Damian McKenzie delivered a masterclass performance on Saturday night, scoring 22 points to guide the Waikato Chiefs to a dominant 37-17 victory over the ACT Brumbies in Hamilton, sealing their place in a third consecutive Super Rugby Pacific final.
McKenzie’s near-flawless kicking — six penalties and two conversions — punished the Brumbies for repeated infringements, while his composure and leadership helped the Chiefs produce near-perfect playoff rugby. Tries from Emoni Narawa (two) and Josh Jacomb capped off a clinical display from a Chiefs side hungry to go one step further after back-to-back runner-up finishes.
The Chiefs will now head to Christchurch to face the Canterbury Crusaders in next weekend’s title decider. The Crusaders reached the final with a gritty 21-14 win over the defending champions, the Auckland Blues, on Friday.
“All-around outstanding performance from the lads,” said All Blacks flyhalf McKenzie after the match. “The Brumbies came out fast, like we expected, but I loved how composed we stayed. We stuck to our plan, our set piece was solid, and we made the most of our chances in the 22.”
Despite controlling possession and territory, the Brumbies struggled to convert pressure into points. Their hopes took an early blow when Wallabies playmaker Noah Lolesio exited in the 10th minute with a concussion. Missed opportunities and discipline issues further hampered their chances.
“We needed to play almost a perfect game,” said Brumbies captain Allan Alaalatoa. “But in the second half, our accuracy dropped, and our discipline cost us.”
The Brumbies made an early statement when hooker Billy Pollard crashed over from a rolling maul in the 15th minute, shortly after Chiefs lock Tupou Vaa’i was yellow-carded for a high tackle. But the Chiefs hit back immediately as Narawa darted over from close range.
McKenzie’s precision with the boot began to shift momentum, nudging the Chiefs ahead before Brumbies winger Corey Toole briefly levelled the score with a try off a clever cross-field kick.
Leading 19-12 at halftime, the Chiefs stayed in control despite Toole’s second try early in the second half. Narawa secured his brace in the 47th minute, and McKenzie added three more penalties to stretch the lead to 32-17.
McKenzie also set up Jacomb’s try in the 65th minute, and although he missed the conversion — his only error of the night — he quickly made amends with a crucial try-saving tackle on Brumbies fullback Tom Wright.
The Brumbies pushed hard late on in search of their first-ever Super Rugby playoff win in New Zealand, but the Chiefs held firm. They now advance to a blockbuster final in Christchurch, where the Crusaders boast an imposing record — unbeaten in 31 playoff matches over three decades of Super Rugby competition.
