The champion Hurricanes broke records and the Chiefs after entering a flow state in Wellington that had to be seen to be believed, writes Patrick McKendry.
Rugby
12:23pm
The home side scored nine tries in Wellington to consign the Chiefs to their fourth grand final defeat in a row.
Saturday 9:10pm
Former Chiefs prop Ben Tameifuna talks to 1News about his recipe for success in Europe and his gratitude towards his former franchise.
Fri, Jun 19
The Canes have named an unchanged line-up for Saturday's final in Wellington – while the Chiefs have had to make two injury changes.
Wed, Jun 17
The two best teams in the competition reached next Saturday's showdown after remarkably similar semifinal demolitions.
Sun, Jun 14
The Chiefs were simply sensational in the opening 40 minutes, ruthlessly racking up a scarcely believable 42-5 scoreline.
Sat, Jun 13
Scotty Stevenson and Patrick McKendry discuss Super Rugby's upcoming semifinals – including what Beauden Barrett's return means for the Blues.
Wed, Jun 10
Halfback Cam Roigard says his team are embracing the expectation as competition front-runners ahead of Saturday's semifinal.
The Crusader was rocked by a high tackle in his team's win over the Blues but did not receive a head injury assessment, writes Patrick McKendry.
Sun, Jun 7
The Chiefs will have a home Super Rugby Pacific semifinal, but are likely to be without star No.8 Wallace Sititi, who suffered a head injury in their 46-24 win.
Footage showed the Chiefs loose forward rolling into the recovery position before visibly shaking, with play stopped as medical staff attended to him.
Sat, Jun 6
Their opponents and the venue of their semifinal will be determined by the result of Saturday's Chiefs v Reds match.
If the Hurricanes and Chiefs win this weekend, the Blues will go through to the Super Rugby semifinals even if they lost to the Crusaders in Christchurch.
Thu, Jun 4
The Crusaders have sold out their new stadium five times in a row and welcome a Blues team counting the cost after their defeat to the Chiefs.
The Chiefs and All Blacks No.10 says he has recovered from a head injury which sidelined him for two weeks.
Tue, Jun 2
The qualifier game will likely be the final Crusaders match at their new home this season.
The Blues, needing a win over the Chiefs to secure a home qualifier, were thrashed, but they may yet make the top four, writes Patrick McKendry.
Sun, May 31
Dave Rennie can currently select four Test locks in his squad next month but, beyond that quartet, the cupboard is rather bare, writes Patrick McKendry.
Fri, May 29
A recurrence of a calf injury during the Crusaders' win at the weekend will sideline Jordan for another four to six weeks.
Tue, May 26
Ruben Love is currently the best performing No.10 in the country and should look to July Test series with confidence, writes Patrick McKendry.
Sun, May 24
Those in the New Zealand frame among the Chiefs and Highlanders may feel under more intense scrutiny during the round 14 match in Hamilton.
Thu, May 14
The new head coach is juggling two jobs but has assistance from a variety of people – including NBA star Steven Adams and new selector Sir Graham Henry.
Tue, May 12
Fainga'anuku's switch from the midfield to flanker (and back again) has made the Crusaders' attack far more threatening, writes Patrick McKendry.
Sun, May 10
Fainga'anuku will start at No.7 again for the Crusaders against a Hurricanes team on the up this season.
Thu, Apr 30
Christchurch turned it on this weekend and provided a public relations win for the game at just the right time, writes Patrick McKendry.
Sun, Apr 26
