Prior to this upset, most pundits tipped the Crusaders, in Scott Robertson’s last season at the helm, to continue their procession en route to a seventh straight title.
Someone forgot to tell the rampant Chiefs.
Returning to the scene of last year’s semifinal defeat, the Chiefs overcame first-half set-piece struggles and a 10-0 deficit to signal their title credentials with three second-half tries and an unlikely bonus point victory.
That the Crusaders conceded 24 unanswered points at home underlines the one-sided nature of the second half.
By the finish, the Chiefs had beaten 49 defenders. Such a figure is unheard of for the Crusaders.
The Chiefs, to be fair, achieved the same result during last year’s regular season but not by anywhere near this margin.
With Damian McKenzie initially pulling the strings from first five-eighth, Brodie Retallick carrying the team on his back with an outstanding display, Brad Weber regularly sniping from the base and Shaun Stevenson injecting lethal touches from fullback and the left edge second half, the Chiefs proved they are, indeed, compelling challengers this season.
Josh Ioane coming into first receiver off the bench and McKenzie shifting to fullback only further ignited the Chiefs’ attacking prowess.
While the Crusaders held a 10-7 first-half advantage, they were blown away in the second spell.
Stevenson and McKenzie sparked the Chiefs’ comeback. McKenzie underlined his influential display with a pinpoint 50/22 kick. From the resulting lineout, Weber’s superb delayed short ball sent Sam Cane over as the Chiefs stole the lead for the first time.
From there, they never looked back.
Ethan Blackadder, who alongside Joe Moody and Jack Goodhue, made his return from a long injury layoff, was prominent at the lineout and with ball in hand but his yellow card in the 58th minute – for a tackle that made contact with Samipeni Finau’s head – exposed the Crusaders.
The Chiefs went for the jugular by turning down the shot at goal. Tries for Alex Nankivell and Cortez Ratima followed to leave the Crusaders shellshocked.
Four tries to one emphasises the Chiefs’ dominance.
The only concern for Chiefs coach Clayton McMillan will be an ankle injury to All Blacks midfielder Anton Lienert-Brown after he hobbled off early in the second half.
The final scoreline suggests otherwise but the Chiefs didn’t have it all their own way. They failed to clear their first two scrums and botched three lineouts to hamstring their first-half efforts.
Despite those issues, and a yellow card to Cane who played 70 minutes, they created more than enough chances to test the Crusaders.
The Crusaders suffered an early setback with No 8 Cullen Grace departing with a shoulder injury early which injected Otago loose forward Christian Lio-Willie who made a notable impact on debut.
The Crusaders were forced to scramble on multiple occasions but their typical counter punch proved decisive, with David Havili claiming the opening try following Cane’s cynical offside infringement.
The new time limits on the set piece made a notable difference to the lineout speed in particular but the Chiefs didn’t initially handle the added pressure well with several throws missing their mark.
All Blacks hooker Samisoni Tauklei’aho was an ever-present ball-carrying presence for the Chiefs and Retallick made several telling plays including turnovers and the final punch over the line after Stevenson and Weber sparked a much-needed breakout response.
The visitors were, however, fortunate to only trail 10-7 at the break after Liam Coombes-Fabling held up Crusaders prop Fletcher Newell and Codie Taylor’s maul try was scrubbed out for obstruction as he lost his footing.
Those chances rapidly disappeared for the Crusaders in the second half to bring the defending champions back down to earth with a thud.
Chiefs 31 (Brodie Retallick, Sam Cane, Alex Nankivell, Cortez Ratima tries, Damian McKenzie 4 cons, pen)
Crusaders 10 (David Havili try; Richie Mo’unga con, drop goal)
HT: 7-10
