Home in the late, late show
can hold more than 40,000, the occasion felt flat with only a few thousand fans spread out across the North Stand, but it came to life in the closing stages.
The decider was frenetic, riddled with tension between two desperate teams who were also battling Auckland’s typically unpredictable weather. Spells of rain and strong gusts blasted the field to limit their attacking capabilities.
Points were hard to come by.
Even an intercept by Blues co-captain Ruahei Demant was snuffed out by the Chiefs’ scrambling defence after the break, when a try looked certain, while the Manawa also squandered a golden chance with an enormous overlap.
The Chiefs looked more effective keeping it simple with short, powerful carries through their forwards and the experienced Charmaine Smith and Kennedy Simon led from the front.
Prop Tanya Kalounivale was hard to stop all evening and the Chiefs, eventually, crashed over for their second try through loose forward Mia Anderson.
As heavy showers hit the final quarter, the hosts responded to falling further behind after a Renee Holmes penalty goal with their own second try to halfback Kahlia Awa.
Demant was a calming influence while Awa made a massive impact off the bench to unsettle the Chiefs.
Vahaakolo was the Blues’ most dangerous player, cutting inside from her right wing, and it was no surprise when she finished in the corner for their first score after a quick tap.
The Chiefs have been the most consistent team in three editions of Super Rugby Aupiki, but they have lost two finals in a row after winning the first competition in 2022. The Blues have been the most improved side of the season and won their first title after topping the standings. Black Ferns selectors will be licking their lips at the talent on show.