Super Rugby semi takes: Chiefs' wings are ABs, Hoskins horror show

The Super Rugby Pacific semi-finals saw the Crusaders book another home final with a 21-14 win over the Blues, while the Chiefs booked a ticket to Christchurch with a 37-17 win over the Brumbies.

Inspired performances by Ethan Blackadder and Will Jordan lifted the Crusaders while All Black Emoni Narawa starred in Hamilton with two tries.

Here are four takes from the penultimate round of Super Rugby Pacific 2025.

Leroy and Emoni must start for the All Blacks

The pair of Chiefs wingers once again reminded the selectors what they can do with influential showings against the Brumbies.

Narawa scored two, the first a solo effort catching the Brumbies sleeping around the ruck, the second was created by Carter, who bust through three defenders to pop the last pass to Narawa hanging off his shoulder.

Narawa has always had game-breaking talent and in 2025 is showing that again after making his All Black debut back in 2023.

The 25-year-old is tackling at 91.9 per cent, a mark comparable to a loose forward. He’s strong over the ball, as is Leroy Carter, who both have five breakdown steals each.

Carter has nine tries and three more assists, with his power game a highlight. He’s ranked sixth in defenders beaten with 43.

These two wouldn’t look out of place on the end of the All Blacks’ back line and are certainly the form wingers, along with Sevu Reece, in the New Zealand teams.

Chiefs must shake choker’s tag

The Chiefs qualified for their third straight Grand Final appearance, a third straight final loss would well and truly cement the Chiefs as chokers.

In 2023 they were the best team, securing a home final only to fall just short against the Crusaders. While in 2024 they made the final, they probably overachieved despite being smashed by the Blues at Eden Park.

In 2025 they are the best team once again, yet they fell to the Blues in the qualifying final with another shock defeat.

After smashing the Crusaders twice this year, at home and away, the Chiefs are the only team who have the Saders’ number.

Despite needing to travel to Christchurch where the Crusaders have an incredible 31-0 playoff record, the Chiefs are favourites.

The two clubs played the Super Rugby Aotearoa final at the same ground in 2021, a game won 24-13 by the Crusaders during their peak under Robertson.

Hoskins turned up as Jason for the wrong team

Prior to their Friday night semi-final the Blues posted a social media graphic making out Hoskins Sotutu as horror film villian Jason ready to haunt the Crusaders.

It unfortunately foreshadowed a horror performance from Sotutu costing the Blues dearly.

When Rieko Ioane crashing over from a scrum play for their second at the 20 minute mark things looked good for the visitors, but they saw that lead evaporate completely by half-time and would not score a single point for 60 minutes.

The main area of concern was discipline, hurting the Blues in key moments that swung momentum.

The Crusaders were setting up to exit via a contestable box kick when Josh Fusitu’a committed a high tackle on Scott Barrett that earnt him a yellow card. The Crusaders levelled the game right at the end of Fusitu’a’s period in the bin.

This type of discipline plagued the Blues, who lost the penalty count 16-9.

As the game wore on, a silly penalty by Hoskins Sotutu for a shoulder in the back after the whistle gave the Crusaders territory and possession inside their 22, which resulted in Will Jordan’s try. That was before his yellow card offence which reduced the Blues to 14 men.

Big penalties at the worst times put the Blues on the back foot in a crucial game, and No.8 Hoskins Sotutu had a big part in that.

Corey’s Wallabies snub

Brumbies winger Corey Toole has been one of Super Rugby’s best finishers over the last few seasons but no matter what he does, he can’t get a look in for the Wallabies.

Joe Schmidt’s 40-man Wallabies squad for a 2025 camp did not feature Toole, instead preferring Darby Lancaster, Andrew Kellaway, Max Jorgensen, Dylan Peitsch and Harry Potter.

But none of those players are as prolific as Toole, who bagged two tries against the Chiefs demonstrating both skill and power. His first was an excellent put down while the second was a finish breaking through multiple tacklers.

Toole’s attacking stats are off the charts, ranking top 10 in defenders beaten and first overall in clean breaks in 2025.

He has 15 try involvements in 2025, by far the most of any Australian winger.

The knock on Toole is that he is a one-sided player, with a tackle percentage under 70 that hurts his prospects of playing Test footy.

If he was able to improve drastically on that side of the ball, there’s no doubt he would bring something different to the Wallabies with his top end speed. Slighter frame wingers like Cheslin Kolbe and Kurt-Lee Arendse and more recently, France’s Louis Bielle-Biarrey, have proven that they can be a real weapon at the highest level.

But unless he can improve his 67.2 per cent completion up around 80, he might be destined to only be a Super Rugby player.