Super Rugby ladder tightens ahead of decisive final round
- Sanzaar Media
- 1 hour ago
- 7 min read
All that remains to decide the play-offs order of games in the DHL Super Rugby Pacific 2026 competition is who will secure the third-place home advantage and where the Brumbies (33) and the Reds (32) will play their games.
The third-placed Blues (38 points) and fourth-placed Crusaders (36) are in a battle royale to secure the spot as they respectively face the Chiefs (2nd) and the Hurricanes (1st) in next weekend’s final preliminary round.
Should the Crusaders lose and the Brumbies win with a bonus over Moana Pasifika in Canberra, then the Blues would play the Brumbies.
If the Blues lose, they would most likely have to travel to Christchurch to play the Crusaders.
The Reds could avoid ending level with the Waratahs on 32 points by securing at least a loser’s bonus point in their last game, against the Drua in Brisbane, if the Waratahs are able to score a bonus point win over the Force in Perth.
Crusaders 36, Chiefs 32
If the Super Rugby Pacific play-offs produce as much outstanding rugby as this classic from the Crusaders and Chiefs, an epic series is in prospect. It was a white-hot contest played out between two long-time rivals in the perfect conditions provided by Christchurch’s covered stadium. Two teams of skilled players played out a superb contest.
The Chiefs struck first on the back of classy passing skills that saw wing Kyron Taumoefolau over in the corner five minutes into the game. Flanker Leicester Fainga’anuku powered across the line to draw the Crusaders level after 19 minutes. Similar power from close quarters saw Chiefs hooker Samisoni Taukei’aho reclaim the lead five minutes later.
More Crusaders passing put lock Jamie Hannah down the sideline to score after 30 minutes. Again, four minutes later, Chiefs lock Josh Lord was at hand, after strong play by No 8 Wallace Sititi, to grab the ball and put it over the line for his first Super Rugby try. But just on half-time, Crusaders No 8 Christian Lio-Willie replied in kind for the home team to go to the break down 19-17.
The Crusaders got their noses in front for the first time on the 51-minute mark after a Chiefs backline breakdown that saw wing Sevu Reece put into space before in-passing to fullback Johnny McNicholl to score, with replacement five-eighths Taha Kemara’s conversion giving them a 24-22 lead.
But back came the Chiefs three minutes later with second five-eighths Quinn Tupaea’s superb running line splitting the defence to score. First five-eighths Josh Jacomb added a second penalty goal to extend the Chiefs to 32-24 in front. However, McNicholl scored again in the 71st minute, four minutes before captain and second five-eighths David Havili got over off a ruck to secure the winning advantage for the Crusaders.
NSW Waratahs 14, ACT Brumbies 21
Effective defensive play in Sydney denied both teams try-scoring chances in the first quarter before 21 minutes into the game, a tap penalty and drive to the line saw halfback Ryan Lonergan throw a miss-out pass for hooker Billy Pollard to open the scoring. The Waratahs couldn’t build on a midfield bust made by tighthead prop Dan Botha and the Brumbies recovered to get downfield.
They looked to have blown a scoring chance,, but home flanker Charlie Gamble was sin-binned, and from a resulting scrum the Brumbies rumbled the ball forward for lock Cadeyrn Neville to score beneath the posts, giving the Brumbies a half-time lead of 14-0.
A goal-line penalty 11 minutes into the second half was enough for tighthead prop Allan Alaalatoa to drive low to score wide out in his 150th game and with halfback Ryan Lonergan’s third conversion, the Brumbies led 21-0.
Heading towards the final quarter, the Waratahs drove at the line where replacement Brumbies hooker Lachlan Lonergan collapsed a maul to be sin-binned. From a subsequent tap penalty replacement, Waratahs prop Isaac Kailea got over the line to open his side’s scoring in the 63rd minute.
Then, with 10 minutes remaining, and under penalty advantage, the ball was worked blindside to fullback Max Jorgensen. He shook off a tackler and ran in a try. Wing Sid Harvey’s conversion got them to seven short and a loser’s bonus point but they were unable to advance their score in the remaining time.
Moana Pasifika 31, Queensland Reds 33
It may have been Moana Pasifika’s final home game of the season, but they gave their loyal fans a moment to remember in taking 86 seconds to score the opening try of the game – a counter to a box kick by halfback Tate McDermott, that first five-eighths Patrick Pellegrini ran back down the blindside from 70 metres out.
He linked with left-wing Tevita Latu, who passed back to Pellegrini, who then sent halfback Augustine Pulu sprinting in for the try. Then the Reds replied in kind after 11 minutes, when fullback Jock Campbell, No 8 Harry Wilson, McDermott and wing Tim Ryan contributed to a stunning response.
Into the second quarter, lock Josh Canham tidied some back play by getting the ball and powering through to the goal-line. Ryan scored a second after the half-time hooter after pressure from a penalty advantage close to the line.
A five-metre scrum in front of the home posts saw the ball flung wide to wing Treyvon Pritchard, who scored five minutes into the second half. But Moana Pasifika weren’t done, and starting from their 22m area, they ran the ball, with wing Israel Leota breaking into the midfield where the big men punched ever onward with No 8 Semisi Tupou Ta’eiloa having the final say in scoring with 30 minutes to play.
Five minutes later, Te’eiloa’s ruck turnover provided a penalty kick for a line-out in the corner from which a penalty try was awarded. Leota then drew Moana Pasifika level with a superb sideline run, after a Miracle Faiilagi backhand offload to score, with the conversion claiming a 28-26 lead.
Pellegrini landed three more with a penalty goal four minutes out. But the Reds used a midfield scrum to move the ball for fullback Jock Campbell’s speed to carry him across for the match-winning try and replacement Ben Volavola’s conversion
Hurricanes 45, Highlanders 28
Season-defining Hurricanes speed in support play set the tone when fullback Josh Moorby, playing his 50th game, capped off a move inspired by flanker Devan Flanders within two minutes of the start against the Highlanders in Wellington. Flanders suffered a head knock when running into prop Daniel Lienert-Brown’s tackle and was forced to leave the field, while Lienert-Brown’s yellow card dismissal was upgraded to a red.
That proved costly as wing Kini Naholo capped a backline move to score while Flanders’ replacement Du’Plessis Kirifi cashed in on a stunning Moorby run to score. Only a dropped pass prevented a four-try return as Highlanders’ fullback Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens’ kick ahead and race to win the in-goal touchdown got them on the board. First five-eighths Ruben Love’s elusive run in the 29th minute provided another try before the Highlanders were returned to 15 players.
Up 28-7, it seemed the Highlanders were facing a huge score, but the first-half introduction of their experienced props Ethan de Groot and Angus Ta’avao stemmed the flow of points.
Skipper and second five-eighths Timoci Tavatavanawai scored before the break. Yellow cards to wings Ngane Punivai and Xavier Tito-Harris levelled out the personnel. Naholo scored a second try three minutes into the half. But after flanker Lucas Casey had a try denied, replacement halfback Adam Lennox tapped a penalty from a resulting scrum and scored after 49 minutes. However, a break from a midfield ruck saw No 8 Brayden Iose score to maintain the home side’s scoring momentum. Halfback Eretara Enari scored another in the 59th minute before Casey got his try from another five-metre scrum, the last scoring act of the Highlanders’ 2026 campaign.
Western Force 19, Drua 15
Needing a bonus point win to keep a final six play-offs bid alive, the Force went to their line-out maul and the try-scoring force that is flanker Carlo Tizzano to open the scoring after nine minutes in Perth against the Drua. Recovering from earlier lost chances, the Drua responded with No 8 Kitione Salawa scoring after several goal-line rucks. Into the 28th minute, a long lineout throw five metres out resulted in hooker Zuriel Togiatama waiting on the sideline for a long pass from the resulting ruck to score.
Down 12-7 at the half, the Force took 10 minutes to use their scrum five metres out for No 8 Vailoni Ekuasi to get over the line to level the scores after the successful conversion.
The Drua lost centre Maika Tuitubou to the sin-bin soon after. First five-eighths Kemu Valetini reclaimed the lead with a penalty. But, with 12 minutes left, a massive Force lineout rolling maul provided ball that was moved wide for wing Zac Lomax to score the winning try but they were unable to secure the bonus point to effectively end the prospects for both sides for the season.
One round to go and the Hurricanes (1) have locked in top spot and the Chiefs second spot (2) therefore securing home ground advantage for the Qualifying Finals. The race is on for third and the right to host the last Qualifying Final with Blues (3), Crusaders (4) and Brumbies (5) all in the mix. The Crusaders face the Hurricanes at a sold-out One New Zealand Stadium in Christchurch, while the Chiefs host the Blues in Hamilton. The first week of the Finals Series next week will see 1 v 6, 2 v 5 and 3 v 4, with the three winners and the highest seeded losing team (the ‘lucky loser’) progressing to the Semi-Finals.
FIXTURES
(All times local - home team)
Friday
Crusaders v Hurricanes @ One NZ Stadium, Christchurch (7.05pm)
Queensland Reds v Fijian Drua @ Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane (7.35pm)
Saturday
ACT Brumbies v Moana Pasifika @ GIO Stadium, Canberra (2.35pm)
Chiefs v Blues @ FMG Stadium Waikato, Hamilton (7.05pm)
Western Force v NSW Waratahs @ HBF Park, Perth (5.35pm)
BYE: Highlanders
Comments