Latest news with #Reihana
Kuwait Times
21-06-2025
- Sport
- Kuwait Times
Crusaders out-muscle Chiefs to clinch 15th Super Rugby crown
Crusaders out-muscle Chiefs to clinch 15th Super Rugby crown A remarkable turnaround for Crusaders coach CHRISTCHURCH: The clinical Canterbury Crusaders turned to forward power to beat the Waikato Chiefs 16-12 in a tense Super Rugby final on Saturday and clinch a record 15th title. The home side were out-scored two tries to one in Christchurch but 11 points from the boot of fly-half Rivez Reihana proved decisive in a brutal contest dominated by defense. The Crusaders played no-frills rugby to extend their perfect record to 32 wins in home play-off matches since the competition began in 1996. The Chiefs finished runners-up for a third successive season, matching the unwanted record of South Africa's Lions from 2016-18. The result was a remarkable turnaround for Crusaders coach Rob Penney after his side failed to reach the play-offs last year. Crusaders fullback Will Jordan said the title was the most memorable of the eight he has won and that his team had been motivated to turn around a forgettable 2024 campaign. 'Where we were end of last year, we had a mountain to climb,' Jordan told Sky TV. 'Everyone had to dig deep. It hasn't been easy. It's taken some long hours and some hard conversations. But what a feeling. 'I feel for the Chiefs because they've come so close and they threw everything at us. We just found a way to come home in the tight moments,' he said. The Crusaders have won 11 more titles than any other team, although two of them came during the Covid-19 pandemic when regional competitions were contested. Match-winners Ahead 13-12 at the interval, Reihana's third penalty was the only score in a second half largely dominated by the Crusaders. They kept the game tight, relying on their trademark forward power that included a muscular scrum. It was enough to suffocate a Chiefs side laden with match-winners who had beaten the Crusaders in their two previous matches this season. The Chiefs struck first through a try to prop George Dyer after the Crusaders were reduced to 14 men with captain David Havili shown a yellow card for a high tackle. The home side levelled when Havili returned through a clever try to hooker Codie Taylor, who burst 20 meters down the blindside of a maul to score in the left corner. Reihana landed the sideline conversion and kicked two penalties in quick succession to put the Crusaders six points clear. The Chiefs closed to within one before the interval when fullback Shaun Stevenson crossed out wide off a long pass from lock Tupou Vaa'i. Errors crept into the Chiefs game as the pressure mounted and they spent much of the second half defending in their own territory. The match was the last in charge for coach Clayton McMillan, who was unable to end a Chiefs trophy drought dating back to 2013. 'We make no excuses, the Crusaders were the better team, they squeezed us in all the right areas,' McMillan said. 'Even though we were right in it until the end, it was a step too far. We'll get the job done one day.' McMillan takes over as head coach at Irish club Munster later this year — AFP
Straits Times
21-06-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
Crusaders back on top after edging out Chiefs in Super Rugby Pacific final
Crusaders' Jamie Hannah running with the ball during the Super Rugby Pacific grand final against the Chiefs at Apollo Projects Stadium in Christchurch on June 21, 2025. PHOTO: AFP The Canterbury Crusaders edged the Waikato Chiefs 16-12 in an intense Super Rugby Pacific final battle in Christchurch on Saturday to claim their 15th title in 30 years of the Southern Hemisphere competition. Hooker Codie Taylor scored a try and Rivez Reihana contributed 11 points from the kicking tee as the most dominant team in Super Rugby history got back to title-winning ways after missing the play-offs last season. "We had a shocking year last year but we're back at the top," said flyhalf Reihana, who was named Player of the Match. "Just so stoked to be a part of this team... lucky we've got some world-class players that we're able to rely on in those crunch moments." The Chiefs, who were looking for a first title since 2013, scored first-half tries through George Dyer and Shaun Stevenson but were unable to register a point after the break and fell to defeat in the final for the third straight year. "I think it was a classic final, two good teams going at it, small margins," said Chiefs skipper Luke Jacobson. "I felt like we had some really good attack when we got into their half. We put some good pressure on them but we just didn't play enough footy down there." The contest between two New Zealand heavyweights was predicted to be an arm-wrestle and so it proved with big collisions, a ferocious battle at the breakdown and accurate tactical kicking. Crusaders skipper David Havili was sent to the sin bin in the 11th minute for a high tackle on Emoni Narawa and the Chiefs cashed in when prop Dyer crashed over for a converted try. The lead lasted until the 26th minute when All Black Taylor broke off maul on the 22 and raced down the touchline to open the scoring for the Crusaders. Home flyhalf Reihana converted and kicked two penalties in six minutes around the half-hour mark to delight the sell-out crowd and open up a 13-7 lead. The Chiefs hit back just before the break when fullback Stevenson went over for a try in the corner but Damian McKenzie failed to nail the conversion from wide out and the Crusaders retained a 13-12 lead at half-time. The physicality was unrelenting in the second half with McKenzie coming in for particular attention from the Crusaders and the slight flyhalf missed a long-range penalty which would have put the Chiefs ahead in the 55th minute. The Chiefs then held up Christian Lio-Willie over the line to repel the Crusaders after 25 phases of attack to keep the match a one-point affair. McKenzie was caught in possession and stripped of the ball under the posts in the 66th minute but the Crusaders again came away without points as scrum-half Noah Hotham was penalised for offside. A dominant scrum earned the Crusaders a penalty seven minutes from time and Reihana slotted home the kick to score the first points of the second half and give his team enough of a cushion to extend their perfect home playoff record to 32 matches. The Crusaders have now won 13 full editions of Super Rugby, including three in the last four years, as well as two New Zealand-only versions played in 2020 and 2021 during the Covid-19 pandemic. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
The 42
21-06-2025
- Sport
- The 42
Crusaders out-muscle Chiefs to clinch 15th Super Rugby crown
Crusaders 16-12 Chiefs THE CLINICAL CANTERBURY Crusaders turned to forward power to beat the Waikato Chiefs 16-12 in a tense Super Rugby final on Saturday and clinch a record 15th title. The home side were out-scored two tries to one in Christchurch but 11 points from the boot of fly-half Rivez Reihana proved decisive in a brutal contest dominated by defence. The Crusaders played no-frills rugby to extend their perfect record to 32 wins in home play-off matches since the competition began in 1996. The Chiefs finished runners-up for a third successive season, matching the unwanted record of South Africa's Lions from 2016-18. The result was a remarkable turnaround for Crusaders coach Rob Penney after his side failed to reach the play-offs last year. Advertisement He steered his side to victory in 10 of their last 11 games of the season. Their 15 titles is 11 more than any other team, although two of them were won during the Covid-19 pandemic, when regional competitions were contested. Ahead 13-12 at the interval, Reihana's third penalty was the only score in a second half largely dominated by the Crusaders. They kept the game tight, relying on their trademark forward power that included a muscular scrum. It was enough to suffocate a Chiefs side laden with match-winners who had beaten the Crusaders in their two previous matches this season. The Chiefs struck first through a try to prop George Dyer after the Crusaders were reduced to 14 men with captain David Havili shown a yellow card for a high tackle. The home side levelled when Havili returned through a clever try to hooker Codie Taylor, who burst 20 metres down the blindside of a maul to score in the left corner. Reihana landed the sideline conversion and kicked two penalties in quick succession to put the Crusaders six points clear. The Chiefs closed to within one before the interval when fullback Shaun Stevenson crossed out wide off a long pass from lock Tupou Vaa'i. Errors crept into the Chiefs game as the pressure mounted and they spent much of the second half defending in their own territory. The match was the last in charge for coach Clayton McMillan, who was unable to end a Chiefs trophy drought dating back to 2013. McMillan takes over as head coach of Munster later this year. – © AFP 2025
The South African
21-06-2025
- Sport
- The South African
Crusaders clinch record-extending 15th Super Rugby title
The Crusaders turned to forward power to beat the Chiefs 16-12 in a tense Super Rugby final on Saturday and clinch a record 15th title. The home side were out-scored two tries to one in Christchurch, but 11 points from the boot of flyhalf Rivez Reihana proved decisive in a brutal contest dominated by defence. The Crusaders played no-frills rugby to extend their perfect record to 32 wins in home playoff matches since the competition began in 1996. The Chiefs finished runners-up for a third successive season, matching the unwanted record of South Africa's Lions from 2016-18. The result was a remarkable turnaround for Crusaders coach Rob Penney after his side failed to reach the playoffs last year. Crusaders fullback Will Jordan said the title was the most memorable of the eight he has won and that his team had been motivated to turn around a forgettable 2024 campaign. 'Where we were end of last year, we had a mountain to climb,' Jordan told Sky TV. 'Everyone had to dig deep. It hasn't been easy. It's taken some long hours and some hard conversations. But what a feeling. 'I feel for the Chiefs because they've come so close and they threw everything at us. We just found a way to come home in the tight moments,' he said. The Crusaders have won 11 more titles than any other team, although two of them came during the Covid-19 pandemic when regional competitions were contested. Ahead 13-12 at the interval, Reihana's third penalty was the only score in a second half largely dominated by the Crusaders. They kept the game tight, relying on their trademark forward power that included a muscular scrum. It was enough to suffocate a Chiefs side laden with match-winners who had beaten the Crusaders in their two previous matches this season. The Chiefs struck first through a try to prop George Dyer after the Crusaders were reduced to 14 men with captain David Havili shown a yellow card for a high tackle. The home side levelled when Havili returned through a clever try to hooker Codie Taylor, who burst 20 metres down the blindside of a maul to score in the left corner. Reihana landed the sideline conversion and kicked two penalties in quick succession to put the Crusaders six points clear. The Chiefs closed to within one before the interval when fullback Shaun Stevenson crossed out wide off a long pass from lock Tupou Vaa'i. Errors crept into the Chiefs game as the pressure mounted and they spent much of the second half defending in their own territory. The match was the last in charge for coach Clayton McMillan, who was unable to end a Chiefs trophy drought dating back to 2013. 'We make no excuses, the Crusaders were the better team, they squeezed us in all the right areas,' McMillan said. 'Even though we were right in it until the end, it was a step too far. We'll get the job done one day.' McMillan takes over as head coach at Irish club Munster later this year. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news. By Garrin Lambley © Agence France-Presse
21-06-2025
- Sport
Lucky 13: The Crusaders beat the Chiefs 16-12 to win the Super Rugby title for the 13th time
CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand -- The Crusaders won the Super Rugby title for the 13th time by edging the Chiefs 16-12 on Saturday for their 32nd straight win in home playoffs. The Hamilton-based Chiefs lost in the final for the third straight year and for the second time to the Crusaders by a margin of five points or less. The Crusaders clung to a one-point lead for 33 minutes, from just before halftime until the 71st minute when flyhalf Rivez Reihana kicked a penalty for the only points of the second half. They then held on under immense pressure to clinch their victory. The win was especially poignant for the Crusaders, who won only four matches last year in one of their worst-ever seasons, ending their run of seven-straight titles. They were also playing for the last time in the 'temporary' stadium that has been their home ground since their former headquarters was destroyed in the 2011 Christchurch earthquake. The Crusaders' kicking game was superb and they dominated the contest in the air, particularly through fullback Will Jordan. They kept Chiefs' flyhalf Damian McKenzie under wraps and their defense was superb, though the Chiefs scored first-half tries through prop George Dyer and fullback Shaun Stevenson. The Crusaders scored a try through veteran hooker Codie Taylor and led 13-12 at halftime with a conversion and two penalties to Reihana. 'Where we were at the end of last year, the start of this year we had a mountain to climb,' said Jordan, who won his seventh Super Rugby title. "Everyone had to dig deep and it hasn't been easy. 'It's taken some long hours, some hard conversations but we just ground it out tonight in front of our fans.' The Chiefs were stifled for long periods by the Crusaders' smothering defense. While they disrupted the Crusaders' lineout, they were under pressure at scrums and they weren't able to create the space their backs needed in the second half. 'It was a classic final, two great teams going at it and a small margin,' Chiefs captain Luke Jacobson said. "The Crusaders did really well to win the halfway and play at the right end of the field. 'I felt we had some good attack when we got into their half, we put some good pressure on them but we just didn't play enough footy down there.' The Crusaders started the match applying pressure on the Chiefs inside their 22. When the Chiefs finally got possession, they had 24 phases inside the Crusaders' 22 before McKenzie knocked on. The Crusaders conceded two early scrum penalties, then the Chiefs conceded two as the set piece began untidily. Crusaders captain David Havili was shown a yellow card in the 12th minute after a head clash with Chiefs winger Emoni Narawa. From the resulting penalty, the Chiefs kicked into the corner, won the lineout and midfielder Quinn Tupaea had two strong carries before Dyer scored under the posts. Taylor broke away from a disintegrating maul in the 26th minute and dashed more than 20 meters down the narrow left flank to score. Reihana's conversion leveled the score at 7-7 and the Crusaders led for the first time in the 28th minute when a Reihana penalty. Another penalty made the score 13-7. The Chiefs hit back just before halftime with a try to Stevenson who scored in the right corner after 16 phases.
