McKenzie steers Chiefs to upset win, Force stun Moana with miracle try

SATURDAY WRAP: Damian McKenzie scored two tries as his Chiefs beat the Blues 25-14 on Saturday to extract a measure of revenge for last year’s Super Rugby Pacific Final defeat.

All Black playmaker McKenzie crossed twice in the second half and finished with 20 points as the Chiefs fought back from an eight-point deficit in wet conditions at Eden Park.

The Blues won the all-New Zealand Final 41-10 at the same venue eight months ago.

The home side looked ready to repeat that outcome after tries by Dalton Papali’i and AJ Lam put them 14-6 clear at half-time.

However, they paid for their indiscipline in the second spell, with the Chiefs hitting the front in the final quarter after Josh Fusitua was shown a yellow card for a dangerous tackle.

Debut wing Leroy Carter put the visitors ahead before fullback McKenzie slid over to make the outcome safe, using his pace to outstrip the defence for a second time.

DMAC attack 💪#SuperRugbyPacific #BLUvCHI pic.twitter.com/sA34iKgqUs

— Super Rugby Pacific (@SuperRugby) February 15, 2025

McKenzie, who also landed two penalties and two conversions, had the better of his Blues opposite Beauden Barrett.

Both started at fullback despite having shared the flyhalf jersey through all of the All Blacks’ 14 Tests last year. They are expected to contest that role again in 2025.

“It’s an outstanding feeling. The Blues are the benchmark, they were last year,” McKenzie said.

“I thought our forwards really muscled up, met fire with fire and allowed us to score some tremendous tries.

“It’s always difficult coming up to Auckland. We haven’t won here since 2020 so this is a great start.”

Blues captain Patrick Tuipulotu said his team showed signs of early-season rust.

“We probably came into the game relying on our forward pack prowess but I think the Chiefs just turned up better than us,” he said.

Western Force playmaker Ben Donaldson has scored a miracle try and kicked the conversion to steal a Super Rugby Pacific win away from Moana Pasifika in a point-scoring bonanza in Perth.

Despite being hobbled by an ankle injury in the first half, Donaldson found a hole in the Pasifika defence after 26 phases and ran almost 70 metres to touch down in the 83rd minute.

The No.10 then converted his own try for a stunning 45-44 victory.

The home side looked down and out before Wallabies wing Dylan Pietsch showed fast feet to cross in the 75th minute, with Donaldson converting for the Force to trail 38-44.

They still had plenty of work to do and kept the ball in play before Donaldson made his move.

All hail Lord Donaldson 🙌

Have you EVER seen a finish like this?! 😮‍💨#SuperRugbyPacific pic.twitter.com/SPMZjKnYLn

— Super Rugby Pacific (@SuperRugby) February 15, 2025

“It felt like we were going nowhere,” Donaldson told Stan Sport.

“Credit to our forwards, we spoke all week about getting set early, speed to set, and providing the platform for us and we just try and find gaps on the outside.

“I’m just happy with that result.”

With new captain, All Black superstar Ardie Savea, at the helm, Moana looked headed for an upset victory in Perth.

Looking to honour his Samoan heritage, Savea joined the Moana after 12 seasons with the Hurricanes and the No.8 was a constant threat in attack and defence.

Exciting young wing Kyren Taumoefolau collected a double among Moana’s haul of six tries and his side led 44-31 after 75 minutes.

More than 50 points were scored in the first half alone in hot conditions, with the home side trailing by three points at the break.

They scrambled back from a 3-17 deficit with Force flank Carlo Tizzano crossing twice to reduce the margin to three points, 27-24.

Pietsch came off the bench early in the second half and made an immediate impact, running on to a long cut-out pass from fellow Wallaby, scrumhalf Nic White.

He dashed 40 metres and was brought down just short of the line, with prop Marley Pearce finishing off the try for the Force to go ahead 31-29 after 49 minutes.

Force fans were then silenced for much of the second half as Pasifika stormed to the lead, adding three second half tries including one while Force prop Tom Robertson was yellow-carded with their scrum struggling.

But the home crowd were on their feet to cheer Donaldson home for the unlikely win.

Meanwhile, Two late tries to bullocking flank Luke Reimer helped the Brumbies secure a hard-fought 36-32 win over Fijian Drua in a Super Rugby Pacific thriller in Suva.

It looked like coach Stephen Larkham’s gamble of leaving key Wallabies at home wasn’t going to pay off with the Brumbies trailing until the 74th minute when Reimer rumbled over for his second.

Making their first trip to Fiji, the Brumbies became the first Australian side to win there, with the Drua’s record at home now two losses from their past 11 matches.

Larkham left Test prop James Slipper, lock Nick Frost, fullback Tom Wright and centre Len Ikitau in Canberra, while other Wallabies stars including Rob Valetini were out through injury.

The risk looked a smart move early on, with the visitors storming to a 17-7 lead, helped by two Drua yellow cards.

One of those was against Vuate Karawalevu for a deliberate knock-down, but the wing made amends in the second half, scoring twice to put his team in front.

The Brumbies scored three first-half tries, through hooker Billy Pollard, centre Ollie Sapsford and scrumhalf Ryan Lonergan, who darted down the short-side off a line-out.

But 12 handling errors to the home side’s two and Noah Lolesio missing two conversions brought their good work undone, with a converted try by centre Ponipate Loganimasi in the 37th minute giving the Drua an 18-17 half-time advantage.

The lead continued to change hands, with debutant Karawalevu’s double putting his team up 32-24 at the 60-minute mark.

Forced off early in the second half for an HIA, Reimer then used the Brumbies’ dominant set-piece to put his team back in the match.

Double on debut for the Drua 😮‍💨#SuperRugbyPacific #DRUvBRU pic.twitter.com/eH2bhNozw0

— Super Rugby Pacific (@SuperRugby) February 15, 2025

As well as contributing four turnovers, Reimer dived across the line in the 67th minute and burrowed over again in the 74th for the visitors to go ahead 34-32.

Replacement flyhalf Declan Meredith added the extras for a four-point win.

Stand-in skipper Lonergan said he was proud of the efforts of his under-manned side to lift at the end after 13-hours travel to Suva via Melbourne.

“So proud, to be able to play six debutants and they go out there and show that kind of heart at the end to be able to claw back that deficit, it’s a credit to them,” Lonergan told Stan Sport.

“They worked so hard through the pre-season, they’ve just been grinding behind the scenes and for them to now get the chocolates here at the end, I’m so happy.

“Our set-piece there at the end, really sort of got us back there in the game and a couple of good tries to Lukey Reimer there that I’m sure we won’t stop hearing about.”

See below for Saturday’s scores and scorers!

Fijian Drua 32-36 Brumbies

The scorers:

For Fijian Drua:
Tries: Kuruvoli, Loganimasi, Karawalevu 2
Cons: Muntz 3
Pens: Muntz 2

For Brumbies:
Tries: Reimer 2, Sapsford, Van Nek, Pollard, R. Lonergan
Cons: Lolesio 2, Meredith

Teams:

Fijian Drua: 15 Isikeli Rabitu, 14 Ponipate Loganimasi, 13 Iosefo Masi, 12 Kemu Valetini, 11 Vuate Karawalevu, 10 Caleb Muntz, 9 Simione Kuruvoli, 8 Elia Canakaivata, 7 Kitione Salawa, 6 Joseva Tamani, 5 Leone Rotuisolia, 4 Mesake Vocevoce, 3 Samuela Tawake, 2 Tevita Ikanivere (co-captain), 1 Haereiti Hetet.
Replacements: 16 Mesulame Dolokoto, 17 Livai Natave, 18 Meli Tuni, 19 Vilive Miramira, 20 Isoa Tuwai, 21 Frank Lomani (co-captain), 22 Peni Matawalu, 23 Tuidraki Samusamuvodre.

Brumbies: 15 Andy Muirhead, 14 Ollie Sapsford, 13 Hudson Creighton, 12 Austin Anderson, 11 Corey Toole, 10 Noah Lolesio, 9 Ryan Lonergan (captain), 8 Rory Scott, 7 Luke Reimer, 6 Tuaina Taii Tualima, 5 Tom Hooper, 4 Lachlan Shaw, 3 Feao Fotuaika, 2 Billy Pollard, 1 Blake Schoupp.
Replacements: 16 Lachlan Lonergan, 17 Lington Ieli, 18 Rhys van Nek, 19 Cadeyrn Neville, 20 Judah Saumaisue, 21 Harrison Goddard, 22 Declan Meredith, 23 Kadin Pritchard.

Referee: Angus Mabey
Assistant referees: Michael Winter, Stu Curran
TMO: Marcus Playle

Blues 14-25 Blues

The scorers:

For Blues:
Tries: Papali’i, Lam
Cons: Barrett 2

For Chiefs:
Tries: McKenzie 2, Carter
Cons: McKenzie 2
Pens: McKenzie 2

Teams:

Blues: 15 Beauden Barrett, 14 Mark Tele’a, 13 Rieko Ioane, 12 AJ Lam, 11 Caleb Clarke, 10 Harry Plummer, 9 Taufa Funaki, 8 Cameron Suafoa, 7 Dalton Papali’i, 6 Anton Segner, 5 Patrick Tuipulotu (captain), 4 Laghlan McWhannell, 3 Marcel Renata, 2 Ricky Riccitelli, 1 Ofa Tu’ungafasi.
Replacements: 16 Nathaniel Pole, 17 Josh Fusitua, 18 Angus Ta’avao, 19 Che Clark, 20 Adrian Choat, 21 Fin Christie, 22 Corey Evans, 23 Cole Forbes.

Chiefs: 15 Damian McKenzie, 14 Leroy Carter, 13 Daniel Rona, 12 Quinn Tupaea, 11 Etene Nanai-Seturo, 10 Josh Jacomb, 9 Xavier Roe, 8 Luke Jacobson (captain), 7 Kaylum Boshier, 6 Simon Parker, 5 Josh Lord, 4 Naitoa Ah Kuoi, 3 George Dyer, 2 Brodie McAllister, 1 Ollie Norris.
Replacements: 16 Bradley Slater, 17 Aidan Ross, 18 Reuben O’Neill, 19 Tupou Vaa’i, 20 Samipeni Finau, 21 Cortez Ratima, 22 Anton Lienert Brown, 23 Emoni Narawa.

Referee: Damon Murphy
Assistant referees: Reuben Keane, Ben O’Keeffe
TMO: Brett Cronan

Western Force 45-44 Moana Pasifika

The scorers:

For Western Force:
Tries: Tizzano 2, Grealy, Pearce, Pietsch, Donaldson
Cons: Donaldson 6
Pen: Donaldson

For Moana Pasifika:
Tries: Taumoefolau 2, Garden-Bachop, Patafilo, Matavao, Taumateine
Cons: Havili 3, Garden-Bachop
Pen: Havili
DG: Garden-Bachop

Teams:

Western Force: 15 Mac Grealy, 14 Divad Palu, 13 Sio Tomkinson, 12 Hamish Stewart, 11 Harry Potter, 10 Ben Donaldson, 9 Nic White, 8 Vaiolini Ekuasi, 7 Carlo Tizzano, 6 Nick Champion de Crespigny, 5 Darcy Swain, 4 Jeremy Williams, 3 Tom Robertson, 2 Nic Dolly, 1 Marley Pearce.
Replacements: 16 Tom Horton, 17 Atu Moli, 18 Tiaan Tauakipulu, 19 Reed Prinsep, 20 Will Harris, 21 Issak Fines-Leleiwasa, 22 Max Burey, 23 Dylan Pietsch.

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 Faillagi, 5 Allan Craig, 4 Samuel Slade, 3 Feteleti Sae-Ta’ufo’ou, 2 Millennium Sanerivi, 1 James Lay.
Replacements: 16 Sama Malolo, 17 Tito Tuipulotu, 18 Chris Apoua, 19 Tom Savage, 20 Ola Tauelangi, 21 Semisi Tupou Tailoa, 22 Melani Matavo, 23 Danny Toala.

Referee: Jordan Way
Assistant referees: George Myers, Jordan Kaminski
TMO: James Leckie