Chiefs shock the Hurricanes 30-19, will face the Blues in an all-New Zealand Super Rugby final

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) - The Hamilton-based Chiefs have reached the final of Super Rugby Pacific for the second consecutive year, beating the top-ranked Hurricanes 30-19 in the second semifinal Saturday.

They will play the Auckland-based Blues, who will host the final after beating the ACT Brumbies 34-20 on Friday. The Chiefs hosted the 2023 final in which they lost 25-20 to the Canterbury-based Crusaders.

Backrower Wallace Sititi had a breakout game for the Chiefs, claiming the intercept that led to a 62nd-minute try to Daniel Rona which helped seal the game for the Chiefs. Flyhalf Damian McKenzie kicked six goals from six attempts.

"I think we had a really good plan over the week and we just came out here and trusted it and were accurate," Chiefs captain Luke Jacobson said.

"I don't know if you've been watching all year but (Sititi) has been going pretty good and he took it to another level."

The Wellington-based Hurricanes had made the pace for most of the regular season and went into the playoffs as top seed. But they made a dawdling start Saturday and that shaped the Chiefs' win as they scored two tries in the first six minutes.

The Hurricanes took 21 minutes to score their first try on Saturday and by that stage the Chiefs had scored tries through Samipeni Finau and Cortez Ratima and led 17-0.

At the same time, the Hurricanes departed from their usual game plan, played an uncharacteristic and inaccurate kicking game and that also helped the Chiefs, as the did the Hurricanes' early indiscipline. The Chiefs defended flat and fast and that forced handling errors from the Hurricanes.

The Hurricanes trailed 17-7 at halftime and 20-7 just after the break. They finally began to show urgency in the 56th minute when they held the ball and used the width of the field to create a try to flyhalf Brett Cameron.

That made the score 20-14 and the Hurricanes were back in the match. Their fans who had been mostly silent regained their voice.

But Sititi's intercept turned the match. He picked off a pass between Cameron and Jordie Barrett and dashed for the goal line. He was cut down just short by Devon Flanders but the Chiefs recycled the ball quickly and moved it to Rona on the short side before the defense could regroup. With the conversion and a penalty to McKenzie, the Chiefs led 30-14.

The Hurricanes rallied again and scored through captain Billy Proctor who touched down the left corner after a long build-up. Cameron's conversion swung wide of the posts and the Chiefs led 30-19.

"I think early on, the first two tries the Chiefs go up was a bit of a shock," Hurricanes captain Brad Shields said. "With a few poor last pass efforts by us, we left a bit out there.

"We're just gutted because if you look back on our season, we're extremely proud of what we've achieved. We put ourselves in a really good position but we just couldn't get there tonight."

The Chiefs' rapid start began with a try in the third minute to Samipeni Finau after a long, bustling run by winger Emoni Narawa who wrong-footed Barrett and T.J. Perenara.

Scrumhalf Cortez Ratima scored in the sixth minute when a clearing kick by the Chiefs was charged down but bounced fortuitously for Sititi who ignited a counter-attack.

Cameron's try came with Chiefs captain Luke Jacobson in the sin-bin. But the Chiefs were able to hold out the Hurricanes who once again fell short on the big occasion.

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