Super Rugby semifinals confirmed as table-topping Chiefs get 'lucky loser' slot

WRAP: The Super Rugby Pacific semifinals fixtures have been confirmed, with the Crusaders and Chiefs having secured home ground advantage for the second week of the play-offs.

The three winners from the preliminary play-offs – the Crusaders, Blues and Brumbies – are joined in the semifinals by the highest-seeded losing team in the Chiefs.

The Chiefs have progressed as the ‘lucky loser’ but are penalised one seeding, which sees them relegated from first seed to second seed for the semifinal draw.

The semifinal fixtures are one versus four and two versus three, with the higher-seeded teams hosting.

The two winners of the semifinals will progress to the Final on Saturday June 21, which will be hosted by the higher-seeded team.

* In Saturday’s matches Josh Beehre scored a try after the final hooter as the Blues kept their title defence alive Saturday with a 20-19 upset win over the Chiefs.

Flyhalf Beauden Barrett converted the try in a dramatic finish to a tense preliminary play-off match in Hamilton.

The top-qualifying Chiefs dominated the contest but were over-run by the fast-finishing Blues, who only snuck into the play-offs as the sixth and lowest qualifiers.

The visitors scored two tries to one, with both of their tries coming in the final 15 minutes after trailing 19-6.

Hooker Kurt Eklund burrowed over to get the Blues back in the contest before another substitute forward, lock Beehre, stretched out in the 82nd minute.

Blues captain Patrick Tuipulotu was delighted by the grit shown by his side, who lost five of their first six games this season.

“There’s been a whole lot of ups and downs in our season so we’ve got to enjoy that kind of moment,” he said.

“The Chiefs have been number one all season, they’ve pretty much set the tone.

“We didn’t want to draw too much on emotion tonight, we knew emotion would only get us so far. I’m glad we were able to grind it out in the last 10 minutes.”

Chiefs captain Tupou Vaa’i was unhappy his side couldn’t knock out a Blues team who beat them in last year’s grand final.

“Definitely disappointed, I thought we had that game in the bag,” Vaa’i said.

“I guess footy’s a strange game sometimes. You can start on a high and then it can humble you real quick.

“Our season’s not over yet. I’m sure we’ll be back and better.”

Flyhalf Damian McKenzie kicked 14 points and set up the Chiefs’ only try, to midfield back Daniel Rona, midway through the second half.

McKenzie landed three penalties to Barrett’s one to put the Chiefs 9-3 ahead at interval.

* In the later match the Brumbies secured their passage to the semifinals by beating the Hurricanes 35-28 in Canberra.

Ruben Love opened the scoring in the fifth minute for the Canes, and the flyhalf was in the thick of the action when they regained the lead later in the half.

The Canes led 14-7 midway through the first half, but the home side took control from there.

Billy Pollard completed a double, Allan Alaalatoa scored, Tom Wright raced away for a crucial five-pointer after the break, and James Slipper also got in on the point-scoring fun.

It was a clinical performance deserving of a semifinal berth.

SUPER RUGBY PACIFIC SEMIFINALS

Friday, June 13

Crusaders (one) v Blues (four)
(Rugby League Park, Christchurch – Kick-off: 19.05; 17.05 AEST; 07.05 GMT)

Saturday, June 14

Chiefs (two) v Brumbies (three)
(Waikato Stadium, Hamilton – Kick-off: 19.05; 17.05 AEST; 07.05 GMT)

Saturday’s scores and scorers follow below

Chiefs 19-20 Blues

Scorers:

For Chiefs:
Try: Rona
Con: McKenzie
Pens: McKenzie 4

For Blues:
Tries: Eklund, Beehre
Cons: B Barrett 2
Pens: B Barrett 2

Yellow card: Ricky Riccitelli (Blues, 34)

Teams

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

Blues: 15 Corey Evans, 14 Mark Tele’a, 13 Rieko Ioane, 12 AJ Lam, 11 Caleb Clarke, 10 Beauden Barrett, 9 Finlay Christie, 8 Hoskins Sotutu, 7 Dalton Papali’i, 6 Adrian Choat, 5 Laghlan McWhannell, 4 Patrick Tuipulotu (captain), 3 Marcel Renata, 2 Ricky Riccitelli, 1 Joshua Fusitu’a
Replacements: 16 Kurt Eklund, 17 Jordan Lay, 18 Angus Ta’avao, 19 Josh Beehre, 20 Anton Segner, 21 Sam Nock, 22 Harry Plummer, 23 Cole Forbes

Referee: Angus Gardner
Assistant referees: Damon Murphy, Matt Kellahan
TMO: James Leckie

Brumbies 35-28 Hurricanes

The scorers

For the Brumbies
Tries: Pollard 2, Alaalatoa, Wright, Wright
Cons: Lolesio 5

For the Hurricanes
Tries: Love, Fineanganofo, Sullivan, Tosi
Cons: Love 4

Teams:

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 Declan Meredith, 23 Ollie Sapsford.

Hurricanes: 15 Ruben Love, 14 Bailyn Sullivan, 13 Billy Proctor (co-captain), 12 Peter Umaga-Jensen, 11 Fatafehi Fineanganofo, 10 Brett Cameron, 9 Cam Roigard, 8 Peter Lakai, 7 Du’Plessis Kirifi (co-captain), 6 Devan Flanders, 5 Caleb Delany, 4 Zach Gallagher, 3 Tyrel Lomax, 2 Asafo Aumua, 1 Xavier Numia.
Replacements: 16 Raymond Tuputupu, 17 Tevita Mafileo, 18 Pasilio Tosi, 19 Hugo Plummer, 20 Brad Shields (co-captain), 21 Ereatara Enari, 22 Ngatungane Punivai, 23 Callum Harkin

Referee: Nic Berry
Assistant referees: Jordan Way, Jeremy Markey
TMO: Brett Cronan

* Sources: RugbyPass & AFP