Let’s get straight to it – round 13 of Super Rugby Pacific 2025 was the round that told us EVERYTHING we need to know. Three truths that are undeniable, irrefutable, and crystal clear.
1. The Chiefs are the team to beat. Champions in waiting. Full stop.
Hamilton, start building the parade route because this mob looks like the real deal. You don’t go to Christchurch, fall behind 19-3 against a Crusaders side full of All Blacks, and then ram 32 unanswered points down their throats unless you are on a different level entirely.
The second half was the best 40 minutes of Super Rugby played by anyone all season. It was ruthless, uncompromising. Just look at Wallace Sititi’s try – the epitome of smash, bash, crash. The Crusaders pack was manhandled. It was like the Chiefs were shouting “we own you!” and the Crusaders had no reply.
This wasn’t just a comeback – it was a coronation. The Chiefs are now poised to finish top of the table, which means home advantage through the finals. And after watching that demolition job, is there anyone out there who seriously thinks they’ll be stopped?
And yes, I hear you Hurricanes fans – you guys did it to the Chiefs last week. But there's a difference between an upset and a response. The Chiefs just responded like title contenders. This is a war-ready team.
2. The Blues are back… but not all the way.
Friday night in Fiji was the best the Blues have looked in 2025. Dominated the Drua in Suva, which isn’t easy in that heat and humidity, and with the noise of the crowd and drums. It’s a cauldron. But the Blues turned up and bossed it. Controlled the tempo, executed their sets, and walked away with points and confidence.
They’re fifth now, with two rounds left. Moana Pasifika away (a team they’ve already beaten with ease) and the Waratahs at home are their final two fixtures, and winning those would surely lock in a finals berth. That’s a hell of a result considering the season the Blues have had to this point.
But let’s not get carried away. They’re not going back-to-back. They’re not top-two material. They’re not in the same breath as the Chiefs right now. But they ARE a finals team, and once you're there, anything can happen. It’s good news for Auckland, but keep the lid on for now.
3. Waratahs? Cooked. Finished. Pull the plug.
I've been on this all year. The Tahs are the biggest frauds in the comp.
They started 4-1 and everyone got excited, but peel back the layers, and it’s a scam. Two of those wins were last-minute flukes against the Highlanders and Drua. Since then? Rubbish. Five losses from six, including an embarrassing 45-point thumping by the Hurricanes and a limp effort against Moana Pasifika.
Yes, they beat the Chiefs, but that was a glitch in the Matrix. Even a broken clock is right twice a day.
Right now, they’ve got a brutal run home – Crusaders at home, Western Force in Perth, and the Blues at Eden Park… that’s 0-3. They're 5-6 now, so that’ll be 5-9 come season’s end, and with one of the worst points differentials in the comp, don’t expect miracles from the calculator either.
They are second-bottom for a reason. They play like they’ve already packed the esky and fired up the barbie. This team needs a full rebuild – again.
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