The 2025 Super Rugby Pacific final produced one of the tightest deciders in the competition’s history, with the Crusaders edging the Chiefs 16–12 at Apollo Projects Stadium in Christchurch on 21 June 2025. The result handed the Crusaders a record-extending 13th Super Rugby title and denied the Chiefs — who had topped the regular-season table — in their third final in a row.
This guide is a factual recap of that match and a plain-English explanation of how the showpiece works. You will find the score and the key moments, the format that decides who reaches the final, the road each side took through the play-offs, the season’s leading scorers, and a short history of the fixture. It has been produced in collaboration with sportsnews-korea.com.
Key Facts
Event: 2025 Super Rugby Pacific final
Date: 21 June 2025
Venue: Apollo Projects Stadium, Christchurch, New Zealand
Result: Crusaders 16–12 Chiefs (half-time 13–12)
Attendance: about 17,000
Man of the match: Rivez Reihana (Crusaders)
Referee: Angus Gardner (Australia)
Significance: Crusaders’ 13th Super Rugby title
The 2025 final: Crusaders 16, Chiefs 12
The final was a defensive arm-wrestle rather than a try-scoring exhibition. The Chiefs struck first through winger George Dyer in the 13th minute, but the Crusaders hit back when hooker Codie Taylor crossed on 26 minutes, converted by first five-eighth Rivez Reihana. Shaun Stevenson’s try just before the interval briefly returned the Chiefs to the front, yet a Reihana penalty meant the home side led 13–12 at the break.
The second half produced no further tries. Reihana kicked the only points of the period — a 73rd-minute penalty that stretched the margin to four and proved decisive. Chasing a late score, the Chiefs could not break down a Crusaders defence that has long been the hallmark of the franchise’s finals rugby. Reihana finished with 11 points from one conversion and three penalties and was named man of the match, while a rare off-day off the tee for Damian McKenzie — one conversion from two attempts — left the Chiefs just short.
Australian referee Angus Gardner controlled a contest watched by around 17,000 at the ground. The win completed a remarkable turnaround for the Crusaders, who had missed the play-offs in 2024 for the first time since 2015 before coach Rob Penney guided them back to the summit. For the Chiefs, it was a third straight final defeat.
How teams reach the Super Rugby final
The final sits at the top of Super Rugby Pacific, the club competition run by SANZAAR, the body representing the rugby unions of New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and Argentina. In 2025 the competition featured 11 teams following the exit of the Melbourne Rebels. Each side played 14 regular-season matches, and the six highest-placed teams advanced to a three-week play-off series.
Qualifying finals
The play-offs open with three qualifying finals, in which the top three seeds host the teams ranked fourth to sixth. The three winners advance to the semi-finals, and they are joined by the “lucky loser” — the highest-seeded team to lose its qualifying final. This is why finishing high in the table matters even if a team slips up in the first week of the finals.
Semi-finals
The four surviving teams contest two semi-finals, with the higher seeds earning home advantage. Winning the right to play in front of your own supporters is a genuine reward for regular-season consistency, and every home semi-finalist in 2025 came through. The two winners book their place in the final.
The final and hosting rights
The final is a single, winner-takes-all match hosted by the higher-ranked finalist that has retained its hosting rights. There is a twist: a team that loses its qualifying final forfeits home advantage later in the series. That rule shaped the 2025 decider. The Chiefs finished top of the table but lost their qualifying final to the Blues — the defending champions, marshalled by playmaker Beauden Barrett — and so the final was played at the Crusaders’ Christchurch home rather than in Hamilton.
The road to the 2025 final
The Chiefs topped the regular-season standings on 51 competition points, one place and two points clear of the Crusaders. The Brumbies, Hurricanes, Reds and Blues completed the top six, while Moana Pasifika, the Waratahs, the Force, the Fijian Drua and the Highlanders missed out. The final ladder is set out below.
2025 Final Standings
| Pos | Team | Points | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chiefs | 51 | Minor premiers, runners-up |
| 2 | Crusaders | 49 | Champions |
| 3 | Brumbies | 44 | Qualified for finals |
| 4 | Hurricanes | 39 | Qualified for finals |
| 5 | Reds | 38 | Qualified for finals |
| 6 | Blues | 33 | Qualified (defending champions) |
| 7 | Moana Pasifika | 28 | — |
| 8 | Waratahs | 26 | — |
| 9 | Force | 23 | — |
| 10 | Fijian Drua | 20 | — |
| 11 | Highlanders | 20 | — |
The play-offs then delivered plenty of drama, including the Blues’ one-point upset of the Chiefs and a high-scoring Brumbies win over the Hurricanes. The full knockout results are shown here:
| Stage | Result | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| Qualifying final | Crusaders 32–12 Reds | Christchurch |
| Qualifying final | Blues 20–19 Chiefs | Hamilton |
| Qualifying final | Brumbies 35–28 Hurricanes | Canberra |
| Semi-final | Crusaders 21–14 Blues | Christchurch |
| Semi-final | Chiefs 37–17 Brumbies | Hamilton |
| Final | Crusaders 16–12 Chiefs | Christchurch |
2025 season statistics
The season ran from 14 February to the final on 21 June and produced 83 matches. Attacking rugby remained the norm, with 670 tries scored across the campaign — an average of just over eight per game.
Leading point scorers
Chiefs playmaker Damian McKenzie led all scorers with 209 points, built on six tries, 49 conversions and 27 penalties. His goal-kicking underpinned the Chiefs’ run to the final, even if the decider itself did not go his way.
Leading try scorers
Force flanker Carlo Tizzano was the competition’s top try scorer with 13, an unusually high tally for a forward and a reflection of his work at the breakdown and in support. Backs from the leading franchises filled out the rest of the list.
Discipline and law innovations
Super Rugby Pacific again trialled law tweaks aimed at speeding up the game. In 2025 these included cutting the time allowed to take a conversion from 90 to 60 seconds, extra protection for the halfback at the base of the ruck, and a “play on” call when an uncontested line-out throw is not straight. The 20-minute red card was retained: a player sent off for foul play judged not to be deliberate or highly dangerous can be replaced after 20 minutes, keeping the contest 15-a-side while still punishing the offender.
The Super Rugby final in context
The Super Rugby final has been the pinnacle of southern-hemisphere provincial rugby since the competition began in 1996, evolving through several formats and names — Super 12, Super 14, Super Rugby and now Super Rugby Pacific. It is often compared with the NRL Grand Final in rugby league as the decider that closes a demanding season and crowns the best club side.
No franchise has dominated the fixture like the Crusaders. Their 2025 success was their 13th title, extending a lead over every rival and underlining a finals pedigree built on set-piece strength, kicking accuracy and relentless defence. For New Zealand supporters, the final is also a shop window for All Blacks talent, with many Test players honing their form in the play-offs before the international season.
Sources
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Who won the 2025 Super Rugby final?
The Crusaders won the 2025 Super Rugby Pacific final, beating the Chiefs 16–12. It was the Crusaders’ 13th Super Rugby title and their first since 2023.
Where and when was the 2025 Super Rugby final played?
The final was played on 21 June 2025 at Apollo Projects Stadium in Christchurch, New Zealand, in front of a crowd of about 17,000.
How do teams qualify for the Super Rugby final?
The top six teams from the regular season reach the play-offs. Three qualifying finals and two semi-finals then reduce the field to two, and those two contest the final, with the higher remaining seed hosting.
Why did the Chiefs play the 2025 final away despite finishing top?
The Chiefs topped the regular-season table but lost their qualifying final to the Blues. Under the finals rules, losing that match cost them home advantage for the decider, so the final was staged at the Crusaders’ Christchurch ground.
Who were the leading scorers in the 2025 season?
Damian McKenzie of the Chiefs was the top points scorer with 209, while Carlo Tizzano of the Force led the try-scoring charts with 13 tries.
