Player Ratings: Chiefs

OPINION: The Chiefs have lost their third straight Super Rugby Pacific final on Saturday, 16-12, in Christchurch against the Crusaders.

There were some strong performances from the away side, but it wasn’t to be in 2025.

Henry Lee rates the Chiefs players:

1. Ollie Norris – 7
The big front rower, who’s in a straight shootout with Xavier Numia and Joshua Fusitu’a for the vacant loosehead prop position in the All Blacks, had a brilliant start in Christchurch, winning back-to-back scrum penalties against one of New Zealand’s elite scrummagers, Fletcher Newell.

Newell did bounce back and win a couple of penalties, but overall, it was an impressive performance on both sides of the ball from Norris two days out from the All Blacks squad being named.

Off at 50 minutes.

2. Samisoni Taukei’aho – 6.5
The 30-Test All Black was strong in defence, and didn’t have any issues at line-out time, but was slightly outplayed in the first half by his opposite number, Codie Taylor.

Taukei’aho carried 11 times in 50 minutes and made seven tackles.

Replaced at 50 minutes.

3. George Dyer – 7
George Dyer, who has been one of the Chiefs’ standout players this season, was under huge pressure against Tamaiti Williams at scrum time, but held his own early on in the final.

Dyer found himself in midfield close to the line and was on the end of a subtle pass by Luke Jacobson to go over for the final’s first try of the evening. Dyer’s defence in the opening 20 minutes was outstanding, forcing Crusaders attackers backwards.

Dyer’s output was solid over the course of his 550-minute shift, setting a solid platform for the replacements to attempt to close the final out.

4. Naitoa Ah Kuoi – 6
The Chiefs announced this week that Naitoa Ah Kuoi had re-signed with the Hamilton-based franchise for another season, after enjoying a solid season, making 16 appearances for his side.

Ah Kuoi was up against Scott Barrett and Antonio Shalfoon in the grand final and held his own for the majority of the game, standing up to the occasion.

Ah Kuoi made nine tackles and made four carries in his 65-minute shift before being replaced by Jimmy Tupou.

5. Tupou Vaa’i – 8
Tupou Vaa’i had some nice touches early on in the game, but was largely used as a crash-and-bash ball carrier.

Vaa’i’s second half started with a smart tackle on Crusaders halfback Noah Hotham, forcing Hotham to drop the ball.

Vaa’i charged towards the line but was stopped in a fantastic covering tackle from Taylor and Newell. Vaai’s most important contribution on the night might have been inside his own 22, getting up, competing, and winning the ball from a Crusaders line-out.

The Chiefs’ line-out functioned effectively, and Vaa’i was at the heart of it throughout the 80 minutes.

Vaa’i made a agame-highh 21 tackles and carried the ball eight times.

6. Samipeni Finau – 6.5
Samipeni Finau has been involved in the All Blacks loose forward conversation this year, and rightly so, after proving himself as one of the more dominant tacklers in the competition.

Finau made some smart tackles in the opening stages, but struggled to make any trademark dominant tackles that we have come to expect from the 8-Test All Black.

Finau’s much-talked-about discipline was perfect on Saturday, not giving away a penalty in his 80-minute shift in Christchurch.

7. Luke Jacobson – 6.5
The Chiefs’ captain was at his usual bruising best on defence and had a beautiful try assist to Dyer in the first try of the game. Jacobson’s breakdown prowess was mostly nullified by the Crusaders before he was sent for an HIA in the 43rd minute.

Jacobson returned to the field with just under 20 minutes to go, but failed to really make a considerable impact against a powerful and classy Crusaders forward pack.

8. Wallace Sititi – 6
The World Rugby Men’s 15s Breakthrough Player of the Year in 2024 was at his busy best, but the game didn’t quite suit his strengths, with limited opportunities to showcase his game-breaking running game.

Sititi was substituted in the 69th minute, after spending most of his second-half shift making tackles.

9. Cortez Ratima – 5
Ratima has been key for the Chiefs this season in multiple facets of their game, but tonight in the final, he struggled to really dominate the kicking battle from the base of the ruck.

Ratima’s running game and ability to be in the right place at the right time is one of his biggest attributes, but the Chiefs didn’t create any clear-cut opportunities to let Ratima thrive.

Replaced at 60 minutes.

10. Damian McKenzie – 5
The All Blacks first five was a steady hand for the Chiefs in the first half and didn’t find any major gaps in the Crusaders’ defence early on.

McKenzie’s kicking game at the start of the second half set the tone in the opening minutes, but his missed penalty kick early in the second half was a pivotal moment in the final.

It wasn’t McKenzie’s best performance, and ultimately, when push came to shove, he couldn’t get his team over the line in their third straight final.

11. Leroy Carter – 6
The former All Blacks Sevens superstar was quiet in the first half of the action in Christchurch, as the cold weather played a factor. The Chiefs largely used their possession close to the ruck, limiting the opportunities for Carter to get involved.

The second half was much of the same for the Chiefs’ speedster, and he moved to the right wing when Narawa was replaced in the second half.

12. Quinn Tupaea – 9
Quinn Tupaea has been a standout for the Chiefs this season, showcasing all-around skills and the ability to influence the game in more ways than one. Tupaea started the game nicely with some good work in the air, and carried the ball seven times in the first 30 minutes in Christchurch.

Tupaea’s defensive read late in the first half on Will Jordan was brilliant, and he constantly found himself in the middle of the action.

Tupaea’s stats showcased his performance perfectly, with 16 tackles and twelve carries in the final.

13. Daniel Rona – 6
Rona has enjoyed some solid minutes in the second half of the season after Anton Lienert-Brown’s mid-season injury, and hasn’t put a foot wrong in that time.

Rona’s impact was mostly felt on defence, most notably with a massive shot on Braydon Ennor in the second half when the Crusaders centre found a gap in the Chiefs’ defence.

14. Emoni Narawa – 6.5
Emoni Narawa’s signature pick and go from the base of the scrum once again proved dangerous for the opposition, trying multiple times in the first half.

Narawa was another Chiefs player who was hurt by the style of play the away side were forced to play, failing to make any breaks to get the Chiefs on the front foot.

Narawa didn’t get his hands on the ball in the second half and was substituted in the 63rd minute by Etene Nanai-Seturo.

15. Shaun Stevenson – 7.5
In Stevenson’s last game as a Chiefs player, the 109-cap veteran had a disappointing start to proceedings in the final, dropping the ball just on his side of the halfway line.

Three minutes before the half-time whistle, Stevenson found himself on the edge and was able to score in the corner on the back of the Chiefs spreading the ball wide.

Stevenson’s smarin-playay kick in the 67th minute pinned the Crusaders on their 22, trying to wrestle back some momentum for the away side.

That kick was Stevenson’s last action in a Chiefs jersey, being replaced by Josh Jacomb with just over ten minutes to go.

Replacements:

16. Brodie McAlister – 6
Brilliant strip on Sevu Reece in the 59th minute, getting his team out of trouble.

Despite McAlister’s solid work defensively, the Chiefs’ scrum that he was a part of cost them in the second half.

17. Aiden Ross – 5

Straight on to the field in the 51st minute, to win a penalty at scrum time just inside their own half.

Ross was part of the Chiefs scrum, which, in the grand scheme of things, was a major factor in the home side’s second-half momentum swing.

18. Reuben O’Neill – 4
An absolute nightmare cameo off the bench, penalised multiple times at scrum time, the first of which was an illegal pull down on George Bower.

19. Jimmy Tupou – 6

20. Kaylum Boshier – 6

21. Xavier Roe – 6

22. Josh Jacomb – 5
Jacomb’s aerial ability was tested late on, knocking the ball on inside his own half.

23. Etene Nanai-Seturo – 6

@RugbyPass