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Chiefs edge Crusaders in one-point thriller to move into Super Rugby Aotearoa final spot

(Photo by Michael Bradley/Getty Images)

Damian McKenzie kicked the winning penalty for the second week running as the Chiefs kept their final hopes alive with a 26-25 Super Rugby Aotearoa victory over the table-topping Crusaders in Hamilton.

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McKenzie, who was converted from fullback to flyhalf, landed the winning kick with three minutes remaining as the visitors were made to pay for the poor discipline that plagued them throughout the match.

The Crusaders remain top of the table with 23 points from seven games, but the Chiefs (16 points from six) leapfrog the Blues (15 from six) and Highlanders (14 from seven) into second place.

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Flanker Lachlan Boshier and wing Jonah Lowe scored tries for the home side, while centre Leicester Fainga’anuku, fullback Will Jordan and replacement hooker Codie Taylor crossed for the Crusaders.

Fainga’anuku, who had been switched from the wing to outside centre, showed his strength to power through a couple of Chiefs tackles and score the opening try inside six minutes .

McKenzie then landed three penalties in a row to put the Chiefs ahead before Jordan was set free by a combination of flyhalf Richie Mo’unga and loose-forward Scott Barrett to race away and score the visitors’ second try for a 17-9 halftime lead.

The Chiefs dominated the opening 10 minutes in the second half and were rewarded with a try from close-range for Boshier to move to within a point. But their joy was short-lived.

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The Crusaders opted for an attacking line-out rather than a kickable penalty and worked it through the phases for Taylor to bag his sixth try of the season to head the scorers list in Super Rugby Aotearoa.

Mo’unga inexplicably missed the easy conversion that proved crucial in the final result, and that allowed the Chiefs to retake the lead with 20 minutes remaining when Lowe crossed in the corner after the visitors had coughed up possession in midfield.

The teams traded penalties but the Chiefs held on for their fourth victory in succ ession as they continue to build momentum this season.

Chiefs 26(Tries to Lachlan Boshier and Jonah Lowe; 2 conversions and 4 penalties to Damian McKenzie)
Crusaders 25
(Tries to Leicester Fainga’anuku, Will Jordan and Codie Taylor; 2 conversions and 2 penalties to Richie Mo’unga)

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RedWarrior 1 hour ago
Three-way race to be number one in World Rugby men's rankings

IF SA and NZ win then its 1,2,3 SA/NZ/IRL Otherwise as you were. This is largely irrelevant beyond bragging rights.


As I have pointed out elsewhere the practical use of the Rankings is to determine the seedings bands for the RWC draw. The draw takes place early 2026 and hopefully the rankings will be taken from then.


Important to be in the top 6, the top 12. (and likely the top 4).

This is because there are now 6 groups in the RWC 2027.

If you are in top 6 you are in Seeding Band 1. That means none of the other top 6 will be in your group.

Seeding Band 2 are teams from 7-12, who will have a top 6 team but no other 7-12 team.

After England's defeat by NZ there is clear water between NZ in 3rd, France in 4th and England in 5th. England are desperate for top4, ill come back and explain why later.

Lets look at Seeding Band 1 and 6th place. If you make 6th, no top 6 team is in your group, you are top dog. If you win your group, you won't be facing a top 6 team in your 1/8th final, you will be facing a weaker team. If you fail to make 6th place you WILL have a top 6 team in your group and if you don't win your group you WILL (probably) meet a top 6 in the 1/8 final. That's massive.


Its Argentina holding 6th now. Assuming England hold 5th, then its a 4 horse race for 6th. Argentina, Scotland, Italy and ...Australia. (ranked 6,7,8,9)

Australia play the Lions in NH summer 2025 they are running out of time to get up to 6th for their own RWC. They MUST make a move now. They must beat Wales and they really must beat Scotland to gain points and take points off them. Could they surprise England or Ireland? England may be the better bet but Schmidt knows Ireland so well having masterminded their downfall in France.

Another one to watch is Italy V Argentina. Italy are ambitious and they will want to start pushing the likes of Argentina. If they win this they are still in the hunt. Well worth a watch either way.


Top4: I think the top 6 will be seeded, all the way through from the draw. If thats the case then the top 4 will be seeded to avoid each other until the semi. Good for more certainty around ticket sales etc. That's a possible reason why England want in there. You're not in there you are hitting a top 4 team in a QF. That's an extra 50:50 match you can do without and avoid by being top 4.


Lets look at what Seeding bands might look like with todays rankings:


Seeding Band 1

IRE/SA/NZ/FRA/ENG/ARG

Seeding Band 2

SCO/ITA/AUS/FIJ/WAL/GEO


Sample Aussie strongest pool opponent and 1/8th final opponent if in top 6

Strongest pool opponent: FIJI

1/8 final opponent GEORGIA

Prognosis: advance to 1/4 and potentially beyond


Sample Aussie strongest pool opponent and 1/8th final opponent if NOT in top 6

Strongest pool opponent: SOUTH AFRICA

1/8 final opponent NEW ZEALAND

Prognosis: You know the prognosis


I am pretty sure this is not lost on Joe Schmidt?


Keep in mind when enjoying the matches.

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