The Super Rugby Pacific 2025 semi-finals are officially locked in, with the Crusaders and Chiefs earning the right to host games at their home grounds.

The Chiefs get hosting rights despite losing to the Blues 19-20 at home on Saturday night. In other quarterfinal results on the weekend, the Crusaders defeated the Reds 32-12 in Christchurch, while the Brumbies beat the Hurricanes 35-28 in Canberra.

In this playoff format, the three teams that won their preliminary matches - the Crusaders, Blues, and Brumbies - will be joined in the semifinals by the highest-seeded losing team, the Chiefs.

Despite being the top team during the regular season, the Chiefs will enter the semi-finals as the second seed due to their status as the ‘lucky loser’.

The semi-final match-ups include the top team against the fourth, and the second-seeded team taking on the third. The Crusaders (1) will play the Blues (4) in Christchurch on Friday, 13 June, while the Chiefs (2) face the Brumbies (3) in Hamilton on Saturday night.

The winners of these games will advance to the Grand Final, scheduled for Saturday, 21 June, where the higher-seeded team will host.

Blues pull off stunning win

In an unexpected turn of events, the defending champions, the Blues, shocked the table-toppers Chiefs with a last-minute 20-19 victory in Hamilton, turning the competition on its head. The thrilling finish kept the Blues’ championship hopes alive.

Both teams exchanged penalties early, as Damian McKenzie and Beauden Barrett traded points. McKenzie opened the scoring after two minutes, before Barrett added his own two minutes later.

But it was a dramatic try by Blues’ lock Josh Beehre in the final moments that sealed the win for the visitors. The Blues’ win turned the Brumbies-Hurricanes match into an elimination final.

Throughout the game, both sides played tough defence, with the Chiefs initially leading and being dealt with HIAs to their front-rowers. They controlled territory in the first half and found themselves up a man after Blues’ hooker Ricky Riccitelli was yellow-carded for foul play.

McKenzie's boot was the hosts’ only source of points as they took a 9-3 lead into the break. But key moments and missed opportunities, including a penalty that could have sealed the game for the Chiefs, kept the Blues hopeful until the end.

Barrett nearly scored a wonder try before the break and eventually reduced the margin before centre Daniel Rona delivered the night's first try after 58 minutes. Rona stepped and powered his way over for a crucial try to give the Chiefs a big lead.

Caleb Clarke nearly scored right away but dropped the ball over the line. Kurt Eklund had no troubles, however, with the hooker finding a little gap to get the ball to the line.

With the margin under a converted, McKenzie had a chance to ice the game but missed a penalty from close to halfway. It gave the Blues hope as they looked like they had stolen victory when Hoskins Sotutu dived over. The TMO brought the try back for a double movement but couldn’t deny Beehre minutes later for a stunning win.

Blues 20 (Tries: Eklund, Beehre; Cons: Barrett 2; Cons: Barrett 2). Chiefs 19 (Tries: Rona; Cons: McKenzie; McKenzie 4).

Rieko Ioane on the attack for the Blues in their Super Rugby Pacific Qualifying Final against the Chiefs at FMG Stadium Waikato, Hamilton, on Saturday 7 June 2025. Photo/Jeremy Ward/Photosport

Brumbies looking to shine

In the last game of the weekend, the ACT Brumbies secured their spot in the semi-finals with a hard-fought 35-28 victory over the Hurricanes in Canberra.

The Brumbies’ fans were thrilled as their team showcased a strong performance, especially from hooker Billy Pollard, who scored two tries in their five-tries-to-four victory over the Wellingtonians.

The Brumbies are determined to change their fortune and beat the Chiefs in Hamilton next weekend to avoid a fourth straight semi-final exit against a New Zealand team. No Australian team has won a knockout game in Aotearoa in the competition's 30-year history.

But the Brumbies were dominant against the Hurricanes. Their strategy of using rolling mauls and pick-and-drives proved effective.

The visitors scored first through fullback Ruben Love, but the Brumbies bounced back quickly with tries from Pollard, who scored from a maul out of a lineout in the Hurricanes’ territory.

Fatafehi Fineanganofo hit back for the visitors before Brumbies’ captain Allan Alaalatoa burrowed over after a succession of pick-and-drives on the Hurricanes' line. With three minutes left in the first half, the Brumbies opted not to take a penalty goal from right in front, instead chancing their arms again with another lineout.

Their gamble paid off, and Pollard managed to break off the blindside and dive onto the tryline to give the Brumbies a seven-point lead at the break. The sides traded seven-pointers in the second half, with a try to Brumbies’ fullback Tom Wright cancelled out by one from Bailyn Sullivan.

Veteran Brumbies’ prop James Slipper scored with another pick-and-drive before Hurricanes substitute Pasilio Tosi narrowed the gap to one try to ramp up the tension in the dying minutes.

The Hurricanes burst into the Brumbies' half through a Callum Harkin linebreak in the final minute, but Luke Reimer stepped up for the home side to steal the pill and seal the victory.

Earlier, the Blues' last-gasp win over the Chiefs heaped the pressure on the third-placed Brumbies, who knew a loss would consign them to bowing out before the semi-finals for the first time since 2018.

In the end, the Australians held their ground to claim the win over the fourth-placed Hurricanes and end the Kiwis’ 2025 campaign.

Brumbies 35 (Tries: Pollard 2, Wright, Alaalatoa, Slipper; Cons: Lolesio 5). Hurricanes 28 (Tries: Love, Fineanganofo, Sullivan, Tosi; Cons: Love 4).

Christian Lio-Willie, of the Crusaders, is tackled by Lachie Anderson, of the Reds, during their Super Rugby Pacific Qualifying Final at Apollo Projects Stadium, Christchurch, on 6 June 2025. Photo/John Davidson/Photosport

Crusaders crush Reds' dream

In the opening match of the Super Rugby Pacific play-offs, the mighty Crusaders delivered a decisive blow to the Reds, bringing the Queenslanders’ season to an end.

With a score of 32-12, the Crusaders secured the victory and extended their unbeaten streak at home playoff games to an impressive 30 wins.

The Reds faced a tough challenge. To make the semi-finals, they needed to become the first Australian team in 30 years to win a playoff in New Zealand. But the odds were already stacked against them even before the kick-off at Apollo Projects Stadium. The Reds had won only once in their last 14 encounters against the 12-time Super Rugby champions, who had a strong track record of winning finals, boasting 16 consecutive playoff victories since 2016.

From the start, the Reds struggled. Despite being the only Australian team to have previously won in New Zealand, their performance fell short, with the visitors giving away five penalties early in the match.

The Crusaders capitalised on this, scoring two tries in the first half - to prop Tamaiti Williams before he hobbled off injured and his All Blacks’ captain Scott Barrett - to take a 12-0 lead at the break.

The Reds had a chance to narrow the gap but squandered an opportunity when Reds’ player James O'Connor blundered a kick for touch as the Crusaders threatened to post a third try in the shadows of halftime. But O'Connor's unforced error mattered little to the Crusaders, who resisted an early second-half challenge to put the Reds to the sword.

The Crusaders asserted their dominance, scoring from halfback Noah Hotham in the 55th minute. That didn't end the contest, as a penalty goal to Rivez Reihana most certainly put the Reds out of reach, trailing 27-0 and running out of time.

The Reds’ defeat means that the Brumbies will now carry the hopes of Australia in the semi-finals.

Crusaders 32 (Tries: Barrett, Williams, Reihana, Hotham, Preston; Cons: Reihana 2; Pens: Reihana). Reds 12 (Tries: Nasser, McReight; Cons: Daugunu).