Winger Emoni Narawa showcased his scoring prowess by bagging a hat-trick of tries, while fly-half Damian McKenzie’s near-perfect kicking performance saw him land nine out of ten conversion attempts.
The Chiefs’ emphatic victory in Hamilton marked the highest winning margin in the competition since the Wellington Hurricanes’ dominant 59-0 victory over Moana in round five last year.
Following a disappointing loss to the Crusaders the previous week, the home side unleashed an onslaught of attacking rugby, securing their fifth win of the season out of seven games. Conversely, it was a third consecutive heavy defeat for Moana Pasifika, with coach Tana Umaga’s team conceding a staggering 175 points in those matches.
Struggling to contain the dynamic playmaking of All Blacks star McKenzie and the athleticism of Narawa, alongside the sparkling performance of regular winger Etene Nanai-Seturo in his 50th Super Rugby match, the visitors found themselves overwhelmed by the Chiefs’ relentless pressure.
Nanai-Seturo credited the team’s determination to dominate upfront, allowing the backs to flourish in the wide channels. The Chiefs asserted their dominance early, with flanker Simon Parker opening the scoring in the tenth minute, setting the tone for a dominant first-half performance that saw them lead 28-0 at halftime.
The Chiefs continued their attacking onslaught in the second half, scoring four tries in just 13 minutes, including Narawa’s second try to reach the half-century mark. While Moana Pasifika managed to salvage some pride with a late try from Miracle Fai’ilagi, it was Narawa and the Chiefs who stole the show, ensuring Nanai-Seturo’s milestone match was celebrated in style as he completed his hat-trick.
