Chiefs blow Crusaders away, Reds outplay Moana in try-fest

FRIDAY WRAP: Round two of Super Rugby Pacific kicked off at Waikato Stadium in Hamilton, where the Chiefs have beaten the Crusaders 49-24.

The 50th Super Rugby encounter between the two sides was set up perfectly after Round One, as both teams won their respective New Zealand derbies.

Once again it was the Chiefs’ bench that was the difference in the end, running in five tries in the second half.

It was the Chiefs’ most points against the Crusaders in Super Rugby history, showcasing the exceptional form they are in to start the new campaign.

The Crusaders were on the back foot immediately to start the game after the Taha Kemara kick-off sailed over the touchline.

The Chiefs were able to take advantage of this, spending the first five minutes of the game in the Crusaders half before Emoni Narawa smartly exploited the narrow defence, busting through a couple of last-ditch tackles to score the opening try of the contest. Chiefs fullback Damian McKenzie converted the opening try from the corner.

The Chiefs’ quick start was slightly halted due to injuries to Rameka Poihipi and captain Luke Jacobson. Poihipi’s suspected knee injury looked like the more serious of the two.

HOW HAS HE DONE THAT!? 😳

DMac with one the best kicks you’ll ever see 🔥#SuperRugbyPacific | #CHIvCRU pic.twitter.com/5uCkKMo9Fd

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— Super Rugby Pacific (@SuperRugby) February 21, 2025

It didn’t take long for the man of the moment Kyle Preston to stamp his mark on the game in Hamilton, popping up at the right time once again, running a superb support line after a Taha Kemara line break. Crusaders loose forward Cullen Grace broke free down the left wing and fired in a pass to Preston, to score his fourth try of the season.

All Blacks lock Tupou Vaa’i was yellow carded in the 25th minute by referee Angus Gardner after Vaa’i’s shoulder connected with Fletcher Newell’s head.

Despite the Chiefs being down to 14 men, Clayton McMillan’s team continued to play on the front foot, on the back of a huge 50/22 kick from McKenzie.

Chiefs scrumhalf Xavier Roe found a small gap between Crusaders defenders, to reach out to the line and score close to the posts. McKenzie added the extras to extend the Chiefs lead to 17-7.

The Crusaders were finally able to take advantage of the one-man advantage, as Sevu Reece took the initiative to take a quick tap when the Chiefs defenders were all still setting up, putting Ethan Blackadder directly through the Chiefs defence to go in under the posts.

Rob Penney’s team started the better in the second half forcing Josh Lord to give away a penalty for holding James O’Connor back who was supporing David Havili on the inside. The resulting penalty was succesfully kicked by O’Connor, leveling the scores at 17-17 in the 48th minute.

Some backline magic and Leroy Carter finishes it with force 💪#SuperRugbyPacific | #CHIvCRU pic.twitter.com/pkLeIJG26X

— Super Rugby Pacific (@SuperRugby) February 21, 2025

A perfectly thrown cut out ball from Chiefs wing Emoni Narawa put Quinn Tupaea in a two on one scenario, giving form wing Leroy Carter the ball before he bumped off Kyle Preston to score in the corner.

Narawa found himself in the thick of the action once again, intercepting a pass from the Crusaders player before putting in a chip kick in behind. Narawa turned the ball over at the resulting ruck, setting up an overlap for All Black loose forward Samipeni Finau to cross the white line. McKenzie calmly slotted the conversion, putting the Chiefs lead out to 29-17.

In Tupaea’s 50th match for the Chiefs, the midfielder ran onto a short ball from Simon Parker, resulting in an overlap for Damian McKenzie, who quickly shuffled the ball into Josh Jacomb’s hands. Jacomb then strolled over the line, ten meters in from touch.

Tupaea went from creator to scorer, supporting Simon Parker on the inside to score his first of the evening. McKenzie successfully kicked the conversion from right out in front.

The game quickly went from bad to worse for the Crusaders, with Tupaea finding himself on the wing in complete open space. Tupaea didn’t have much to do, beating Will Jordan on the outside to go in for his second try on his milestone game. The 25-year old’s second try of the evening put the Chiefs leading margin out of reach for the Crusaders.

Antonio Shalfoon was able to pull a try back for the Crusaders, but it was to little too late for Rob Penney’s side.

Meanwhile, The Queensland Reds have lived up to their top billing with a stylish 56-36 season-opening Super Rugby Pacific win over Moana Pasifika in Brisbane.

With 13 Wallabies in their matchday 23, the star-studded Reds resisted a spirited fightback from Moana to record a runaway eight-tries-to-five victory on Friday.

Having trailed 21-0 after a dozen minutes, the Pasifika pulled to within seven points of the lead midway through the second half before the Reds turned the screws at Lang Park.

What a run by Solomon Alaimalo 🥵#SuperRugbyPacific | #REDvMOA pic.twitter.com/7W0XYWx4eR

— Super Rugby Pacific (@SuperRugby) February 21, 2025

Quickfire tries to locks Angus Blyth and Travis Smith in the space of three minutes turned a precarious six-point buffer into a commanding 42-22 advantage for the home side.

There was no coming back for Moana as the Reds registered a season-opening win even without sidelined Wallabies captain Liam Wright.

Revelling in the wet conditions, the Reds bolted out of the blocks with three tries in the opening 11 minutes through Wright’s fill-in, tough-nut No.8 Seru Uru, and prolific wing Filipo Daugunu and Tim Ryan.

Ryan’s strike was the so-called Junkyard Dog’s 10th try in 10 appearances for the Reds, surely keeping the 21-year-old in the eye of Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt.

The Pacific Islanders reduced the half-time deficit to eight points courtesy of a try to inspirational captain Ardie Savea and a penalty goal to fullback William Havili.

But moments after being injected into the fray, first-choice Wallabies hooker Matt Faesler came off the bench for the Reds to blow the game open.

Faesler peeled off the back of a driving maul to score in the 43rd minute to swing the momentum back in the Reds’ favour.

See below for Friday’s scores and scorers!

Chiefs 49-24 Crusaders

The scorers:

For Chiefs:
Tries: Narawa, Roe, Carter, Finau, Jacomb, Tupaea 2
Cons: McKenzie 4
Pens: McKenzie 2

For Crusaders:
Tries: Preston, Blackadder, Shalfoon
Con: Fihaki, Kemara, O’Connor
Pen: O’Connor

Teams:

Chiefs: 15 Damian McKenzie, 14 Emoni Narawa, 13 Anton Lienert-Brown, 12 Rameka Poihipi, 11 Leroy Carter, 10 Josh Jacomb, 9 Xavier Roe, 8 Luke Jacobson (captain), 7 Jahrome Brown, 6 Simon Parker, 5 Tupou Vaa’i, 4 Josh Lord, 3 George Dyer, 2 Bradley Slater, 1 Aidan Ross.
Replacements: 16 Brodie McAlister, 17 Jared Proffit, 18 Reuben O’Neill, 19 Manaaki Selby-Rickit, 20 Samipeni Finau, 21 Cortez Ratima, 22 Quinn Tupaea, 23 Gideon Wrampling.

Crusaders: 15 Will Jordan, 14 Chay Fihaki, 13 Levi Aumua, 12 David Havili (captain), 11 Sevu Reece, 10 Taha Kemara, 9 Kyle Preston, 8 Christian Lio-Willie, 7 Ethan Blackadder, 6 Cullen Grace, 5 Antonio Shalfoon, 4 Scott Barrett, 3 Fletcher Newell, 2 Ioane Moananu, 1 Tamaiti Williams.
Replacements: 16 Manumaua Letiu, 17 George Bower, 18 Sam Matenga, 19 Tahlor Cahill, 20 Corey Kellow, 21 Mitchell Drummond, 22 James O’Connor, 23 Dallas McLeod.

Referee: Angus Gardner
Assistant referees: Matt Kellahan, Jordan Way
TMO: Brett Cronan

Reds 56-36 Moana Pasifika

The scorers:

For Reds:
Tries: McLaughlin-Phillips, McReight, Smith, Blyth, Faessler, Ryan, Daugunu, Uru
Cons: Lynagh 7, McLaughlin-Phillips

For Moana Pasifika:
Tries: Savea, Alaimalo, Taumoefolau 2, Craig
Cons: Havili 4
Pen: Havili

Teams:

Reds: 15 Jock Campbell, 14 Tim Ryan, 13 Josh Flook, 12 Hunter Paisami, 11 Filipo Daugunu, 10 Tom Lynagh, 9 Tate McDermott (captain), 8 Harry Wilson, 7 Fraser McReight, 6 Seru Uru, 5 Ryan Smith, 4 Josh Canham, 3 Massimo De Lutiis, 2 Richie Asiata, 1 Sef Fa’agase.
Replacements: 16 Matt Faessler, 17 George Blake, 18 Zane Nonggorr, 19 Angus Blyth, 20 Joe Brial, 21 Kalani Thomas, 22 Harry McLaughlin-Phillips, 23 Lachie Anderson.

Moana Pasifika: 15 William Havili, 14 Solomon Alaimalo, 13 Pepesana Patafilo, 12 Lalomilo Lalomilo, 11 Kyren Taumoefolau, 10 Jackson Garden-Bachop, 9 Jonathan Taumateine, 8 Ardie Savea (captain), 7 Sione Havili Talitui, 6 Miracle Faiilagi, 5 Allan Craig, 4 Samuel Slade, 3 Feleti Sae-Ta’ufo’ou, 2 Millennium Sanerivi, 1 James Lay.
Replacements: 16 Sama Malolo, 17 Tito Tuipulotu, 18 Chris Apoua, 19 Tom Savage, 20 Semisi Tupou Ta’eiloa, 21 Melani Matavao, 22 Danny Toala, 23 Losi Filipo.

Referee: Paul Williams
Assistant referees: Angus Mabey, Mike Winter
TMO: Richard Kelly

By Henry Lee (@RugbyPass) & AAP