The 2025 Super Rugby Pacific final, stylised as the 2025 Super Rugby Pacific Grand Final was the final match of the 2025 Super Rugby Pacific season and the decider of the Finals Series, the thirtieth season of the Southern Hemisphere's premier rugby union competition organised by SANZAAR. The thirtieth Super Rugby final, and the eighth all-New Zealand final, it was played on 21 June 2025 at Apollo Projects Stadium, Christchurch.
| 2025 Super Rugby Pacific Grand Final | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Event | 2025 Super Rugby Pacific season | ||||||
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| Match details | |||||||
| Date | 21 June 2025 | ||||||
| Venue | Apollo Projects Stadium, Christchurch | ||||||
| Man of the Match | Rivez Reihana (Crusaders) | ||||||
| Referee | Angus Gardner (Australia) | ||||||
| Attendance | 17,000 | ||||||
| Weather | Clear night 3 °C (37 °F) 88% humidity[1] | ||||||
It was scheduled to be the last rugby union fixture played at Apollo Projects Stadium, Christchurch.[2][3] From 2026 the Crusaders' new home venue is expected to be One New Zealand Stadium.[3]
The Crusaders won the match 16–12, achieving their thirteenth Super Rugby title.[4][5]
Background
editThe Crusaders reached their seventeenth final since the inception of the Super Rugby in 1996,[6] the most in the competition's history. It was their first final since 2023, when they defeated the Chiefs 20–25 in Hamilton,[7][8] and their sixth final appearance in eight years (excluding Super Rugby Aotearoa). Going into the match, the Crusaders won six of their last seven matches against New Zealand teams,[7] with the only defeat being to the Chiefs in round thirteen of the season.[7] This was the first Super Rugby final (as head coach) for local Cantabrian and former Canterbury player Rob Penney.[9]
| Team | Wins | W% |
|---|---|---|
| Crusaders | 29 | 56.86 |
| Chiefs | 22 | 43.14 |
| Total | 51 | |
The Chiefs reached their sixth Super Rugby final, with 2025 being their third consecutive final appearance.[11][12] The last two finals were unsuccessful, losing 20–25 to the Crusaders in 2023 and 41–10 to the Blues in 2024.[13] In three of their five total final appearances the Chiefs were the highest-placed team on the season standings at the conclusion of the regular season. The Chiefs and Crusaders previously met in the 2023 final.[7] Despite finishing top of the regular season ladder during 2023, the 20–25 home loss to the Crusaders was just their second defeat of the season.[14] This was the third consecutive Super Rugby final for coach Clayton McMillan, having been at the helm since 2021.[15] It was also reported earlier in the season that McMillan had signed to coach Irish club Munster following the end of the Super Rugby season,[16] making it his final match as coach of the Chiefs.[17] Leading into the final, the Chiefs won five of their last seven matches against the Crusaders, including their last two in a row;[7] the only time in which they've won more consecutive matches against the Crusaders was a four-match streak between 2015 and 2016.[7]
Venue
editThe venue for the final was Apollo Projects Stadium, Christchurch.[2][3] Due to the new Finals Series format laid out at the beginning of the season, the second-placed Crusaders were given the right to host the final despite the Chiefs finishing above them in first place at the end of the regular season. During the Finals Series each victorious team, along with the highest-seeded team that suffered a defeat in the qualifying finals, progressed to the semi-final stage.[18] At this juncture, teams were re-seeded according to their regular season standings.[18] Notably, the highest-seeded team that did not secure victory in the qualifying finals incurred a penalty of one seeding rank; for example, the Chiefs as the first-placed team, lost their qualifying final fixture against New Zealand rivals the Blues (sixth place), thus they were re-seeded to the second position for the semi-final round. Subsequently, the winners of the semi-final contests—pitting the first-seeded team (Crusaders) against the fourth (Blues), and the second (Chiefs) against the third (Brumbies)—advanced to the final, with the highest-seeded of the two emerging teams earning the honour of hosting the final match.[18]
Cowbell ban
editOn the week ahead of the final, Crusaders Chief Executive Colin Mansbridge stated that cowbells, known as an iconic instrument and symbol of the Chiefs and their provincial rugby team Waikato,[19][20] would be banned from their stadium for the final.[21][22] The Waikato Times reported that the "cowbell is practically sacred for Chiefs fans, rooted in Waikato's farming heritage and tied to the region's beloved mascot, Mooloo the cow. When the Chiefs joined Super Rugby, the tradition naturally followed."[23] Mansbridge, citing safety concerns, explained the decision on LinkedIn: "It's tight [the stadium]. It's compact and there's just enough room to wave a really thin flag... There ain't no room to swing a bloody big cowbell and take out the person sitting in the seat beside you."[21][23] He later added, "We think it's probably safest not to have them here."[24] Mansbridge also claimed that he received threats from fans for the decision to ban cowbells from the stadium.[22] Mayor of Hamilton Paula Southgate declared to 1News, "The Chiefs cowbell is in their DNA, and we've been shaking this thing forever... I can understand if the Crusaders are a bit rattled, but not having our cowbells will not stop Chiefs fans from bringing the volume, and the Chiefs bringing the victory home."[24] The same week, Chiefs CEO Simon Graafhuis announced the launch of a virtual cowbell (cowbell
Similarly, in 2015 and 2016,[26] a number of Chiefs supporters had their iconic cowbells confiscated at Sky Stadium, Wellington—the home ground of their North Island rivals, the Hurricanes—after stadium officials classified the bells as musical instruments.[27] The stadium enforced a long-standing policy prohibiting all musical instruments, and despite the cultural significance of cowbells to Chiefs fans, security upheld the rule, sparking frustration among travelling supporters.[27][26]
Previous finals
edit| Team | Previous final appearances (bold indicates winners) |
|---|---|
| Crusaders | 16 (1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2011, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023) |
| Chiefs | 5 (2009, 2012, 2013, 2023, 2024) |
Route to the final
editNote: In all results below, the score of the finalist is given first (H: home; A: away).
| Crusaders | Round | Chiefs | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| League | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Opponent | Result | Finals | Opponent | Result | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Reds (H) | 32–12 | Qualifying finals | Blues (H) | 19–20 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Blues (H) | 21–14 | Semi-finals | Brumbies (H) | 37–17 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Match
editThe Chiefs faced significant challenges for extended durations due to the Crusaders' suffocating defence. Although they managed to disrupt the Crusaders' lineout, they experienced pressure during scrums and were unable to generate the necessary space for their backs in the second half.[28] Crusaders captain David Havili received a yellow card in the 12th minute following a head collision with Chiefs winger Emoni Narawa. As a result of the penalty, the Chiefs kicked to the corner, secured the lineout, and midfielder Quinn Tupaea made two powerful carries before prop George Dyer scored beneath the posts.[28] In the 26th minute, Crusaders hooker Codie Taylor broke free from a collapsing maul and sprinted over 20-metres down the narrow left sideline to score. No. 10 Rivez Reihana followed-up with a conversion, equalising the score at 7–7. The Crusaders took the lead for the first time in the game in the 28th minute via a penalty goal from Reihana. Another penalty increased the score to 13–7. Just before half-time, the Chiefs responded with a try from Shaun Stevenson, who scored in the right corner after 16 phases.[28] The physicality intensified during the second half, with Chiefs No. 10 Damian McKenzie receiving notable focus from the Crusaders. The diminutive fly-half failed to convert a long-range penalty goal that could have given the Chiefs the lead in the 55th minute.[28] Another penalty goal in the 73rd minute from Rivez Reihana put the Crusaders further ahead of the Chiefs, and ultimately sealed the win 16–12.[29]
| 21 June 2025 19:05 NZST (UTC+12) |
| Crusaders | 16–12 | Chiefs |
| Try: Taylor 25' c Con: Reihana (1/1) 26' Pen: Reihana (3/4) 29', 35', 73' | Report | Try: Dyer 13' c Stevenson 38' m Con: McKenzie (1/2) 14' |
| Apollo Projects Stadium, Christchurch Attendance: 17,000[29] Referee: Angus Gardner (Australia)[30] |
Crusaders
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Chiefs
|
|
Man of the Match:
|
Statistics
edit| Statistic | Crusaders | Chiefs |
|---|---|---|
| Tries scored | 1 | 2 |
| Possession | 57% | 43% |
| Territory | 57% | 43% |
| Kicks | 40 | 33 |
| Carries | 146 | 115 |
| Metres carried | 663 | 505 |
| Tackles | 137 | 203 |
| Tackles missed | 10 | 13 |
| Tackle success | 93% | 94% |
| Offloads | 2 | 5 |
| Penalties conceded | 7 | 8 |
| Own lineouts won | 14/17 | 10/12 |
| Scrums won | 8 | 4 |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Addington Extended Weather Forecast and Observations – MetService New Zealand". MetService. 21 June 2025. Archived from the original on 21 June 2025. Retrieved 21 June 2025.
- ^ a b "Super Rugby Pacific: Crusaders v Chiefs final in Christchurch sells out". Stuff. Stuff Ltd. 19 June 2025. Archived from the original on 19 June 2025. Retrieved 19 June 2025.
- ^ a b c Thorpe, Mike (18 June 2025). "Crusaders bid early farewell to Apollo Projects Stadium in Super Rugby final but will new stadium be ready for next year?". The New Zealand Herald. New Zealand Media and Entertainment. Archived from the original on 18 June 2025. Retrieved 19 June 2025.
- ^ "Live: Crusaders v Chiefs – Super Rugby Pacific final". Stuff. Stuff Ltd. 21 June 2025. Archived from the original on 21 June 2025. Retrieved 21 June 2025.
- ^ a b "Super Rugby Pacific: Crusaders beat Chiefs to win title". The New Zealand Herald. New Zealand Media and Entertainment. 21 June 2025. Retrieved 21 June 2025.
- ^ van Royen, Robert (14 June 2025). "Crusaders coach Rob Penney on the cusp of remarkable turnaround". Stuff. Stuff Ltd. Archived from the original on 14 June 2025. Retrieved 19 June 2025.
A year after the Crusaders missed the playoffs for the first time since 2015, prompting a thorough review which started with Penney's job not being guaranteed, the 14-times champions will contest a staggering 17th final.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Match Pack | Crusaders – Chiefs | Super Rugby Pacific 2025 Season". super.rugby. SANZAAR. Archived from the original on 19 June 2025. Retrieved 19 June 2025.
- ^ Knuckey, Brodyn (24 June 2023). "Crusaders end Robertson's reign with title over ill-disciplined Chiefs". 1News. Archived from the original on 28 June 2023.
- ^ "Crusaders' 13th Super Rugby title: A tale of redemption and resilience". Fox Sports.
- ^ "Crusaders–Chiefs | Head-to-Head". rugbydatabase.co.nz. Archived from the original on 19 June 2025. Retrieved 19 June 2025.
- ^ Reive, Christopher (14 June 2025). "Chiefs v Brumbies: Chiefs book place in third final in a row with win in Hamilton". The New Zealand Herald. New Zealand Media and Entertainment. Archived from the original on 19 June 2025. Retrieved 19 June 2025.
- ^ Mulvenney, Nick (14 June 2025). "McKenzie kicks Chiefs into third straight Super Rugby Pacific final". Reuters. Thomson Reuters. Retrieved 19 June 2025.
- ^ Dine, Jonty (23 June 2024). "Super Rugby final: Blues cruise to title with 41–10 win over Chiefs at Eden Park". Radio New Zealand. Archived from the original on 23 June 2024.
- ^ "Crusaders win Super Rugby final in thriller". Otago Daily Times. Allied Press. 24 June 2023. Archived from the original on 28 June 2023.
The Christchurch-based powerhouse handed the Chiefs only a second loss of the season to silence a full house at Hamilton's FMG Waikato Stadium and secure a 14th Super Rugby title of all types.
- ^ Pearson, Joseph (13 June 2025). "'The monkey on the back' that's clinging to the Chiefs ahead of Clayton McMillan farewell". Stuff. Stuff Ltd. Archived from the original on 14 June 2025. Retrieved 19 June 2025.
- ^ "Munster name McMillan next head coach". BBC Sport. BBC. 26 February 2025. Archived from the original on 6 March 2025. Retrieved 19 June 2025.
- ^ Porter, Joe (17 June 2025). "Chiefs seek to send coach Clayton McMillan off as a Super Rugby champion". Radio New Zealand. Archived from the original on 17 June 2025. Retrieved 19 June 2025.
- ^ a b c "New finals system headlines refreshed Super Rugby Pacific format". SANZAAR (Press release). 13 September 2024. Archived from the original on 1 October 2024.
- ^ "Regional rugby | Page 8 – Waikato rugby". nzhistory.govt.nz. New Zealand Government. Archived from the original on 19 April 2024.
- ^ "Hamilton's rugby wars – roadside stories". nzhistory.govt.nz. New Zealand Government. Archived from the original on 29 May 2024.
- ^ a b "'Leave them at home': Cowbells a no-no at Super Rugby Pacific final". Radio New Zealand. 18 June 2025. Archived from the original on 18 June 2025. Retrieved 19 June 2025.
- ^ a b Pearson, Joseph (18 June 2025). "Crusaders boss 'received threats' after issuing cowbell ban for Chiefs fans". Stuff. Stuff Ltd. Archived from the original on 18 June 2025. Retrieved 19 June 2025.
- ^ a b Gibbs, Tatiana (18 June 2025). "'Bury a cowbell in my head': Crusaders boss threatened after bell ban for final". Waikato Times. Stuff Ltd. Archived from the original on 19 June 2025. Retrieved 19 June 2025.
- ^ a b "Hamilton mayor says Chiefs fans will 'bring the volume' despite cowbells ban". 1News. 18 June 2025. Archived from the original on 19 June 2025. Retrieved 19 June 2025.
- ^ Manuel, Paora (18 June 2025). "Digital workaround after Chiefs cowbells banned in 2025 Super Rugby final". Waikato Times. Archived from the original on 18 June 2025. Retrieved 19 June 2025.
- ^ a b Neal, Lionel (25 April 2016). "Hey, fun police, let us ring our cowbells". Stuff. Stuff Ltd. Archived from the original on 19 June 2025.
- ^ a b El-Gamel, Nancy (20 May 2015). "Cow bells stop ringing for Chiefs at Wellington match". Stuff. Stuff Ltd. Archived from the original on 23 February 2022.
- ^ a b c d "Lucky 13: The Crusaders beat the Chiefs 16–12 to win the Super Rugby title for the 13th time". Fox Sports. Retrieved 21 June 2025.
- ^ a b van Royen, Robert (21 June 2025). "Super Rugby Pacific: Crusaders edge Chiefs to win 15th crown". Stuff. Stuff Ltd. Archived from the original on 21 June 2025. Retrieved 22 June 2025.
- ^ "Angus Gardner to referee 2025 Super Rugby Pacific Grand Final". super.rugby. SANZAAR. 16 June 2025. Archived from the original on 19 June 2025. Retrieved 19 June 2025.
- ^ "The Empire Strikes Back – Crusaders win Super Rugby Pacific". Radio New Zealand. 21 June 2025. Archived from the original on 21 June 2025. Retrieved 21 June 2025.
It was the boot of Rivez Reihana and a powerful scrum effort that proved the difference between the two sides, with the young first five kicking three penalties and a sideline conversion in the win. It was an effort that ultimately saw him named man of the match, however he will be giving a lot of gratitude to his forward pack that earned him two of the penalties he kicked directly from scrums.
- ^ a b "2025 Super Rugby Pacific Teams: Grand Final". super.rugby. SANZAAR. 18 June 2025. Archived from the original on 18 June 2025. Retrieved 19 June 2025.
- ^ "Post Match Report | Crusaders–Chiefs | 21 June 2025". super.rugby. SANZAAR. Archived from the original on 21 June 2025. Retrieved 21 June 2025.