The Chiefs beat ACT Brumbies and will face the Crusaders in the Super Rugby final
HAMILTON, New Zealand (AP) — The Hamilton-based Chiefs will travel to Christchurch to play the Crusaders in next weekend's Super Rugby final after beating the ACT Brumbies 37-17 on Saturday to reach the title match for the third-straight year.
Winger Emoni Narawa scored two tries for the Chiefs and Corey Toole scored a double for the Brumbies as each side scored three tries.
Chiefs flyhalf Damian McKenzie separated the teams, kicking six penalties and two conversions for 22 points to surpass 200 points for the season.
Fullback Josh Jacomb scored the Chiefs' third try in the 64th minute to establish a 20-point margin and McKenzie's try-saving tackle on Tom Wright two minutes later snuffed out a potential Brumbies rally.
'The Brumbies came out of the blocks fast as we knew they would and I just love the way we were really composed and stuck to our game,' McKenzie said. 'We put the ball in front of our forwards and our set piece was great tonight.'
The Brumbies were Australia's last hope in the playoffs as they attempted to win the Super Rugby title for the first time since 2004. Their defeat means Australian teams are now 0-21 in Super Rugby matches in New Zealand.
The Brumbies suffered a major blow when Wallabies flyhalf Noah Lolesio failed a head injury assessment in the 11th minute. The kicking game was integral to the Brumbies' plan and while they used it to keep pressure on the Chiefs and to gain field position, Lolesio's early departure was a turning point.
The Brumbies had the Chiefs under defensive pressure for long periods in both halves but while hooker Billy Pollard opened the scoring with a try from a lineout drive in the 15th minute the Chiefs were later able to neutralize that threat.
Pollard's early try followed his double in the Brumbies' quarterfinal win over the Wellington-based Hurricanes. He finishes with 11 tries for the season as does Toole, who scored his tries on either side of halftime.
Narawa scored his first try in the 20th minute, picking the ball up from the base of an attacking ruck and scything through the Brumbies' defense.
Toole scored off a precise cross-kick from replacement flyhalf Jack Debreczeni, who previously played for the Chiefs. But penalties to McKenzie gave the Chiefs a 19-12 lead at halftime.
Toole scored three minutes after the restart after a lone dash down the left-wing touch. The Brumbies were right in the match at that point, trailing 19-17.
But Narawa scored his second four minutes later to begin a run of 18 unanswered points by the Chiefs.
The Chiefs will now attempt to go one step further after losing in the final to the Crusaders and the Blues in each of the last two years. They will attempt in Christchurch next Saturday to win their third Super Rugby title and first since 2013 which the Crusaders are seeking their 13th championship.
___
AP rugby: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Winnipeg Free Press
2 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Missouri governor signs stadium aid package intended to keep the Chiefs and Royals in the state
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Gov. Mike Kehoe signed a legislative package on Saturday, approved by Missouri lawmakers earlier in the week, that includes hundreds of millions of dollars of financial aid intended to persuade the Chiefs and Royals to remain in the state. Kehoe, a Republican, had called lawmakers into special session and they approved of the package Wednesday. The Chiefs and Royals currently play at the Truman Sports Complex on the east side of Kansas City, where Arrowhead Stadium and Kauffman Stadium share parking facilities. But their leases with Jackson County, Missouri, expire in January 2031, and the two franchises have been trying to decide the best route forward for the past several years. Last year, Jackson County voters defeated a sales tax extension that would have helped finance an $800 million renovation of Arrowhead Stadium — the home of the Chiefs — and a $2 billion ballpark district for the Royals in downtown Kansas City. The slow movement by those on the Missouri side of the state line in supporting the franchises prompted lawmakers in Kansas to authorize bonds for up to 70% of the cost of new stadiums in their state. The Royals have bought a mortgage for property in Kansas, though the team also has continued to pursue other possible sites in Missouri. The offer from Kansas is scheduled to expire June 30, and both teams have indicated they will hope to have a plan formulated by then. Missouri's legislation authorizes bonds covering up to 50% of the cost of new or renovated stadiums, plus up to $50 million of tax credits for each stadium and unspecified aid from local governments. If they choose to stay in Missouri, the Chiefs have floated plans for a $1.15 billion renovation of Arrowhead Stadium. The Royals have insisted all along that they intend to build a replacement for Kauffman Stadium. The stadium subsidies already were a top concern in Missouri when a deadly tornado struck St. Louis on May 16, causing an estimated $1.6 billion of damage a day after lawmakers had wrapped up work in their annual regular session. Disaster relief tied to stadium funding had widespread support. On Wednesday, Democratic state Rep. Kimberly-Ann Collins described to lawmakers how she had witnessed the tornado rip the roof off her house and damage her St. Louis neighborhood. 'Homes are crumbled and leveled,' said Collins, adding: 'It hurts me to my core to see the families that have worked so hard, the businesses that have worked so hard, to see them ripped apart.' The Chiefs, in a statement to The Associated Press, described the legislative vote this week as a 'significant step forward' that enables the team to continue exploring options to remain in Missouri. The Royals described the legislation as 'a very important piece of our decision-making process' but made no site-specific commitment. 'Our focus remains the same: to prioritize the best interests of our team, fans, partners and regional community as we pursue the next generational home for the Kansas City Royals,' the team said in a statement to the AP. Though they have no specific plans in the works, the St. Louis Cardinals also would be eligible for stadium aid if they undertake a project of at least $500 million. They built their existing Busch Stadium nearly 20 years ago. 'We have the chance to maybe save what is the symbol of this state,' said state Rep. Jim Murphy, a Republican from St. Louis County. The legislation did face some bipartisan pushback from those who described it as a subsidy for wealthy franchise owners. Others raised concerns that a property tax break for homeowners, which was added in the Senate to gain votes, violates the state constitution by providing different levels of tax relief in various counties while excluding others entirely. 'This bill is unconstitutional, it's fiscally reckless, it's morally wrong,' Republican state Rep. Bryant Wolfin said. ___ Associated Press writer David Lieb contributed to this report. ___ AP sports:
Winnipeg Free Press
3 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
At LIV and loving it, Leishman returns to the majors and gets in the mix at the US Open
OAKMONT, Pa. (AP) — Marc Leishman's bunker shot splashed out of the sand, took four quick bounces and rolled straight into the hole for birdie on the long, par-3 eighth hole at Oakmont. Suddenly, a name that was once no stranger to leaderboards at majors was up there once again. Not bad for a player who had every reason to wonder if he'd ever get another chance to play in one, let alone contend. The 41-year-old Australian, whose departure to LIV Golf three years ago generated few headlines but changed his life completely, shot 2-under 68 at the U.S. Open on Saturday. He made five birdies over his first 12 holes to briefly get on the leaderboard before leaving the course six shots off the lead. 'I've been playing some of the best golf of my career this year,' said Leishman, who is coming off his first LIV win, at Doral in April, then earned one of four spots at a U..S. Open qualifier in Maryland this month. 'The schedule sort of lends itself to be able to work on your game between tournaments, and I was really able to prepare for this tournament.' This is Leishman's first major since the 2022 British Open. He is already exempt for this year's British based on a third-place finish at the Australian Open in December. His move to LIV, where tournaments do not qualify for points in the world ranking that help decide large chunks of the field in major events, left the six-time winner on the PGA Tour in limbo when it came to ever playing in golf's biggest events again. 'You wonder, of course, if you're ever going to get in,' Leishman said. 'But there was certainly no regret. My life is as good as I've ever been right now.' The $24.8 million Leishman has won since heading to LIV, to say nothing of the reduced schedule and the 54-hole tournaments, help explain that. What went missing were the all-but-automatic spots in golf's biggest tournaments that go to the PGA Tour's top performers. Leishman played in 39 of 41 majors between 2012-22. For a time, he had a knack for getting in the mix. His three top-10s at the British Open in the 2010s included a three-way tie for the lead iafter 72 holes in 2015, before losing in a playoff eventually captured by Zach Johnson. The Aussie played in the second-to-last group on Sunday at the 2013 Masters (with fellow Aussie and eventual winner Adam Scott). 'I like tough courses,' Leishman said. 'I like courses that separate the field, when it really punishes bad shots and rewards good shots.' He had his share of both Saturday. Good: the bunker shot on 8, and a 300-yard fairway wood on the par-5 12th that set up birdie and got him to 2-over par. Bad: Three straight bogeys on 14-16, though he came back with a birdie on the drivable par-4 17th and par on No. 18. Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. Leishman left the course tied for 15th, six shots out of first, with the leaders still early in their rounds Saturday. He's well aware that a top-four finish here would add the Masters to his 2026 schedule. Either way, he is at peace with the choices he made, and where that left him — which in this case is with a late starting time in the final round of a major again. 'I really enjoyed sitting down with my kids and my mates watching the Masters and the PGA,' Leishman said of the year's first two majors. 'I'd be more happy if people were sitting down watching me.' ___ AP golf:
Winnipeg Free Press
4 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Alex Bowman battles severe back pain to race in Mexico City after Michigan crash
MEXICO CITY (AP) — Alex Bowman wasn't sure he was going to make the trip to Mexico City because of lower back pain suffered in 'the hardest hit of my career' at Michigan last week. As late as Wednesday — the day before he was scheduled to leave for NASCAR's first points-paying Cup Series race of the modern era outside the United States — the Hendrick Motorsports driver was so sore he didn't know if he'd be able to get in the car. He was still sore after two days of practice at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, but it was after he got out of his No. 48 Chevrolet and not while he was driving. Bowman said his hit registered 50 G-force. 'I don't know if on paper that's the biggest (hit) I've ever taken, but it's the most painful one I've ever taken, for sure,' Bowman said Saturday. 'Even compared to when I broke my back, it's way more pain than that was.' Bowman last Sunday slammed hard into the wall at Michigan in a head-on impact at approximately 150 mph. The hit was so fierce that it lifted the rear wheels in the air. Although nothing was broken, he has severe lower back pain on his right side that shoots into his leg. The 32-year-old kidded he's been a bit of a 'crash dummy' of late: Bowman missed five races in 2022 with a concussion suffered at Texas, and he broke his back in a 2023 sprint car crash that led Rick Hendrick to ban him from further extracurricular racing. Although he's ranked 13th in the Cup Series standings, he didn't want to miss a race considering the recent slump Bowman is going through. He has finished 27th or worse in seven of the last nine races and has five finishes of 35th or worse. Even though Bowman made it to Mexico City and says he feels fit enough inside the car, Anthony Alfredo is on standby in case Bowman can't complete Sunday's race on the 15-turn, 2.42-mile layout. Alfredo, a full-time driver in the Xfinity Series, does simulator work for Hendrick Motorsports. He has 42 starts in the Cup Series, including one start earlier this year at Talladega Superspeedway. Bowman, who qualified 29th, hopes to be able to complete the race. 'The goal is to get all the laps in and go from there,' Bowman said. 'It hasn't been a fun week at all. Wednesday was probably the worst day, but we're here and ready to go. It's all in the right side of my lower back and then through my lower right leg. Everything is really tight. It's all muscular. Definitely a lot of pain.' Shane in the rain Shane Van Gisbergen won the pole for Sunday's race in Mexico City in a rain-shortened qualifying session. The New Zealander got in three qualifying laps and took the top spot with a lap of 93.904 mph to put his No. 88 Chevrolet from Trackhouse Racing out front. Van Gisbergen proved to be a master of racing on a wet road course in his NASCAR debut when he won on the rain-drenched street course in Chicago in 2023. That victory led to a career change for Van Gisbergen, who was an Australian V8 Supercars champion but made the move to NASCAR after shocking the Cup Series with his Chicago win. With rain expected Sunday in Mexico City, many believe Van Gisbergen is the favorite to pick up his second career Cup victory. He didn't want to claim that title, even though BetMGM Sportsbook has him listed as the +225 favorite. 'I don't know, that's your guys' jobs, but I do know that we will be competitive if we get everything right,' he said. 'It's so hard to know what the car's going to be like — it's a different track, how it's going to be affected by the altitude and the surface. We should be up front. These are the types of tracks I'm good at, so we'll see.' But, he added he actually despises racing in the rain despite his superior skills at maneuvering slick surfaces. 'I absolutely hate racing in the rain, but I'm good at it,' he said. 'I'd rather it didn't rain, but if it happens, we put the wets on and go. I just don't enjoy it. It's just never fun. You're always sliding around, and it just turns stuff into chaos. It's fun to watch, but I don't really enjoy driving.' Ryan Preece in a Ford for RFK Racing qualified second and was followed by Ross Chastain, Van Gisbergen's teammate at Trackhouse. Ty Gibbs in fourth was the highest qualifying Toyota driver. Suarez homecoming spoiled Daniel Suarez has been feted as a hero since arriving home in Mexico for this weekend's race, but the joy was spoiled when he demolished his car during qualifying for the Xfinity Series race. The Saturday crash caused JR Motorsports to unload a backup for Suarez to race later in the day. The native of Monterrey is doing double duty this weekend, racing in both the Xfinity Series race and the Cup Series race for Trackhouse. He qualified 10th for the Cup race. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. But because of his crash, he had to start at the back of the Xfinity field. Suarez said his Chevrolet had some brake issues in practice that led to a debate over skipping qualifying. He ultimately went out on the track but his brakes failed in Turn 11 and the car did not stop or turn. Instead, it slid across the track and slammed nose-first into the barrier. The crash buried the No. 9 into the firewall, and Suarez climbed out of his mangled car unscathed. ___ AP auto racing:
