges. Their reward came through a moment of individual brilliance. Off a lineout, the ball moved through hands somewhat awkwardly, but Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens gathered on the fly and found Caleb Tangitau with space to burn. The winger, whose name has featured prominently in All Blacks discussions, scorched around Chay Fihaki and Rivez Reihana on a 20-metre blast to dot down in the corner and open the competition’s try-scoring account.

The Crusaders, however, are not 13-time champions for nothing. They responded within four minutes through Noah Hotham—gamely sporting a new bleached hairstyle—who exploited a vacant blindside after Sevu Reece pounced on a loose ball from a contestable kick and linked with Ethan Blackadder. Once Hotham pinned his ears back with the try line in sight, there was never any doubt. Reihana’s conversion from the touchline levelled proceedings before his penalty on the stroke of halftime gave the visitors a slender 10-8 advantage.

Referee Angus Gardner involved himself smartly throughout, giving crisp directions to keep players clear and the ball in play.

The second half began ominously for the Highlanders when Blackadder won a turnover from the restart and Reihana extended the lead to five points. Rob Penney’s men appeared to be grinding their way towards another victory, just as they had done so many times before.

But the Highlanders had other ideas.

A tactical masterstroke from Joseph saw props Ethan de Groot and Angus Ta’avao introduced at halftime, and the latter made an immediate impact. Jonah Lowe’s powerful carry through midfield created the platform, and when Folau Fakatava delivered quick ball, Ta’avao found himself in an acre of space after Te Kamaka Howden’s decoy run befuddled Hannah. The prop needed no second invitation, crashing over to restore the Highlanders’ lead.

Four minutes later, the home side produced the try of the match. Oliver Haig’s tip at the lineout gave the Highlanders possession in their own half, and what followed was breathtaking. Co-captain Timoci Tavatavanawai, celebrating his 50th Super Rugby appearance, burst past Ennor and offloaded out of contact to find Jona Nareki in support. The winger’s vision then released Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens down the touchline, and Lowe arrived on the inside shoulder to complete the 80-metre movement. Millar’s conversion stretched the advantage to nine points with half an hour remaining.

Enter Will Jordan. The All Blacks star, introduced early in the second half as Penney emptied his bench, had already shown glimpses of his class with a scintillating counter-attack from a mark that took him the length of the field before forcing a goal-line dropout. But his 61st-minute try demonstrated why he remains one of the most dangerous finishers in world rugby. Receiving from Taha Kemara some 20 metres out, Jordan appeared covered, only to step sharply off his left foot and slip through three defenders to score his 48th try for the club—moving into third on the Crusaders’ all-time list.

Kemara’s conversion made it a two-point game, and when the first five-eighth added a penalty on 71 minutes after a high tackle on Jordan, the Crusaders had somehow wrestled back the lead with less than ten minutes remaining.

The script appeared written. The Crusaders had done this countless times before—absorbing pressure, weathering storms, and finding a way to win when it mattered most.

But Millar had other ideas.

With 90 seconds on the clock, Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens uncorked a chip over the top. Codie Taylor, perhaps carrying a little summer rust having moments earlier fluffed a straightforward pass that would have put Fihaki over, changed his line and collected the fullback illegally. Referee Angus Gardner pointed to the spot.

From 48 metres out, with the weight of expectation bearing down, Millar—who had missed a crucial kick against the Crusaders in Christchurch last season—struck the penalty sweetly. The Zoo roared its approval before the ball had even crossed the uprights, and when the Crusaders’ last-gasp attack ended with Kemara spilling in contact after the hooter, pandemonium ensued.

For Blackadder, who was arguably the best player on the park with his relentless work at the breakdown, and Jordan, whose second-half cameo so nearly proved decisive, there was only disappointment. Sixteen of the Crusaders’ 23 had featured in last year’s grand final triumph, yet they could not find a way past a Highlanders side playing with freedom and intent.

Among the home side’s standouts, Howden was immense at blindside flanker, while Tavatavanawai’s leadership in his milestone match proved invaluable. In the backs, Tangitau and Nareki caused problems throughout, and Millar’s composure under pressure marked him as a player to watch this season.

The Crusaders will need to address their handling—they coughed up possession at crucial moments throughout—and their discipline, which allowed the Highlanders into the game repeatedly. The good news for Penney is that Scott Barrett, Tamaiti Williams, and others will bolster the squad as the season progresses.

For Joseph, whose name is linked to the vacant All Blacks coaching position, this was a perfect start—his CV receiving another timely boost. The Highlanders may have finished bottom of the table last year, but on this evidence, they are a side transformed.

The Crusaders’ error count told the story: 17 handling errors across both teams before the break, with the visitors most culpable. Lio-Willie’s opening-minute spill set an unfortunate tone, and when attack coach James Marshall had spoken pre-season about his team’s skill set being what set them apart, he could hardly have envisaged such a catalogue of fumbles. Ennor, Fainga’anuku and Lio-Willie were all guilty of coughing up possession at crucial moments.

What they said

David Havili, Crusaders captain: “The Highlanders did a great job at the breakdown; they beat us in that area tonight. They showed the physicality you need to finish off the opportunities. We lacked skillset, we had opportunities to score but they put us under a lot of pressure in our set piece. We don’t take any team lightly and we got beaten by the better team tonight. We need to dig deep and look where we can be better.”
Rob Penney, Crusaders head coach: “We’re really disappointed. Great credit to the Highlanders, they always front up and it’s a credit to their organisation. Our accuracy was poor—we had over a dozen errors around halftime which got worse in the second half. We started to get a bit of flow on then gave away a few silly penalties. We were second today, no doubt.”

Match details

Highlanders 25 (Tries: Caleb Tangitau, Angus Ta’avao, Jonah Lowe; Conversions: Cameron Millar 2/3; Penalties: Cameron Millar 2/2)
Crusaders 23 (Tries: Noah Hotham, Will Jordan; Conversions: Rivez Reihana 1/1, Taha Kemara 1/1; Penalties: Rivez Reihana 2/2, Taha Kemara 1/1)
Halftime: 8-10
Venue: Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin
Referee: Angus Gardner (Australia)
Assistant Referees: George Myers, Matt Kellahan
TMO: Graham Cooper
Attendance: 15,000

What’s next

The Highlanders remain at Forsyth Barr Stadium next week to host the Chiefs, looking to build on this momentum against another title contender. The Crusaders return home to Apollo Projects Stadium on Sunday 22 February to face the Brumbies, knowing they must sharpen their execution as they look ahead to the grand opening of One NZ Stadium later in the season.