Chiefs dominate Highlanders 46–10 to reclaim top spot

Chiefs 46-10 Highlanders

The Chiefs reasserted their dominance in Super Rugby Pacific with a crushing 46–10 win over the Highlanders in Hamilton.

After edging a tight first half, the Chiefs exploded in the second, scoring five unanswered tries and leaving the visitors scoreless after the break. The victory lifts the Chiefs back to the top of the ladder and firmly re-establishes them as title frontrunners.

The match began with early pressure from the Chiefs, rewarded in the 5th minute when Damian McKenzie slotted a penalty to open the scoring at 3–0.

In the 12th minute, the Chiefs extended their lead to 10–0 after Leroy Carter made a blistering 60-meter break before offloading to Emoni Narawa, who finished under the posts. McKenzie converted.

The Highlanders answered in the 22nd minute when Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens broke the line and set up Sosefo Kautai for a try. Cameron Millar added the conversion to level it at 10–10.

Just before the break, in the 38th minute, McKenzie slotted his second penalty to give the Chiefs a slender 13–10 halftime lead.

The second half began with instant impact. In the 42nd minute, Quinn Tupaea rolled through a grubber kick that bounced kindly for Leroy Carter, who dotted down to make it 18–10.

By the 50th minute, the lead stretched further as Kaylum Boshier powered over from a rolling maul. McKenzie’s conversion made it 25–10.

In the 57th, Samipeni Finau climbed above the defense to grab a McKenzie cross-field kick and finished with style. The conversion pushed the score to 32–10.

Just five minutes later in the 62nd, Boshier crossed again, this time off a slick offload from Brodie McAlister. McKenzie added the extras: 39–10.

The final nail came in the 70th minute, when hooker Samisoni Taukei’aho crashed over from a maul. McKenzie stayed perfect with the boot: 46–10.