Chiefs 2021
Results
| Year | Date | Versus | Venue | Result | F | A | |
| 2021 | 5 Mar | Highlanders | Hamilton | L | 23 | 39 | |
| 2021 | 13 Mar | Crusaders | Christchurch | L | 17 | 39 | |
| 2021 | 20 Mar | Hurricanes | Wellington | W | 35 | 29 | |
| 2021 | 27 Mar | Blues | Hamilton | W | 15 | 12 | |
| 2021 | 10 Apr | Highlanders | Dunedin | W | 26 | 23 | |
| 2021 | 17 Apr | Crusaders | Hamilton | W | 26 | 25 | |
| 2021 | 23 Apr | Hurricanes | Hamilton | W | 26 | 24 | |
| 2021 | 1 May | Blues | Auckland | L | 19 | 39 | |
| 2021 | 8 May | Crusaders | Christchurch | L | 13 | 24 | |
| 2021 | 15 May | Force | Perth | W | 20 | 19 | |
| 2021 | 22 May | Brumbies | Hamilton | W | 40 | 19 | |
| 2021 | 29 May | Reds | Townsville | L | 34 | 40 | |
| 2021 | 6 Jun | Rebels | Sydney | W | 36 | 26 | |
| 2021 | 12 Jun | Waratahs | Sydney | W | 40 | 7 |
Overall results
Played 14, won 9, lost 5
Points for 370, against 365
Chiefs were 2nd out of 5 teams in Super Rugby Aotearoa, losing the final, and 5th of 10 in Super Rugby Trans-Tasman
Due to Covid still being a factor, the season was again played in two parts, although they ran consecutively. The first section was purely domestic, with a second playing of Super Rugby Aotearoa. At the same time a domestic competition was going on in Australia and a week after the respective finals the five New Zealand teams started playing their five Australian counterparts. This competition was completely one-sided, with New Zealand teams winning 23 of the 25 games and one loss, coupled with ‘only’ three bonus points, was enough to place the Chiefs last of the New Zealand teams and fifth overall.
The 14-match fixture list equalled the Chiefs’ shortest since 2010.
The 10-match losing streak, going back to 2020, was ended by the first of a remarkable string of five games in which the Chiefs scored the go-ahead points in the 71st minute or later. Damian McKenzie scored the final points each time and in three consecutive matches he kicked the match-winning goal with the last play.
Match scorers
| Versus | Tries | Con | PG | DG |
| Highlanders | Jacobson, McKenzie | McKenzie (2) | McKenzie (3) | |
| Crusaders | Nanai-Seturo, McKenzie | McKenzie (2) | McKenzie | |
| Hurricanes | Ah Kuoi, Jacobson, Weber, Trask, Tiatia | McKenzie (5) | ||
| Blues | Taukei’aho, McKenzie | McKenzie | McKenzie | |
| Highlanders | Ta'avao, Nanai-Seturo | McKenzie (2) | McKenzie (4) | |
| Crusaders | L Boshier, Lowe | McKenzie (2) | McKenzie (4) | |
| Hurricanes | Sowakula, Gatland | McKenzie (2) | McKenzie (4) | |
| Blues | Stevenson | Gatland | Gatland (4) | |
| Crusaders | McKenzie | McKenzie | McKenzie (2) | |
| Force | Harris, Lowe, Nankivell | McKenzie | McKenzie | |
| Brumbies | Jacobson (2), Vaa'i, McKenzie, Nankivell, Lienert-Brown | McKenzie (5) | ||
| Reds | Vaa'i, Sowakula, Sullivan, O'Neill, Roe | Trask (3) | McKenzie | |
| Rebels | Lienert-Brown (2), Trask (2), Tiatia (2) | Gatland (3) | ||
| Waratahs | Wainui (5), Taulani | Gatland (4), Trask |
Sean Wainui’s five tries against the Waratahs were a record for any Super Rugby competition. The previous record of four had been posted 18 times, including three times by Chiefs.
McKenzie had an unusual sequence when he kicked two conversions and four penalty goals in three consecutive matches; each time the Chiefs scored 26 points and won thanks to his last score.
Season scoring
| Player | T | C | P | D | Pts |
| McKenzie, Damian | 5 | 23 | 21 | 134 | |
| Gatland, Bryn | 1 | 8 | 4 | 33 | |
| Wainui, Sean | 5 | 25 | |||
| Trask, Kaleb | 3 | 4 | 23 | ||
| Jacobson, Luke | 4 | 20 | |||
| Lienert-Brown, Anton | 3 | 15 | |||
| Tiatia, Chase | 3 | 15 | |||
| Lowe, Jonah | 2 | 10 | |||
| Nanai-Seturo, Etene | 2 | 10 | |||
| Nankivell, Alex | 2 | 10 | |||
| Sowakula, Pita-Gus | 2 | 10 | |||
| Vaa'i, Tupou | 2 | 10 | |||
| Ah Kuoi, Naitoa | 1 | 5 | |||
| Boshier, Lachlan | 1 | 5 | |||
| Harris, Nathan | 1 | 5 | |||
| O'Neill, Reuben | 1 | 5 | |||
| Roe, Xavier | 1 | 5 | |||
| Stevenson, Shaun | 1 | 5 | |||
| Sullivan, Baylin | 1 | 5 | |||
| Ta'avao, Angus | 1 | 5 | |||
| Taukei’aho, Samisoni | 1 | 5 | |||
| Taulani, Viliami | 1 | 5 | |||
| Weber, Brad | 1 | 5 | |||
| TOTALS | 45 | 35 | 25 | 0 | 370 |
Sean Wainui set a new Super Rugby record with five tries against the Waratahs – but scored no others in five matches.
Damian McKenzie posted his second consecutive century and fifth in six seasons.
Appearances
| Player | Hig | Cru | Hur | Blu | Hig | Cru | Hur | Blu | Cru | For | Bru | Red | Reb | War | Ttl | Repl |
| Ah Kuoi, Naitoa | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 2 | ||||||
| Apikotoa, Joe | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 5 | |||||||||
| Boshier, Kaylum | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | ||||||||||
| Boshier, Lachlan | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 8 | |||||||
| Brown, Mitchell | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 2 | ||||
| Cane, Sam | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | |||||||||||
| Finau, Samipeni | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 3 | ||||||||
| Florence, Tom | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | ||||||||||||
| Gatland, Bryn | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 2 | |||||
| Harris, Nathan | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | ||||||||||
| Jacobson, Luke | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 12 | |||
| Kapeli, Zane | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 5 | |||||||
| Karpik, Mitchell | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||
| Lienert-Brown, Anton | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 13 | 2 | |
| Lindenmuth, Ezekiel | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||
| Lord, Josh | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | ||||||||||
| Lowe, Jonah | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 8 | |||||||
| Mafileo, Sione | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 6 | |||||
| McKenzie, Damian | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 11 | ||||
| Messam, Liam | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | ||||||||||
| Moli, Atu | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||
| Nanai-Seturo, Etene | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 7 | ||||||||
| Nankivell, Alex | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 12 | 5 | ||
| Norris, Ollie | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 12 | 11 | ||
| O'Neill, Reuben | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 2 | |||||||||
| Parker, Simon | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | ||||||||||||
| Poihipi, Rameka | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | ||||||||||
| Player | Hig | Cru | Hur | Blu | Hig | Cru | Hur | Blu | Cru | For | Bru | Red | Reb | War | Ttl | Repl |
| Reihana, Rivez | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||
| Roe, Xavier | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 6 | |||||||
| Ross, Aidan | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 1 | |||
| Slater, Bradley | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 8 | |||
| Sowakula, Pita-Gus | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 4 | |||
| Stevenson, Shaun | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 4 | ||||
| Sullivan, Baylin | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | |||||||||||
| Ta'avao, Angus | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 12 | 1 | ||
| Tahuriorangi, Te Toiroa | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 7 | ||||||
| Taukei'aho, Samisoni | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 13 | 3 | |
| Taulani, Viliami | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | ||||||||||||
| Tiatia, Chase | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 6 | ||||
| Trask, Kaleb | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 1 | ||||||
| Tupaea, Quinn | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 1 | |||||||
| Vaa'i, Tupou | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 12 | |||
| Wainui, Sean | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 1 | ||||||||
| Weber, Brad | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 13 | 1 | |
| Wrampling, Gideon | 1 | 1 | 1 |
The Chiefs had major injury issues in 2021 and despite playing a relatively short 14-match programme had to use a record 45 players.
In addition to those who played, Laghlan McWhannell was also a squad member.
This year the Chiefs made 111 out of 112 possible replacements; the only one not made was against the Force, when the outside back reserve did not take the field.
Liam Messam came back to help out in the injury crisis and made the last four appearances of his remarkable 183-match career.
At the end of the season the following were Chiefs records:
Highest score: 72 v Lions at Johannesburg 2010
Biggest winning margin: 51 points (61-10) v Sunwolves at Tokyo 2018
51 points (59-8) v Rebels at Melbourne 2019
Most tries in a match: 5 by Sean Wainui v Waratahs 2021
Most conversions in a match: 9 by Stephen Donald v Lions at Johannesburg 2010
Most penalty goals in a match: 6 by Glen Jackson v Reds at Rotorua 2001
6 by Stephen Donald v Crusaders at Christchurch 2007
Most points in a match: 32 by Stephen Donald v Lions at Johannesburg 2010
Most appearances: 183 by Liam Messam 2006-21
