The 2013 Super Rugby final was contested on 3 August 2013 by the Canberra-based Brumbies and Hamilton-based Chiefs. The Chiefs won 27–22 to give them their second consecutive Super Rugby title. The match was the last of the 2013 Super Rugby season, and was hosted by the Chiefs at Waikato Stadium. It was the eighteenth final in the history of the Southern Hemisphere's premier domestic rugby competition, and the third under the expanded fifteen-team format. The Chiefs had qualified highest during the regular season, while the Brumbies qualified third. The Chiefs directly qualified for their semi-final, where they beat fellow New Zealand team the Crusaders 20–19. The Brumbies defeated the Cheetahs in a close qualifying final, and then travelled to Pretoria where they beat the Bulls in their semi-final. The Chiefs hosted the final after qualifying higher than the Brumbies, who had to travel back from South Africa for the match. The Brumbies led early in the final, and were ahead 16–9 at half-time following a converted try and three penalties from inside-centre Christian Lealiifano. After penalties were exchanged early in the second half, the Brumbies were ahead 22–12, before the Chiefs scored two tries and a penalty to take the lead 27–22 with seven minutes remaining. The Brumbies were unable to score further, and the Chiefs went on to win.
The 2013 Super Rugby competition involved fifteen teams, five each from South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. 2013 marked the eighteenth season of the competition and the third in the expanded fifteen team format: twelve teams competed between 1996 and 2005, before increasing to fourteen between 2006 and 2010. The competition began on 24 February with the regular season consisting of 120 matches over twenty one weeks. Each team played teams from their own country twice and four teams from each of the other two countries once. The top six teams after the regular season advanced to the finals. The Chiefs qualified top of the table after the regular season, and played the Crusaders in their semi-final where they won 20–19. The win also guaranteed the side would host the final, regardless of their opposition. The Brumbies finished third on the overall table, and top of the Australian Conference after the regular season. They hosted the Cheetahs in their qualifying final, who they defeated 15–13 in Canberra. They then travelled to Pretoria where they faced the Bulls in their semi-final. The match was won 26–23 after a late try. The Chiefs went into the final with twelve wins and four losses whereas the Brumbies went in with ten wins, four losses and two draws. The Chiefs and the Brumbies did not meet during the conference round. They had last met at Mount Maunganui in round four of the 2012 season where the Brumbies were beaten 29–22 by the Chiefs. The Chiefs were looking to be the fourth team to defend the title back to back since the Blues, Crusaders who defended it three years in a row and the Bulls. The Brumbies were hoping to win the title for the third time which would put them equal second all-time with the Blues and Bulls with three Super Rugby titles.
Match
Summary
The Brumbies dominated the scoring early in the match, with their inside-centre Christian Lealiifano scoring three early penalties to give his team a 9–0 lead after 20 minutes. The Chiefs responded with three penalties of their own, all scored by Aaron Cruden, to level the scores 9–9 after 32 minutes. The Brumbies were played a territory-based strategy, and were the first team to score a try, when after 35 minutes, Chiefs' scrum-half Tawera Kerr-Barlow threw an errant pass following being pressured by Brumbies' flanker George Smith; the resulting pass was intercepted by Lealiifano who ran to score. The try was converted and the Brumbies led 16–9 at half-time. The Brumbies were awarded a penalty at the 45-minute mark, which they converted to lead 19–9. The Chiefs responded with a penalty three minutes later, but missed another penalty opportunity soon after. When the Brumbies won possession at the break-down, a grubber kick was recovered by Brumbies' wing Clyde Rathbone, who was stopped with a try-saving tackle from Cruden. From the resulting play the Brumbies attacked the Chiefs try-line, and the Television Match Official was asked to adjudicate whether the Brumbies had forced the ball over the line, but the result was inconclusive and a try was not awarded. The Brumbies were awarded another penalty which they converted to leave the scores 22–12 after sixty minutes. Following a sustained attack, and having the ball held up over the try-line, the Chiefs were awarded a scrum five-metres from the Brumbies' line. Chiefs' flanker Liam Messam scored from the resulting scrum, and the try was unconverted to narrow the Brumbies' lead to 22–17. After attacking from their own half, Chiefs' substitute Robbie Robinson ran through a gap in the Brumbies' defence to score a try, which was converted by Cruden to give the Chiefs the lead 24–22 after 72 minutes. Two minutes later the Chiefs were awarded a penalty which they kicked to give them a five-point lead. The Brumbies attacked throughout the remainder of the match, but the Chiefs' defence held, and the match finished 27–22 to the Chiefs. The man-of-the-match was awarded to Messam. A victory parade through Hamilton was hosted in the Chiefs' honour on 6 August 2013.
