The 2023 Super Rugby Pacific final was a rugby union match contested between the Chiefs and the Crusaders at Waikato Stadium on 24 June 2023. It was the 28th Super Rugby final, staged to determine the premiers of the 2023 season. The match, attended by 25,000 spectators, was won by the Crusaders by a margin of five points, marking the franchise's twelfth Super Rugby title. Sam Whitelock was named "Man of the Match" in his 181st and final match for the Crusaders.
Background The Chiefs and the Crusaders finished first and second, respectively. It was the teams' first encounter in a Super Rugby final.
Both finalists had won a Super Rugby title, with the Crusaders being the two-time, back-to-back defending champions and holding the most title victories in the Super Rugby (11), with the Chiefs' last Super Rugby title being in 2013. The head-to-head results overall in the Super Rugby before their encounter was 27–19, with the Crusaders holding an eight victory lead. Six of their last ten matches went the way of the Crusaders, and, in 2023, the Chiefs won both fixtures against the Crusaders. The odds for the final were equal, with both teams not being considered favourite.
The match was a tactical struggle between the Chiefs' backline and the Crusaders' set-piece efficiency. Despite the Chiefs scoring two clinical tries through Shaun Stevenson and Emoni Narawa, the Crusaders remained within reach through the goal-kicking of Richie Mo'unga. The turning point occurred in the final ten minutes when, with Sam Cane in the sin bin, the Crusaders opted for a lineout drive that resulted in Codie Taylor's second try of the night, sealing the 25–20 victory.
Road to the final
+ Final ladder placings (showing top eight)Team Season 1 Chiefs14130159 2 Crusaders14100448 3 Blues14100446 4 ACT Brumbies14100446 5 Hurricanes1490541 6 Waratahs1460831 7 Fijian Drua1460826 8 Reds1450924
Bracket
Final
FB 15 Shaun Stevenson RW 14 Emoni Narawa OC 13 Alex Nankivell IC 12 Anton Lienert-Brown LW 11 Etene Nanai-Seturo FH 10 Damian McKenzie SH 9 Brad Weber (cc) N8 8 Luke Jacobson OF 7 Sam Cane (cc) BF 6 Pita Gus Sowakula LL 5 Tupou Vaa'i RL 4 Brodie Retallick TP 3 George Dyer HK 2 Samisoni Taukei'aho LP 1 Aidan Ross Substitutes:HK 16 Tyrone Thompson PR 17 Ollie Norris PR 18 John Ryan LK 19 Naitoa Ah Kuoi FL 20 Samipeni Finau WG 21 Cortez Ratima SH 22 Josh Ioane CE 23 Rameka Poihipi Coach: Clayton McMillan FB 15 Will Jordan RW 14 Dallas McLeod CE 13 Braydon Ennor SF 12 Jack Goodhue LW 11 Leicester Fainga'anuku FH 10 Richie Mo'unga SH 9 Mitchell Drummond N8 8 Christian Lio-Willie OF 7 Tom Christie BF 6 Sione Havili Talitui LL 5 Sam Whitelock RL 4 Scott Barrett (c) TP 3 Oli Jager HK 2 Codie Taylor LP 1 Tamaiti Williams Substitutes:HK 16 George Bell PR 17 Kershawl Sykes-Martin PR 18 Reuben O'Neill LK 19 Quinten Strange FL 20 Dominic Gardiner SH 21 Willi Heinz WG 22 Fergus Burke WG 23 Chay Fihaki Coach: Scott Robertson Man of the Match: Sam Whitelock (Crusaders)
Assistant Referees: Nic Berry (Australia) Angus Gardner (Australia) Television match official: Brendon Pickerill (New Zealand)
Notes
References