1
'They are your champions': Former All Black declares his Super Rugby contenders
By Henry Lee
With the Super Rugby Pacific 2025 season over halfway through, the teams at the top of the table are extending their lead, and the bottom teams are slowly falling away from the pack.
ADVERTISEMENT
Round ten saw the competition’s first Super Point of the season in the game between the Hurricanes and Force, as well as a tight clash of two old rivals on Friday night.
After ten rounds, the Chiefs are the leaders, ahead of the Crusaders on points differential and four points ahead of the Brumbies in third place.
Former All Black Stephen Donald believes the competition is going to be won by either the Crusaders, Chiefs or Blues, counting out the rest of the competition.
“It’s official, this is a two-and-a-half horse race. Yes, we’ve got half a horse, I’m going to spell it out for you now, for anyone that’s confused by my two-and-a-half horse race for the Super Rugby title,” Donald said on The Breakdown.
“You’ve got the Crusaders. You’ve got the Chiefs and it’s half a horse because I’m not sure if they will make the six-team playoffs, but it’s the Blues.
“They are your champions in waiting.”
ADVERTISEMENT
When asked about why the 23-Test former All Black is counting out the third-placed Brumbies, he explains that they normally bow out in the semi-finals of the competition.
“Experience tells me they are a wonderful team, they’ll be the best Australian team, but they will bow out at semi-final time.
“They do not have what it takes to beat the Crusaders, Chiefs or Blues at semi-final time.”
Former All Black Jeff Wilson is confident that the Brumbies are in the conversation for a title this season.
ADVERTISEMENT
“Are you telling me that the Brumbies, the side that came to Eden Park and beat your half a horse? They came and did a clinic on the weekend against Moana Pasifika, they’ve been very difficult to beat,” Wilson explained on The Breakdown.
“There’s only about three teams, that have got international first fives. The Brumbies are one of them, Lolesio has played 20-odd tests for Australia.
“You cannot rule this team out for all of their experience, their playoff experiences, and the way that they are playing.
“I’m sorry they have to be in the conversation, they can win this title.”
Wilson agrees with Donald regarding the Blues, especially if they win this weekend against the Reds in Brisbane.
“The argument around the Blues makes sense if you look at their run home because if they get a result this weekend against the Reds, all of a sudden their season looks significantly different.
“The best thing that could have happened in the weekend was a draw. So they got a bonus point for losing, then the two teams ahead of them got two points each.
“So ultimately, they lost one point on two teams that are above them, that are fighting for spots. All of a sudden, one result goes their way, and they’re jumping in the ladder, and they’re dangerous if they make the six.”
Donald’s case for the eighth-placed Blues is based on their performance Friday night against the Crusaders, which he believes showed how tough a matchup the Blues could be in the playoffs, if they make the top six.
“Friday night shows me that if they make the six? For me, you don’t want to be playing them.”
News, stats, live rugby and more! Download the new RugbyPass app on the App Store (iOS) and Google Play (Android) now!
Neither the Blues or Hurricanes have demonstrated they are better than the 4 Australian franchises this season. 3 wins out of 9 matches each does not merit the respect they are getting from The Breakdown pundits who are thinking with their hearts not their brains, especially Donald and Wheeler.
They’ve played a heavy proportion of NZ derby games SC. I didn’t think they were including the Canes?
If you’re using your brain, you don’t really pay much attention to the first half of those two teams campaigns do you?
The reds can beat any of the kiwi sides if Harry Wilson and Fraser McReight are back from injury. Ps how many games have the saders played against Aussie teams this year in Australia? Zero! Chiefs? 1 and lost to a weak tahs side.
Yep, the kiwi sides have been unlucky not to get aussie sides in their draw so far. They will come though!
Did thy do a clinic on Moana?
I’m not sure any of the aussie sides bar the Brumbies are good enough to be in the running for a playoff spot.
My half a horse is the Hurricanes. The Blues are a full horse for me, and the Highlanders or Moana might even be able to do enough as they have points differential on the Aussie sides.
Hurricanes are practically back to full strength now, I wouldn’t say they were hit quite as bad as the Crusaders last year, but seeing as it’s a reduced finals spot this year, it’s still going to be as tough, and they’ll need to go one better than the Saders effort last year, were there just wasn’t enough games left once they were at full strength.
That’s exactly what Super Rugby needs, a pundit claiming the comp is only contested 3 teams all from the same country 😬. If the Blues do make the playoffs (99.9% chance outside the top 3) They’re already looking at an away qualifying final at likely either Hamilton or Christchurch.
That doesn’t really change the fact they’re the only other team that could beat the Chiefs or Saders. Just like how if the Saders made last years finals in 8th, they’d still have been one of the top 4 teams.
By no means certain that the Blues will make the playoffs and even if they do they will face away matches against the Chiefs & Crusaders both of whom have knocked them over twice this season already. I think 3 Aussie teams, possibly 4, will round out the top 6 but even so will have similar difficulties in overcoming the 2 current leaders
The Crusaders are back. Ethan Blackadder is showing how good he is. Christian Lio-Willie I think he will get in the All Blacks. The latter is dynamic. The roster has so much more depth than last year. Corey Kellow is getting better and better.