The Western Force produced a stunning comeback from 19–0 down to beat the Crusaders 31–26 at HBF Park, with Carlo Tizzano’s turnover penalty in the dying seconds sealing the victory after Harry Johnson-Holmes scored the decisive try on his 100th Super Rugby appearance.

Key moments

5 mins – TRY CRUSADERS: Taha Kemara chips and chases before being hauled down 15 metres out. The Crusaders recycle quickly and Sevu Reece dishes a short pass to George Bell, who powers through a hole to score beside the posts. Kemara converts. (Force 0–7 Crusaders)

17 mins – YELLOW CARD FORCE: Nick Champion de Crespigny is shown yellow for not rolling away after repeated team infringements. The Force had already been warned following multiple penalties on their own line, where they held up both Dom Gardiner and Leicester Fainga’anuku.

19 mins – TRY CRUSADERS: The Crusaders opt to tap from a penalty close to the line. Dallas McLeod dishes off a pass to Fainga’anuku, who wraps around and steamrolls through Henry Robertson to score out wide. Kemara converts. (Force 0–14 Crusaders)

22 mins – TRY CRUSADERS: Louis Chapman fires it down the short side to Fainga’anuku, who sends it on to Macca Springer. The returning winger sprints down the left touchline and rolls in a perfectly weighted grubber into the in-goal, where Johnny McNicholl dives over a Force defender to miraculously ground the ball near the dead-ball line. Kemara’s conversion hits the upright. (Force 0–19 Crusaders)

35 mins – TRY FORCE: George Bridge takes a direct carry before Ben Donaldson floats a crisp long pass to the left. Dylan Pietsch zips infield and flicks a pass to Zac Lomax, who streaks into space down the touchline. Lomax passes inside to Mac Grealy, who dishes it off to Henry Robertson to sprint away and score out wide. Donaldson converts. (Force 7–19 Crusaders)

Half-time: Force 7–19 Crusaders. The Crusaders dominated the opening 25 minutes, scoring three unanswered tries through Bell, Fainga’anuku and McNicholl’s stunning effort while the Force were reduced to 14 men. The hosts finished the half strongly, however, with Robertson’s brilliant team try offering hope, and Tizzano was held up over the line on the siren.

45 mins – TRY FORCE: Vaiolini Ekuasi claims the lineout and the Force maul rumbles to the five-metre line under penalty advantage. Robertson steps sharply down the short side past Chapman to score his second from close range. Donaldson converts. (Force 14–19 Crusaders)

54 mins – TRY FORCE: Jeremy Williams takes an uncontested lineout and the Force get their maul moving towards the goal line. Robertson clears it and sends it right to Bayley Kuenzle, who shifts it to Donaldson. He floats a crisp long pass out to Zac Lomax, who dives over untouched in the corner for his first try in rugby union. Donaldson misses the conversion. (Force 19–19 Crusaders)

58 mins – TRY CRUSADERS: The Crusaders strike straight back. Fainga’anuku carries hard before a lovely around-the-corner pass from Gardiner finds Springer, who streaks down the touchline and dishes a pass inside to Noah Hotham, who races away to score under the posts. Rivez Reihana converts. (Force 19–26 Crusaders)

62 mins – YELLOW CARD CRUSADERS: Tahlor Cahill is shown yellow for collapsing the Force maul after being warned earlier. The Force have a lineout five metres out.

63 mins – TRY FORCE: The Force hammer away from close range with Tizzano, Sef Fa’agase and Nic Dolly all carrying within a metre of the line. Dylan Pietsch takes it off the back of the ruck and dives towards the corner. The TMO confirms the grounding. Donaldson misses the conversion. (Force 24–26 Crusaders)

70 mins – TRY FORCE: The Force pound away through multiple one-out carries inside the Crusaders 22 with Bridge, Franco Molina, Nathan Hastie and Tizzano all surging forward. Fa’agase picks and goes and is stopped short before Harry Johnson-Holmes burrows low to ground the ball on the line — a try on his 100th Super Rugby appearance. Donaldson converts. (Force 31–26 Crusaders)

76 mins – TRY DISALLOWED CRUSADERS: Springer finishes in the corner after Fainga’anuku’s offload, but the TMO rules it out for a Reece knock-on two phases earlier. The Force survive.

80+ mins: The Crusaders churn through 20 phases inside the Force half, searching for the levelling score. But Tizzano gets lightning-quick over the ball and wins a turnover penalty for holding on. The Force boot it into touch to seal the victory.

Full-time: Force 31–26 Crusaders

Full match report to follow.

Match details

Force 31 (Tries: H. Robertson 35′ 45′, Lomax 54′, Pietsch 63′, Johnson-Holmes 70′; Conversions: Donaldson 3/5)
Crusaders 26 (Tries: Bell 5′, Fainga’anuku 19′, McNicholl 22′, Hotham 58′; Conversions: Kemara 2/3, Reihana 1/1)
Half-time: 7–19
Yellow cards: Nick Champion de Crespigny 17′ (repeated team infringements), Tahlor Cahill 62′ (collapsing maul)

Venue: HBF Park, Perth
Referee: Reuben Keane (Australia)
Assistant Referees: Nic Berry, Louis Trisley
TMO: Brett Cronan

Milestones

• Harry Johnson-Holmes (Force) — 100th Super Rugby appearance, scored the match-winning try
• Macca Springer (Crusaders) — first appearance of the season, returning from long-term quad injury
• Zac Lomax (Force) — first Super Rugby Pacific start, scored his first try in rugby union

Teams

Force: 15 Mac Grealy, 14 Zac Lomax, 13 George Bridge, 12 Bayley Kuenzle, 11 Dylan Pietsch, 10 Ben Donaldson, 9 Henry Robertson, 8 Vaiolini Ekuasi, 7 Carlo Tizzano, 6 Nick Champion de Crespigny, 5 Darcy Swain, 4 Jeremy Williams (c), 3 Misinale Epenisa, 2 Brandon Paenga-Amosa, 1 Tom Robertson.
Replacements: 16 Nic Dolly, 17 Sef Fa’agase, 18 Harry Johnson-Holmes, 19 Franco Molina, 20 Will Harris, 21 Nathan Hastie, 22 Hamish Stewart, 23 Kurtley Beale.

Crusaders: 15 Johnny McNicholl, 14 Sevu Reece, 13 Leicester Fainga’anuku, 12 Dallas McLeod, 11 Macca Springer, 10 Taha Kemara, 9 Louis Chapman, 8 Christian Lio-Willie (c), 7 Johnny Lee, 6 Dom Gardiner, 5 Jamie Hannah, 4 Tahlor Cahill, 3 Seb Calder, 2 George Bell, 1 Finlay Brewis.
Replacements: 16 Manumaua Leitu, 17 George Bower, 18 Kershawl Sykes-Martin, 19 Oli Mathis, 20 Corey Kellow, 21 Noah Hotham, 22 Rivez Reihana, 23 Toby Bell.

Note: Late changes for the Crusaders saw Chay Fihaki and Will Tucker ruled out. Sevu Reece moved into the starting side on the right wing, with Toby Bell and Oli Mathis joining the bench.

What’s next

The Force have the bye in round 11. The Crusaders open Super Round at One New Zealand Stadium in Christchurch against the Waratahs on Friday night.

Wallace Sititi scooped up a charged-down drop goal attempt and dived over to snatch a dramatic 22–17 golden-point victory for the Chiefs over the Hurricanes at FMG Stadium Waikato, in a top-of-the-table thriller that went to extra time after Damian McKenzie’s penalty fell short in the dying seconds of normal time.

Key moments

9 mins – TRY HURRICANES: Peter Lakai carries hard down the left before Cam Roigard finds Pasilio Tosi near the line. The ball is shifted wide right through Ruben Love and Billy Proctor, with Josh Moorby finishing in the corner. Love misses the conversion. (Chiefs 0–5 Hurricanes)

30 mins – PENALTY CHIEFS: After sustained pressure inside the Hurricanes 22, the Chiefs win a penalty at the breakdown. Damian McKenzie slots from 30 metres, right of the posts. (Chiefs 3–5 Hurricanes)

38 mins – TRY HURRICANES: Asafo Aumua charges around the back of a lineout maul and is stopped two metres short. Roigard fires it wide and finds Peter Lakai, who steams over under the posts untouched. Love converts. (Chiefs 3–12 Hurricanes)

Half-time: Chiefs 3–12 Hurricanes. A high-quality, physical contest befitting a top-of-the-table clash. The Hurricanes struck through Moorby’s first-half try and Lakai’s score just before the break, with their forward pack laying a strong platform through Aumua and Lakai. Roigard’s tempo around the ruck kept the Chiefs under constant pressure. McKenzie’s penalty was the hosts’ only reward despite promising passages, as discipline and breakdown pressure disrupted their rhythm.

49 mins – TRY CHIEFS: Luke Jacobson carries hard from the back of a scrum before Seuseu Naitoa Ah Kuoi is stopped short. George Dyer then flicks a deft offload onto Simon Parker, who crashes over near the posts. McKenzie converts. (Chiefs 10–12 Hurricanes)

62 mins – TRY HURRICANES: The Hurricanes build through multiple phases inside the Chiefs 22 after Lakai and the forwards carry into range. Roigard switches play right through Proctor and Harkin before swinging back left. Aumua powers over from close range. Love misses the conversion. (Chiefs 10–17 Hurricanes)

73 mins – TRY CHIEFS: The Hurricanes lose possession from a loose offload after the lineout. Leroy Carter scoops it up and goes steaming away past halfway before finding replacement Daniel Sinkinson on his inside, who races over untouched. McKenzie converts to level the scores. (Chiefs 17–17 Hurricanes)

79 mins – MISSED PENALTY CHIEFS: After the Chiefs win a penalty from a lineout maul, McKenzie attempts a shot from 38 metres out near the left sideline to win it in normal time. The kick falls short.

End of normal time: Chiefs 17–17 Hurricanes. Golden point extra time. First team to score wins.

85 mins – TRY CHIEFS (GOLDEN POINT): McKenzie breaks the line and finds Sinkinson inside the 22. The ball is recycled left through Josh Jacomb and Xavier Roe back to McKenzie, who attempts a drop goal. The kick is charged down but falls to Wallace Sititi, who scoops it up and dives over to score the match-winner. (Chiefs 22–17 Hurricanes)

Full-time: Chiefs 22–17 Hurricanes (golden point)

Match report

On the night Luke Jacobson became the 14th centurion in Chiefs history, it was a man who had been on the field for barely half an hour who delivered the defining moment of the Super Rugby Pacific season. Wallace Sititi, returning from a hamstring injury that had sidelined him since round three, found himself in the right place at the right time as McKenzie’s drop goal attempt was charged down in golden-point extra time, scooping the loose ball off the turf and diving over to send FMG Stadium Waikato into raptures.

It was a fitting climax to a contest that had everything a top-of-the-table clash should — ferocious physicality, tactical chess, momentum swings and a finish that will be replayed for years to come. The Chiefs’ victory moved them to within two points of the Hurricanes at the summit, blowing the title race wide open with six rounds remaining.

For much of the evening, however, it was the Hurricanes who looked the more likely winners. Clark Laidlaw’s side struck first through Josh Moorby in the ninth minute, the culmination of a slick attacking sequence that showcased their potency out wide. Peter Lakai carried hard down the left before Cam Roigard found Pasilio Tosi near the line. The ball was shifted through the hands via Ruben Love and Billy Proctor, with Moorby applying the finishing touch in the corner. Love’s conversion drifted wide, but the early statement had been made.

The Chiefs, disrupted by late withdrawals that forced Samipeni Finau, Kaylum Boshier and Reuben O’Neill out of the matchday squad entirely, took time to find their rhythm. Jahrome Brown came into the starting side at openside, with Parker shifting to blindside and Jacobson moving to number eight in a reshuffled loose forward trio. Their lineout functioned well — Parker twice stole Hurricanes throw — and they threatened through McKenzie and Quinn Tupaea, but the visitors’ breakdown pressure repeatedly disrupted their attacking momentum.

McKenzie’s penalty from 30 metres in the 30th minute was the Chiefs’ only reward from a first half they had competed well in without finding the killer blow. The Hurricanes, by contrast, struck with clinical precision just before the interval. Asafo Aumua charged around the back of a lineout maul and was hauled down two metres short, but Roigard — whose speed to the breakdown was a constant threat — fired the ball wide to find Lakai, who steamed over under the posts untouched. Love converted and the visitors took a 12–3 lead into the sheds.

The second half brought a different complexion. Jacobson, marking his milestone with a typically industrious display, carried hard from the back of a scrum four minutes after the restart, and when Ah Kuoi was stopped short, George Dyer produced a deft flick pass to send Parker crashing over near the posts. McKenzie converted to bring the Chiefs within two, and the momentum had shifted.

The Hurricanes responded emphatically. Aumua powered over in the 62nd minute after a sustained multi-phase assault, the hooker’s brute strength proving too much as he barged his way across the line. Love’s conversion missed, leaving the score at 17–10, but the seven-point cushion appeared comfortable with 18 minutes remaining.

It was anything but. The pivotal moment arrived in the 73rd minute when a loose Hurricanes offload after the lineout was seized upon by Leroy Carter, who scooped up the ball and went racing away past halfway. The winger found replacement Daniel Sinkinson on his inside shoulder and the substitute sprinted over untouched. McKenzie’s conversion from in front levelled the scores at 17–17, and suddenly the match was alive again.

The Chiefs had the chance to win it in normal time. After their lineout maul earned a penalty, McKenzie lined up a shot from 38 metres out near the left touchline. The kick had the direction but not the distance, falling agonisingly short and sending the match into golden-point extra time — the first score-next-wins period of the 2026 season.

What followed was breathless. Both sides probed cautiously through the opening exchanges of extra time, the kicking battle intensifying as neither wanted to concede the territory that might prove fatal. The Hurricanes stole a Chiefs lineout through Caleb Delany, but could not capitalise. Brad Shields pilfered another, but again the ball changed hands without reward.

Then McKenzie conjured the moment. Breaking the defensive line, he found Sinkinson inside the 22 before the ball was recycled left through Jacomb and Roe. McKenzie shaped for a drop goal, but the kick was charged down. In the chaos that followed, the ball bounced kindly for Sititi. The All Black loose forward, who had entered the fray in the 53rd minute and immediately added punch to the Chiefs’ carrying game, did not hesitate — scooping the ball off the ground and diving over to score the match-winner.

It was a cruel end for a Hurricanes side that had led for the vast majority of the contest and will rue Love’s two missed conversions, either of which would have rendered the late comeback insufficient. Roigard was superb at halfback, his darting runs and quick service keeping the Chiefs on the back foot for long stretches, while Lakai’s all-action display from number eight underlined why he is among the competition’s most dangerous ball-carriers. Du’Plessis Kirifi was typically combative before making way for Brad Shields in the 62nd minute.

For the Chiefs, McKenzie’s influence grew as the match wore on. His tactical kicking pinned the Hurricanes deep, his running game created the crucial linebreak in extra time, and while the drop goal was charged down, his willingness to take responsibility in the biggest moments ultimately set up the winner. Tupaea was a handful in midfield, Jacobson was everywhere on his 100th appearance, and the late-game contributions of Sititi and Sinkinson off the bench proved decisive.

The result snaps the Hurricanes’ five-match winning streak and ends their run of three consecutive regular-season victories over the Chiefs. Laidlaw’s side remain top of the table with 30 points, but the Chiefs have closed the gap to just two and now have the psychological edge heading into the final stretch. Both sides head into Super Round next weekend — the Chiefs face the Highlanders while the Hurricanes travel to Canberra to meet the Brumbies — knowing that the title race has well and truly ignited.

Match details

Chiefs 22 (Tries: Parker 49′, Sinkinson 73′, Sititi 85′; Conversions: McKenzie 2/3; Penalties: McKenzie 1/1)
Hurricanes 17 (Tries: Moorby 9′, Lakai 38′, Aumua 62′; Conversions: Love 1/3)
Half-time: 3–12
End of normal time: 17–17
Golden point: Sititi try 85′

Venue: FMG Stadium Waikato, Hamilton
Referee: Ben O’Keeffe (New Zealand)
Assistant Referees: Todd Petire, Warwick Lahmert
TMO: Richard Kelly

Milestones

• Luke Jacobson (Chiefs) — 100th Super Rugby appearance, becoming the 14th Chiefs centurion
• Wallace Sititi (Chiefs) — return from hamstring injury, scored golden-point match-winner

Teams

Chiefs: 15 Liam Coombes-Fabling, 14 Leroy Carter, 13 Quinn Tupaea, 12 Reon Paul, 11 Kyren Taumoefolau, 10 Damian McKenzie, 9 Cortez Ratima, 8 Luke Jacobson (c), 7 Jahrome Brown, 6 Simon Parker, 5 Seuseu Naitoa Ah Kuoi, 4 Josh Lord, 3 George Dyer, 2 Samisoni Taukei’aho, 1 Ollie Norris.
Replacements: 16 Brodie McAlister, 17 Jared Proffit, 18 Benet Kumeroa, 19 Fiti Sa, 20 Wallace Sititi, 21 Xavier Roe, 22 Josh Jacomb, 23 Daniel Sinkinson.

Hurricanes: 15 Callum Harkin, 14 Josh Moorby, 13 Billy Proctor, 12 Jordie Barrett (co-c), 11 Fehi Fineanganofo, 10 Ruben Love, 9 Cam Roigard, 8 Peter Lakai, 7 Du’Plessis Kirifi (co-c), 6 Devan Flanders, 5 Warner Dearns, 4 Isaia Walker-Leawere, 3 Pasilio Tosi, 2 Asafo Aumua, 1 Xavier Numia.
Replacements: 16 Jacob Devery, 17 Pouri Rakete-Stones, 18 Tevita Mafileo, 19 Caleb Delany, 20 Brad Shields, 21 Brayden Iose, 22 Ereatara Enari, 23 Jone Rova.

Note: Late changes for the Chiefs saw Samipeni Finau, Kaylum Boshier and Reuben O’Neill all ruled out. Jahrome Brown started at openside, Parker shifted to blindside and Jacobson moved to number eight. Daniel Sinkinson and Benet Kumeroa joined the bench.

What’s next

Both sides head to Super Round next weekend. The Chiefs face the Highlanders, while the Hurricanes travel to Canberra to meet the Brumbies.

The NSW Waratahs ground out a 29–14 victory over Moana Pasifika at Allianz Stadium in an emotionally charged encounter disrupted by a lengthy lightning delay, with Sid Harvey scoring twice as the hosts secured a vital bonus-point win to keep their finals hopes alive.

Key moments

5 mins – TRY MOANA PASIFIKA: Melani Matavao catches the Waratahs napping with a quick tap from a penalty 15 metres out, bursting towards the line and reaching out to score. Patrick Pellegrini converts. (Waratahs 0–7 Moana Pasifika)

8 mins – YELLOW CARD MOANA PASIFIKA: Glen Vaihu is shown yellow for a head-on-head high tackle on Lawson Creighton. Creighton departs for a head injury assessment.

13 mins – TRY DISALLOWED WARATAHS: Pete Samu crashes through a hole for what appears an easy try, but it is ruled out after Daniel Botha is found to have illegally cleared a Moana defender past the breakdown. Max Jorgensen also leaves the field for an HIA.

16 mins – TRY WARATAHS: With both Creighton and Jorgensen off for head injury assessments, replacement Triston Reilly scores with his first touch. Joey Walton finds him with a neat pass into space after patient forward carries. Sid Harvey converts. (Waratahs 7–7 Moana Pasifika)

20 mins – TRY MOANA PASIFIKA: Melani Matavao strikes again with another quick tap, this time from six metres out. The halfback darts over before the Waratahs can set their defence. Pellegrini converts. (Waratahs 7–14 Moana Pasifika)

25 mins – TRY WARATAHS: Jake Gordon sparks the chance with a gutsy break, and Sid Harvey produces a spectacular finish, launching his body over the corner post to plant the ball down. Harvey misses his own conversion. (Waratahs 12–14 Moana Pasifika)

Half-time: Waratahs 12–14 Moana Pasifika. An open, entertaining first half with Moana Pasifika thoroughly motivated after this week’s disbandment announcement. Matavao’s two quick-tap tries gave the visitors a deserved lead, though Vaihu’s yellow card and the loss of Creighton and Jorgensen to HIAs disrupted both sides. Harvey’s acrobatic corner finish kept the Waratahs in touch heading into the break.

53 mins – TRY WARATAHS: After sustained pressure on the Moana line, replacement prop Isaac Kailea burrows over from close range under penalty advantage. Tom Savage is sin-binned for offside following a team warning for repeated infringements. Harvey’s conversion clips the upright. (Waratahs 17–14 Moana Pasifika)

53 mins – YELLOW CARD MOANA PASIFIKA: Tom Savage shown yellow for offside after a team warning for repeated penalties on their own line.

69 mins – TRY WARATAHS: After the forwards hammer away under an offside advantage, Jack Debreczeni spots space on the left wing and fires across to Harvey, who dives into the corner for his second. Harvey misses the conversion. Play is then halted for approximately 45 minutes due to lightning in the area. (Waratahs 22–14 Moana Pasifika)

69–70 mins – LIGHTNING DELAY: Both teams are taken from the field due to lightning strikes in the Sydney area. Play resumes after approximately 45 minutes, with Harvey’s conversion attempt from the sideline missing on resumption.

80 mins – TRY WARATAHS: The lineout drive proves the tonic as Folau Fainga’a controls at the back of the maul and crashes over to secure the bonus point in the final minute. Harvey converts. (Waratahs 29–14 Moana Pasifika)

Full-time: Waratahs 29–14 Moana Pasifika

Full match report to follow.

Match details

Waratahs 29 (Tries: Reilly 16′, Harvey 25′ 69′, Kailea 53′, Fainga’a 80′; Conversions: Harvey 2/5)
Moana Pasifika 14 (Tries: Matavao 5′ 20′; Conversions: Pellegrini 2/2)
Half-time: 12–14
Yellow cards: Glen Vaihu 8′ (high tackle), Tom Savage 53′ (repeated team penalties)

Venue: Allianz Stadium, Sydney
Referee: Angus Mabey (New Zealand)
Assistant Referees: Mike Winter, Ben Woolerton
TMO: Aaron Paterson

Teams

Waratahs: 15 Sid Harvey, 14 Andrew Kellaway, 13 Joey Walton, 12 Lawson Creighton, 11 Max Jorgensen, 10 Jack Debreczeni, 9 Jake Gordon, 8 Pete Samu, 7 Charlie Gamble, 6 Angus Scott-Young, 5 Miles Amatosero, 4 Matt Philip (c), 3 Daniel Botha, 2 Ethan Dobbins, 1 Tom Lambert.
Replacements: 16 Folau Fainga’a, 17 Isaac Kailea, 18 Siosifa Amone, 19 Angus Blyth, 20 Clem Halaholo, 21 Jamie Adamson, 22 Teddy Wilson, 23 Triston Reilly.

Moana Pasifika: 15 William Havili, 14 Tuna Tuitama, 13 Solomon Alaimalo, 12 Tevita Latu, 11 Glen Vaihu, 10 Patrick Pellegrini, 9 Melani Matavao, 8 Semisi Tupou Ta’eiloa, 7 Semisi Paea, 6 Miracle Faiilagi (c), 5 Veikoso Poloniati, 4 Tom Savage, 3 Chris Apoua, 2 Millennium Sanerivi, 1 Abraham Pole.
Replacements: 16 Samiuela Moli, 17 Malakai Hala-Ngatai, 18 Paula Latu, 19 Jimmy Tupou, 20 Ola Tauelangi, 21 Jonathan Taumateine, 22 Faletoi Peni, 23 Tyler Pulini.

What’s next

The Waratahs have the bye in round 11 (Super Round). Moana Pasifika face the Highlanders at One New Zealand Stadium in Christchurch on Sunday.