Chiefs advanced to the Super Rugby Pacific Grand Final after thrashing minor premiers Hurricanes 30-19 at Wellington Sky Stadium.
The idea of facing the Canes in front of thousands of Wellingtonians at the Cake Tin might seem like a tall order to some, but the Chiefs were committed to the fight.
Samipeni Finau set the tone for the evening by scoring within minutes of the game, before Cortez Ratima added five more points to the Chiefs’ advantage shortly afterwards.
The Hurricanes fought valiantly to get back into the contest, but it was almost always a one-way street as the visitors hung on for a famous win.
Here are some takeaways from the Chiefs’ win over the Hurricanes. Hamilton players will face the Blues in the grand final at Eden Park in Auckland.
The better team beat the Hurricanes that day.
It was still a successful season for the Hurricanes. They won 12 of their 14 regular season games to sit top of the table before the play-offs, and backed this up with an impressive quarter-final win over the Melbourne Rebels.
But their win only ensured that their season would last at least another week, with the Chiefs ready to cause an upset in the semi-finals. The Hurricanes have beaten Hamilton’s men in two close games this season, and another classic awaits.
There was hope, faith and general optimism for Canes fans, but their dreams were soon dashed by a visiting side who could not get off to a more idyllic start. Samipeni Finau and Cortez Ratima each scored a try within the first six minutes.
Hurricanes captain Brad Shields later said those two scores left the hosts “in shock” and they struggled to recover. Even though the Chiefs lost two players to the sin bin, the Canes couldn’t get back in.
Mistakes in regular play, including knock-ons and wasted kicks, gave the Chiefs too many offensive opportunities. You can’t do that in knockout rugby and it went a long way in deciding the winner on Saturday evening.
Jordie Barrett and Ruben Love were among the players who seemed to struggle against the power of a Chiefs outfit with so much to play for. When Angus Gardner blew the whistle for full-time they looked more confident and assured, as evidenced by the scoreboard.
It’s a shame that one of the Hurricanes’ worst performances this year came in the home semifinals.
Wallace Sititi has emerged as a genuine All Blacks candidate.
The Chiefs’ clash with the Hurricanes in the Super Rugby Pacific semi-final is actually the closest many players will come to facing an All Blacks trial. There are no north-south derbies, no expected clashes and clashes.
Regular season form is what attracts the attention of national teams, but knockout football is when players secure a place in the prestigious New Zealand squad. If you think this is true, there are individual winners and losers in this semifinal.
One person who has his hands full for international honors is Chiefs junior Wallace Sititi. At just 21 years old, the North Harbor luge stole the show by running over 145 meters on 17 carries and making 12 tackles.
Sititi was sent packing alongside All Blacks Luke Jacobson and Samipeni Finau, but faced the Hurricanes’ trio of Brad Shields, Peter Lakai and Brayden Iose. All three are international level players.
But as former New Zealand halfback Justin Marshall recalled, there was one man who stood out above the rest.
Former All Black Justin Marshall said: “It speaks to the caliber of a loose forward that a player this young can step up.” Sky Sports New Zealand Post-game coverage.
“He was really strong in the scrimmage, performing hard and running hard all day (and) giving the Chiefs the momentum and push they needed.
“Yes, there was incredible momentum. Line breaking, the ability to get pace when going into space can make a difference, but generally when the balance is right – scrum hard, work hard, take on key roles, tackle hard, be physical – a true classic figure eight performance.
“For a young person, he’s outstanding. Wallis Citi, great.”
In Australia and New Zealand it’s very easy to get excited about young players. Reds winger Tim Ryan was almost immediately thrown into international action by fans after a brilliant starting debut against the Blues earlier this season.
While some players can seamlessly transition from Super Rugby novice to Test regular almost immediately, others are thrown into the deep end too quickly. So there is reason to be careful here.
But give credit where it’s due.
Wallace Citi doesn’t look like he’s ready to take the next step. The Auckland back-rower will likely feel much more comfortable facing Maro Itoje and the rest of the England squad next month.
As for other players, both Emoni Narawa and Cortez Ratima (assuming he’s healthy) appear ready to take the next step in July. Ratima is yet to make his debut and Narawa played just one Test in the black jersey last year before suffering a back injury.
Both should start against England, with Siti coming off the bench.
Match Summary 
Billy Proctor is set to make his All Blacks debut this year.
With Scott Robertson leading the All Blacks, there has been a lot of talk in Super Rugby Pacific about how a new coach will change things for the All Blacks. There appears to be a position vacancy that could allow an unrestricted player to step up.
Jordie Barrett, David Havili, Rieko Ioane and Anton Lienert-Brown were the four centers selected for Ian Foster’s All Blacks’ Rugby World Cup squad and the same quartet could be called up under the ‘Razor’.
But it seems unlikely. Young players are knocking on the All Blacks’ door and some, including halfback Cortez Ratima and backrower Brayden Iose, could potentially make the cut. Then there’s a potential bolter in the center.
The Hurricanes’ Billy Proctor has been a reliable option in the No. 13 jersey for quite some time. The 25-year-old, who has made a few appearances for the Maori All Blacks, has every chance of being available for games against England and/or Fiji in July.
Proctor, who scored four tries for the All Blacks XV against Japan last year, has started all 12 appearances for the Hurricanes this season. The center scored three tries but, like his All Black brother Matt, was particularly impressive in his general play, including in defence.
Proctor was a shining light at times as the Hurricanes descended on the Chiefs. You can’t fault the midfielder’s efforts, with Proctor running nearly 50 meters in 12 carries. This includes one line break, two defenders lost and 71 attempts.castle minute.
The attacking duel was won by the Hurricanes when compared to All Blacks veteran Anton Lienert-Brown, who lined up opposite Proctor wearing the Chiefs’ number 13 jumper. Although Lienert-Brown was much more impactful on defense.
All Blacks great Conrad Smith recently said: rugby pass Proctor was ‘one to watch’ ahead of the international season, and performances like that are exactly why. It wasn’t perfect, but it would have been enough to further tick the All Blacks box.
head on head
Last 5 Meetings
average score
Damian McKenzie is clearly the best flyhalf in the competition.
For any team to reach this stage of the competition, their flyhalf needs to be dependable and able to handle a ton of pressure. All four No. 10s who reached the semi-finals have shown that form again this season.
Noah Lolesio was key in helping the Brumbies to tight wins over the Hurricanes and later the Crusaders during the regular season. This side of the ACT wouldn’t be the same without the Wallabies’ influence.
For the Hurricanes, Brett Cameron took some hits off the kicking tee, but one moment that stood out was: that A clutch penalty kick to beat the Chiefs in Hamilton during the regular season. It’s an important moment that probably isn’t mentioned enough.
Harry Plummer has been the Blues’ best player this season and Damian McKenzie has once again shown rugby fans in the southern hemisphere that he is the best playmaker New Zealand has to offer.
McKenzie has been somewhat quiet of late, but the All Black rose to his feet with a superb performance in Wellington. The first 5/8 nailed the first conversion of the night which set the tone for what was to come.
The Hurricanes kicked a lot of balls McKenzie’s way and the New Zealander was able to turn this into a territory advantage with a good outlet or by turning the ball back himself. It was simple yet wonderful.
If anyone had any doubts about who should start in the number 10 shirt against England next month, they need look no further than this game. Flyhalf is as important to a rugby team as a quarterback is to an American football team.
The Chiefs wouldn’t be in this position without Damian McKenzie. Hoskins Sotutu will probably be named MVP this season. But there is little doubt that McKenzie once again had the best comeback of the competition.
The Blues should be considered favorites before the grand final
To say the Blues were clinical against the Brumbies is almost an understatement. They dominated the semi-final from the start and never looked like they would relinquish their lead against a tough ACT team.
They won their semifinal match comfortably and waited about 24 hours to find out who they would face in the Big Dance. Rugby fans now know that the Blues will challenge the Chiefs for the honor of becoming Super Rugby Pacific champions in 2024.
It takes place in Auckland.
The Blues will have a home crowd cheering them on and that is very important. It is difficult for a team to win an away game with a title on the line. But the Crusaders won in Hamilton last year.
Given the home ground advantage and the style of rugby they play, with their approach to knockout rugby looking almost similar to the Springboks, they should be seen as favorites to take the crown.
The Chiefs are a world-class team, as they showed against the Hurricanes. With Damian McKenzie playing at such a high level, it’s hard to stop them. But they will be beaten, bruised and may be without some key players.
Samisoni Taukei’aho, Bradley Slater and Cortez Ratima were all injured. Whether they can qualify for the grand final is yet to be seen, but Chiefs will need all three to have any chance of upsetting the Blues at Eden Park.
