Tupou Vaa'i scores. Photo: Michael Thomas/ActionPress
A hat trick to Tupou Vaa'i has seen the Chiefs score a 41-24 win over the Highlanders and clinch top spot in the Super Rugby Pacific play-offs. Needing a bonus point to make sure of home ground advantage through to the final, Vaa'i's third try as time expired sealed the deal after a hard fought end to the Highlanders' season.
A serious looking injury to All Black hopeful Quinn Tupaea was a major turning point in the first half. The midfielder was stretchered off the field after 20 minutes, which along with a yellow card to prop Reuben O'Neill 12 minutes later, shifted the momentum of the game completely to the home side before halftime.
Before then, the Chiefs had simply picked up where they left off last weekend in their massive win over Moana Pasifika. Samipeni Finau and Vaa'i (two) scored off some slick work by their backs and a massive hit on Cam Millar that jolted the ball free for Vaa'i to gallop half the length of the field to score.
However, after Tupaea's injury, the Highlanders knuckled down and were able to control territory. It eventually led to a try from a quick tap to Ethan de Groot, who had a very strong game across the park. Right on halftime the Highlanders' other co-captain Timoci Tavatanawai muscled his way over after some great lead up work by Taniela Filimone, Tanielu Tele'a and Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens.
Even though Xavier Roe scored straight after the break for the Chiefs, the Highlanders didn't wilt like they did when the two sides met in round 10. Manasa Mataele's 59th minute try to give the Chiefs some decent breathing room was totally against the run of play, but even then, the Highlanders kept fighting and were rewarded with a try to Sam Gilbert.
Vaa'i completed his hat trick in fortuitous fashion on fulltime by nabbing a short goal line restart - however the bonus point was more of a nice to have as even if they didn't get it, the Crusaders would've needed to have beaten the Brumbies by over 100 points to overtake the Chiefs.
The Highlanders finish their season with only three wins and 11 losses, the defeat consigning them to last place no matter what happens in the rest of the weekend. The Chiefs will now watch on tomorrow's games with interest, with the Waratahs, Blues and Moana Pasifika all in a three way battle to face them in the first round of the play-offs next weekend.
Read how the game unfolded with RNZ's live blog:
