The Crusaders have returned to winning ways in Super Rugby Pacific, defeating the Chiefs 34-19 at Hamilton's FMG Stadium.
With a slender 15-12 lead at halftime, the Super Rugby Aotearoa champions turned on the style in the second half, scoring three tries to outgun the Chiefs on their home ground.
The win consolidates the Crusaders' position as the strongest New Zealand side in Super Rugby Pacific, moving to outright second on the ladder, behind only Australia's Brumbies, with the two conferences yet to merge.
Two weeks on from defeating a COVID-impacted Crusaders with a try in the final seconds at Christchurch, the Chiefs hosted the rematch in their first home clash since May 2021.
Despite the return, the Chiefs were without coach Clayton McMillan, forced to isolate due to COVID-19 and handing his duties over to Warren Gatland.
Still recovering from their own COVID outbreak, the Crusaders struck first, with No.8 Cullen Grace crossing from close range for the first try of the night.
Centre Alex Nankivell hit back for the Chiefs in the 12th minute, showing great strength to hold off three defenders on his run to the tryline.
The Crusaders restored their seven-point advantage, as centurion David Havili broke to put Will Jordan into space, allowing the fullback to race away and score his side's second.
A penalty to Richie Mo'unga gave the Crusaders a 10-point lead, while the Chiefs suffered a blow, when All Blacks lock Brodie Retallick left the field with a suspected thumb injury.
Retallick's early exit will leave All Blacks coach Ian Foster sweating, coming just hours after Beauden Barrett was forced from the field by a head knock in the Blues win over the Highlanders.
But at the end of a see-saw first half, the Chiefs hit back, as quick hands from Brad Weber and Quinn Tupaea put Nankivell over for his second try of the night, cutting the deficit to 15-12 at the break.
A forward pass denied Grace a second try after halftime, but the Chiefs could only keep the Crusaders out for so long, as substitute winger Sevu Reece scored the first points of the second half just shy of the hour mark.
Put into space again by Havili, Reece fooled Caleb Trask with a dummy, before beating Bryn Gatland for pace to score his side's third - and his 37th try for the Crusaders, moving to third on his team's all-time list.
Moments later, Leicester Fainga'anuku scored the Crusaders' fourth, another to barge over from close range, as Mo'unga's conversion pushed the score out to 29-12.
The Chiefs weren't lying down in front of a raucous home crowd, as Nankivell turned provider to send replacement halfback Cortez Ratima over in the 71st minute, closing the gap to 10 points.
But any hopes of a fightback were ended five minutes from time, as Codie Taylor scored from the back of a Crusaders lineout drive, sealing victory with his side's fifth try of the night.
Defeat leaves the Chiefs fifth on the Super Rugby Pacific ladder, just a bonus point ahead of the Blues, albeit from one game more than their Auckland rivals.
Crusaders 34 (Grace, Jordan, Reece, Fainga'anuku, Taylor tries, Mo'unga 3 conversions & penalty) Chiefs 19 (Nankivell 2, Ratima tries, Gatland 2 conversions)
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