McKenzie boots Chiefs into Final dance with Crusaders

MATCH REPORT: The Chiefs put on a strong second half performance to outclass the Brumbies by 37-17 and book a date with the Crusaders in the 2025 Super Rugby Final.

The Brumbies looked sharp during the first half, but they lost their way in the second stanza as the Chiefs found their groove and put on a classy performance.

Damian McKenzie steered his side’s ship to near perfection scoring 22 points from the boot, which will be pleasing for All Black head coach Scott Robertson ahead of the international season.

*To recap all the action CLICK HERE!

The Brumbies had possession in the early exchanges of the match, but the Chiefs were sound defensively.

The teams felt each other out with strong kicking games as the match went back and forth in the opening seven minutes.

Chiefs lock Tupoi Vaa’i was sent to the sin-bin in the eighth minute for making contact with his shoulder to the face of a Brumbies player.

The Brumbies attacked strongly with the extra player at their disposal and won a penalty for not rolling away against George Dyer.

Noah Lolesio went off for a Head Injury Assessment moments later but the Brumbies opted to roll the dice and go to the corner for the line-out. They set a maul but knocked the ball on.

The Brumbies kept the pressure on when Tom Wright nailed a 50/22 kick five metres from the Chiefs’ line.

The visitors went for a maul again and this time it paid off as Billy Pollard dotted the ball down in the 14th minute. Ryan Lonergan slotted the conversion.

A high ball by Damian McKenzie which Quinn Tupaea reclaimed gave the Chiefs great forward momentum and put the Brumbies under pressure.

The visitors counter-rucked illegally and the Chiefs won the penalty and opted for the line-out.

The Chiefs initially set a maul which was well defended by the Brumbies but then Emoni Narawa caught the visitors napping by picking up the ball from a breakdown and running straight through to open the hosts’ account in the 19th minute which Damian McKenzie converted to level matters.

Nawrera was at it again moments later with a breakout from his own half which had the Brumbies scrambling in defence.

A scuffle broke out moments later and referee Nic Berry consulted his TMO Brett Cronan to check for any foul play but it was all clear.

The hosts earned a penalty moments later which Damian McKenzie slotted in the 24th minute to go in front for the first time of the match.

The teams went into a kicking contest which the Chiefs won in the end as Andy Muirhead found himself isolated after fielding a high bomb and conceded the penalty at the breakdown.

Damian McKenzie added three more points in the 31st minute.

Moments later the Brumbies earned a penalty for hands in the ruck and went to the corner.

They set a strong maul yet again and were stopped just short of the line as they continued the forward onslaught.

The Brumbies then opted to go wide when Jack Debreczeni nailed a crossfield kick that found Corey Toole who scored in the corner in the 34th minute. The conversion was missed.

The Chiefs earned a penalty for offside in the 37th minute which Damian McKenzie slotted to make it a four-point match as the clock ticked down to the break.

The Chiefs earned a scrum after a knock-on by the Brumbies and won the penalty as the clock ticked into the red for half-time.

Damian McKenzie stepped up again to edge a seven-point lead heading onto the sheds.

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The Brumbies earned the first penalty of the second half inside the Chiefs’ 22-metre area and opted for the corner yet again.

The Chiefs, however, stole the line-out and survived the onslaught.

The Brumbies under penalty advantage used quick hands to get Corey Toole in space as he went around George Dyer and bumped Damian McKenzie off to dot down for his 11th try of the season and a brace for the evening in the 43rd minute. Lonergan missed the conversion.

Moments later, Damian McKenzie spotted a gap and found Quinn Tupaea on his outside who took contact before the Chiefs recycled the ball and found Emoni Narawa who bagged a brace of his own in the 46th minute which McKenzie converted.

The Chiefs earned a penalty in front of the posts in the 55th minute which Damian McKenzie slotted to maintain his 100 percent record for the evening and edged out a 12-point lead.

McKenzie stepped up moments later again for a penalty against Ryan Lonergan for not rolling away and turned it into a three-score game as the final quarter approached.

The Chiefs scrum which was shaky for the majority of the match found their mojo following the front-row replacements when they earned a penalty in the 62nd minute.

The hosts went for the corner and played the ball wide as Damian McKenzie got his hands through the attempted tackle of Andy Muirhead and found Josh Jacomb who dotted it down and almost certainly sealed their place in the Final. McKenzie missed the conversion.

The drama wasn’t over as Tom Wright regained the ball after the restart and dived for the corner.

Wright looked as if he scored but somehow Damian McKenzie who has been the star of the evening got his hand under the ball to deny Wright and the Brumbies.

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DMAC WITH THE TRY SAVE! 🤯

The guy can do it all 🥵#SuperRugbyPacific #CHIvBRU pic.twitter.com/xHiQMfOsDY

— Super Rugby Pacific (@SuperRugby) June 14, 2025

The match remained scoreless since the Jacomb try but the Chiefs remained in control and kept the pressure on the Brumbies to seal the match and set up an all-New Zealand Super Rugby Final against the Crusaders.

Scorers

For the Chiefs:
Tries: Narawa 2, Jacomb
Cons: McKenzie 2
Pens: McKenzie 6

For the Brumbies:
Tries: Pollard, Toole 2
Con: Lonergan

Yellow card: Tupou Vaa’i (Chiefs, 8 – Dangerous play: Shoulder to the face)

Teams

Chiefs: 15 Shaun Stevenson, 14 Emoni Narawa, 13 Daniel Rona, 12 Quinn Tupaea, 11 Leroy Carter, 10 Damian McKenzie, 9 Cortez Ratima, 8 Wallace Sititi, 7 Luke Jacobson (captain), 6 Samipeni Finau, 5 Tupou Vaa’i, 4 Naitoa Ah Kuoi, 3 George Dyer, 2 Samisoni Taukei’aho, 1 Ollie Norris.
Replacements: 16 Brodie McAlister, 17 Jared Proffit, 18 Reuben O’Neill, 19 Jimmy Tupou, 20 Kaylum Boshier, 21 Xavier Roe, 22 Josh Jacomb, 23 Gideon Wrampling.

Brumbies: 15 Tom Wright, 14 Andy Muirhead, 13 Len Ikitau, 12 David Feliuai, 11 Corey Toole, 10 Noah Lolesio, 9 Ryan Lonergan, 8 Tuaina Taii Tualima, 7 Rory Scott, 6 Rob Valetini, 5 Tom Hooper, 4 Nick Frost, 3 Allan Alaalatoa, 2 Billy Pollard, 1 James Slipper.
Replacements: 16 Lachlan Lonergan, 17 Lington Ieli, 18 Feao Fotuaika, 19 Lachlan Shaw, 20 Luke Reimer, 21 Harrison Goddard, 22 Jack Debreczeni, 23 Ollie Sapsford.

Referee: Nic Berry
Assistant referees: Damon Murphy, Jordan Way
TMO: Brett Cronan