Champion Chiefs edge Blues to make play-offs
Waikato outfit defeat Auckland to keep three-in-a-row dream alive
Defending champions Waikato Chiefs scraped into the Super Rugby finals with a tightly fought 11-8 victory over the Auckland Blues at Eden Park on Friday.
The Chiefs needed a win in the final match of the regular season to make the top six and keep alive their dream of securing three Super 15 titles in a row.
In Canberra, meanwhile, Matt Toomua scored a hat-trick of tries as the ACT Brumbies powered into the play-offs with a barnstorming 47-25 win over the Western Force.
There was a bit of fear coming into this game. It could have been the end of the season, but we stuck it out to win
Chiefs captain Aaron Cruden said the battle against the Blues in Auckland was hard work.
"The boys showed a lot of character. There's been a lot of doubters but within our circle we've kept the faith," he said.
While the Chiefs have endured a season marred by inconsistency and poor form, Cruden said they were going into the finals full of confidence after two wins in a row.
"Last week was a step forward and this week is a massive step forward," he said. "There was a bit of fear coming into this game. It could have been the end of the season, but we stuck it out to win."