Super semifinals confirmed
The Super Rugby Pacific tournament has confirmed the four teams that have qualified for the semifinals following this weekend’s quarterfinals.
The dates and times for the matches – to be played next weekend in New Zealand – are Friday, June 16 and Saturday, June 17.
The top-ranked team after the regular season the Chiefs beat the Reds [No.8] 29-20 in Hamilton to book a home semifinal on Saturday, June 17.
The Chiefs will play the Brumbies [No.4] who beat the Hurricanes [No.5] 37-33 in Canberra.
The second-ranked team after the regular season, the Crusaders beat the Fijian Drua [No.7] in Christchurch 49-8 to book a home semifinal on Friday 16 June.
The Crusaders will host the Blues [No.3] who beat the Waratahs [No.6] 41-12 in Auckland.
* In the first of Saturday’s quarterfinals, the Reds scored three tries to two, but lost 20-29 to the Chiefs – Damian McKenzie’s perfect boot denying them a slice of history in their Super Rugby Pacific quarterfinal.
Suliasi Vunivalu scored twice in arguably his best outing of the season for the Reds while Harry Wilson complemented his efforts with a try too.
But an opportunistic Chiefs’ try after the half-time siren and a perfect seven kicks at goal from their No.10 McKenzie proved critical as the hosts triumphed in Hamilton on Saturday.
It ensured the top-ranked side avoided becoming the first New Zealand team to lose on home soil to an Australian side in a Super Rugby play-off game.
The Chiefs had lost just once all season, but that blemish came against the Reds last month in a monumental New Plymouth boilover that was their first win across the ditch in 10 years.
The Reds (five wins and nine losses) limped into the play-offs in eighth, but looked the part in a patient, a tactical performance that took the Chiefs outside their comfort zone for 73 minutes.
That was when big loose forward Pita Gus Sowakula rolled over under the posts to seal the win for the hosts.
Before that, the Reds pushed and prodded the favourites in a cagey effort featuring plenty of back-and-forth long kicks.
Willing to back their defence, the Reds put several big hits on Chiefs playmaker McKenzie and through re-built No.13 Filipo Daugunu forced errors.
The Reds turned over a scrum on their own line, Josh Flook nailing a 50-22 kick on the run that lead to Vunivalu’s try off a James O’Connor cut-out pass.
Tom Lynagh missed the conversion and then an easier penalty kick from another crunching Daugunu tackle, the Chiefs edging ahead courtesy of McKenzie’s accurate boot.
He kicked three straight three-pointers before Wilson timed his pluck from the ruck just right to roll over for the Reds’ second try.
Again Lynagh missed the conversion, but they threatened again when the Reds’ depleted pack won another penalty against the competition’s best scrum.
But their usually-reliable line-out let them down, the Chiefs hitting top gear to score after the halftime siren through Emoni Narawa and snatch a 14-10 lead.
Daugunu went off with a shoulder injury to begin the second half but the Reds kept at it, Vunivalu grabbing the ball from the ruck and skipping to complete his try double.
Lynagh, who had kicked a long-range penalty then managed a superb 50-22 of his own, nailed the conversion to put the Reds ahead before a McKenzie penalty swung it again.
A Flook try-saving tackle helped the Reds win a penalty on their line but there would be no fairytale as the Chiefs scored last and departing Reds coach Brad Thorn was forced to sign off with a brave loss.
* In the second of Saturday’s quarterfinals the defending-champion Crusaders have advanced to the semifinals with victory over a team that beat them during the regular season.
The Christchurch-based Crusaders scored two tries in the first five minutes and four in the first half on the way to a 49-8 win over the Fijian Drua, who beat them in Lautoka, Fiji in round three.
* In the third of Saturday’s matches, the Brumbies ensured they fly the Australian flag for another week, after a controversial win against the Hurricanes in their quarterfinal in Canberra.
A sumptuous first half saw them lead 25-16 before copping 17 straight points to start the second half and fall behind 25-33 with just 20 minutes to play.
But a rolling maul try for flank Luke Reimer before a brilliant run from fullback Tom Wright put them back in front, before they survived five minutes on their line post-siren to pinch the 37-33 win.
But the Hurricanes will feel hard done by, Ardie Savea diving over the line and attempting to ground the ball with the final play of the game, only to be denied on video review after inconclusive evidence to show successful grounding.
Savea was convinced he’d got it down and one angle looked to potentially show grounding, only for the referees to stick with the on-field call.
No Australian team has progressed further in the competition than the Brumbies since 2018, and they’ll finally get the chance to exercise the demons of last season’s one-point semifinal loss to the Blues in New Zealand.
They’re off to New Zealand to battle the Chiefs in a semifinal in the biggest test in the competition, needing to avenge a 21-31 loss from last month in Canberra.
All Saturday’s scores and scorers …
Chiefs 29-20 Reds
The scorers
For the Chiefs
Tries: Narawa, Sowakula
Cons: McKenzie 2
Pens: McKenzie 5
For the Reds
Tries: Vunivalu 2, Wilson
Con: Lynagh
Pen: Lynagh
Teams
Chiefs: 15 Shaun Stevenson, 14 Emoni Narawa, 13 Anton Lienert-Brown, 12 Rameka Poihipi, 11 Etene Nanai-Seturo, 10 Damian McKenzie, 9 Brad Weber (co-captain), 8 Luke Jacobson, 7 Sam Cane (co-captain), 6 Samipeni Finau, 5 Josh Lord, 4 Brodie Retallick, 3 John Ryan, 2 Samisoni Taukei’aho, 1 Aidan Ross.
Replacements: 16 Bradley Slater, 17 Ollie Norris, 18 George Dyer, 19 Naitoa Ah Kuoi, 20 Pita Gus Sowakula, 21 Cortez Ratima, 22 Josh Ioane, 23 Daniel Rona.
Reds: 15 Jock Campbell, 14 Suliasi Vunivalu, 13 Filipo Daugunu, 12 James O’Connor, 11 Josh Flook, 10 Tom Lynagh, 9 Tate McDermott (captain), 8 Harry Wilson, 7 Fraser McReight, 6 Seru Uru, 5 Ryan Smith, 4 Angus Blyth, 3 Sef Fa’agase, 2 Matt Faessler, 1 Peni Ravai.
Replacements: 16 Richie Asiata, 17 Dane Zander, 18 Zane Nonggorr, 19 Lopeti Faifua, 20 Jake Upfield, 21 Kalani Thomas, 22 Lawson Creighton, 23 Taj Annan.
Referee: Angus Gardner
Assistant referees: Damon Murphy, Matt Kellahan
TMO: James Leckie
Crusaders 49-8 Fijian Drua
The scorers
For the Crusaders
Tries: Jager, Taylor 2, Havili, S Barrett, Jordan, Heinz
Cons: Mo’unga 6, Burke
For Fijian Drua
Try: Ravutaumada
Pen: Lomani
Teams
Crusaders: 15 Will Jordan, 14 Dallas McLeod, 13 Braydon Ennor, 12 Jack Goodhue, 11 Leicester Fainga’anuku, 10 Richie Mo’unga, 9 Mitchell Drummond, 8 Christian Lio-Willie, 7 Tom Christie, 6 Sione Havili Talitui, 5 Quinten Strange, 4 Scott Barrett (captain), 3 Oliver Jager, 2 Codie Taylor, 1 Tamaiti Williams.
Replacements: 16 Brodie McAlister, 17 Kershawl Sykes-Martin, 18 Reuben O’Neill, 19 Zack Gallagher, 20 Ethan Blackadder, 21 Willi Heinz, 22 Fergus Burke, 23 Chay Fihaki.
Fijian Drua: 15 Ilaisa Droasese, 14 Selestino Ravutaumada, 13 Iosefo Masi, 12 Teti Tela, 11 Kalaveti Ravouvou, 10 Caleb Muntz, 9 Frank Lomani, 8 Meli Derenalagi (captain), 7 Motikiai Murray, 6 Vilive Miramira, 5 Te Ahirwau Cirikidaveta, 4 Isoa Nasilasila, 3 Mesake Doge, 2 Tevita Ikanivere, 1 Haereiti Hetet.
Replacements: 16 Zuriel Togiatama, 17 Meli Tuni, 18 Samuela Tawake, 19 Etonia Waqa, 20 Elia Canakaivata, 21 Peni Matawalu, 22 Michael Naitokani, 23 Eroni Sau.
Referee: Brendon Pickerill
Assistant referees: Angus Mabey, Marcus Playle
TMO: Glenn Newman
Brumbies 37-33 Hurricanes
The scorers
For the Brumbies
Tries: Sapsford, Debreczeni, Ikitau, Reimer, Wright
Cons: Debreczeni 2, Lolesio
Pens: Debreczeni 2
For the Hurricanes
Tries: Naholo, Savea, Flanders
Cons: Cameron 3
Pens: Cameron 4
Teams
Brumbies: 15 Tom Wright, 14 Andy Muirhead, 13 Len Ikitau, 12 Tamati Tua, 11 Ollie Sapsford, 10 Jack Debreczeni, 9 Nic White (captain), 8 Pete Samu, 7 Jahrome Brown, 6 Tom Hooper, 5 Cadeyrn Neville, 4 Nick Frost, 3 Sefo Kautai, 2 Lachlan Lonergan, 1 James Slipper.
Replacements: 16 Connal McInerney, 17 Blake Schoupp, 18 Rhys Van Nek, 19 Tom Hooper, 20 Luke Reimer, 21 Ryan Lonergan, 22 Noah Lolesio, 23 Jesse Mogg.
Hurricanes: 15 Josh Moorby, 14 Daniel Sinkinson, 13 Billy Proctor, 12 Jordie Barrett, 11 Kini Naholo, 10 Brett Cameron, 9 Cam Roigard, 8 Brayden Iose, 7 Ardie Savea (captain), 6 Devan Flanders, 5 Caleb Delany, 4 James Blackwell, 3 Tyrel Lomax, 2 Dane Coles, 1 Xavier Numia.
Replacements: 16 Asafo Aumua, 17 Tevita Mafileo, 18 Owen Franks, 19 Isaia Walker-Leawere, 20 Du’Plessis Kirifi, 21 Jamie Booth, 22 Ruben Love, 23 Bailyn Sullivan.
Referee: Nic Berry
Assistant referees: Jordan Way, Reuben Keane
TMO: Brett Cronan
