The Chiefs advanced to this year’s Super Rugby Pacific final courtesy of a 19-6 victory over the Brumbies in their semi-final in Hamilton on Saturday.
As expected, this was a hard-fought encounter characterised by several brutal collisions throughout, and the result was in the balance until its closing stages.
Although the Chiefs held the lead throughout this match, the Brumbies put up a brave fight and came desperately close to causing an upset.
Eventually, Brodie Retallick sealed the home side’s win when he scored the game’s only try in the 78th minute, and the Chiefs’ other points came via the boot of Damian McKenzie, who slotted four penalties and a conversion.
For the Brumbies, Noah Lolesio succeeded with a couple of penalties.
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The opening exchanges were cagey, highlighted by plenty of kicking for territory from both sides, with the Chiefs holding a slight edge, and they took the lead in the eighth-minute courtesy of a McKenzie penalty.
The Brumbies had a chance to restore parity shortly afterwards when the Chiefs strayed offside on defence deep inside their 22, but Jack Debreczeni was off target with his penalty attempt.
The next 20 minutes was a slugfest as both sides battled to gain the ascendancy, but no points were scored during that period. The Chiefs eventually increased their lead in the 32nd minute when McKenzie slotted his second penalty after Tom Hooper infringed at a ruck.
Two minutes later, Lolesio, who had just come on as an injury replacement for Debreczeni, opened the Brumbies’ account with a three-pointer off the kicking tee, after Samipeni Finau was penalised for a high tackle on James Slipper.
Just before half-time, Shaun Stevenson found himself in space down the left-hand touchline, and he was soon inside the Brumbies’ 22, but he made a poor pass to Emoni Narawa, who knocked the ball on with the try-line at his mercy.
The Chiefs’ pack put tremendous pressure on the Brumbies at the resulting scrum and were awarded a penalty. They opted to tap and go, but Samisoni Taukei’aho was held up by two defenders while crossing the whitewash.
The visitors had infringed in the build-up, and the Chiefs opted not to take a shot at goal from the resulting penalty. That proved costly as on the stroke of half-time Luke Jacobson lost the ball in contact while trying to cross the Brumbies’ try-line.
That meant the match was still evenly poised, with the Chiefs holding a narrow 6-3 lead at the break.
The attritional nature of this game continued in the second half, and another McKenzie penalty in the 54th minute put more daylight between his side and the Brumbies.
Five minutes later, however, Lolesio reduced the deficit again when he added his second penalty, which meant the match was on a knife’s edge as it headed into the final quarter.
With the game up for grabs, the Brumbies upped the ante on attack, but despite spending some time in the Chiefs’ 22, they were met with a resilient defensive effort from their hosts.
In the 72nd minute, McKenzie held his nerve to slot a penalty from close to the halfway line, and he also made a telling line break in the game’s closing stages which laid the groundwork for Retallick’s try.
That score sealed the Chiefs’ victory and sets up a date with perennial champions the Crusaders in next week’s Super Rugby Pacific final in Hamilton.
READ MORE: Clinical Crusaders reach another final after thrashing hapless Blues
The article Chiefs win arm wrestle against the Brumbies to reach Super Rugby Pacific final appeared first on Planetrugby.com.
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