The Crusaders won the match 16–12, achieving their 13th Super Rugby title.[4][5]
Background
The Crusaders reached their seventeenth final since the inception of the Super Rugby competition 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]
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
The 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
On 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 HamiltonPaula 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.co.nz) for fans to play at the stadium on their phone, and mentioned: "It's for those fans who simply can't go without the sound of a cowbell".[25]
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
Team
Previous final appearances (bold indicates winners)
The 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 wingerEmoni 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 propGeorge Dyer scored beneath the posts.[28] In the 26th minute, Crusaders hookerCodie 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]
↑ 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.
↑ "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.
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