Chiefs 2023
Results
| Year | Date | Versus | Venue | Result | F | A | |
| 2023 | 24 Feb | Crusaders | Christchurch | W | 31 | 10 | |
| 2023 | 4 Mar | Moana Pasifika | Melbourne | W | 52 | 29 | |
| 2023 | 10 Mar | Highlanders | Hamilton | W | 28 | 7 | |
| 2023 | 18 Mar | Rebels | Hamilton | W | 44 | 25 | |
| 2023 | 24 Mar | Waratahs | Sydney | W | 24 | 14 | |
| 2023 | 1 Apr | Blues | Hamilton | W | 20 | 13 | |
| 2023 | 15 Apr | Hurricanes | Wellington | W | 33 | 17 | |
| 2023 | 21 Apr | Fijian Drua | Hamilton | W | 50 | 17 | |
| 2023 | 29 Apr | Crusaders | Hamilton | W | 34 | 24 | |
| 2023 | 5 May | Highlanders | Dunedin | W | 52 | 28 | |
| 2023 | 12 May | Reds | New Plymouth | L | 22 | 25 | |
| 2023 | 20 May | Hurricanes | Hamilton | W | 23 | 12 | |
| 2023 | 27 May | Brumbies | Canberra | W | 31 | 21 | |
| 2023 | 3 Jun | Force | Perth | W | 43 | 19 | |
| 2023 | 10 Jun | Reds (qf) | Hamilton | W | 29 | 20 | |
| 2023 | 17 Jun | Brumbies (sf) | Hamilton | W | 19 | 6 | |
| 2023 | 24 Jun | Crusaders (f) | Hamilton | L | 20 | 25 |
Overall results
Played 17, won 15, lost 2
Points for 499, against 383
Chiefs were 3rd out of 12 teams, hosting a home quarter-final before losing in the semi-final
Super Rugby Pacific was now comfortably organised and the same 12 teams contested it in as the previous year.
The Chiefs had their most successful season ever – or would have if the final had been won. The team registered more wins than in any previous season (previous best was 14 in both 2012 and 2013), while two losses was the fewest yet; the previous low was four, in 2012, 2013 and 2017.
The 555 points was the second best, only behind the 600 scored in 2016, and the differential of +243 was another record.
When the score reached 6 against Moana Pasifika at Melbourne, the Chiefs had scored 10,000 points in team history. It took 380 matches to reach this milestone.
The lowest score in 17 matches was 19. The previous mark for this record was achieved in 2012, when the lowest was 18, while in 2013 it was 17. Not surprisingly, these were the three best seasons the Chiefs have had to this point.
The 10-match winning sequence with which the Chiefs opened the season set a new team record, either for one season or spread over two. The previous mark of 9 was set during the first championship run in 2012.
Match scorers
| Versus | Tries | Con | PG | DG |
| Crusaders | Retallick, Cane, Nankivell, Ratima | McKenzie (4) | McKenzie | |
| Moana Pasifika | Stevenson (3), Weber (2), McKenzie, Poihipi, Coombes-Fabling | McKenzie (5), Gatland | ||
| Highlanders | Stevenson (2), Nanai-Seturo, Finau | McKenzie | McKenzie (2) | |
| Rebels | Stevenson (2), Nanai-Seturo, Thompson, Poihipi, Narawa | Gatland (4) | Gatland (2) | |
| Waratahs | Narawa (2), Gatland | McKenzie (3) | McKenzie | |
| Blues | Narawa (2) | McKenzie (2) | McKenzie (2) | |
| Hurricanes | Rona, Sowakula, Ratima, McKenzie | McKenzie (2) | McKenzie (3) | |
| Fijian Drua | Taukei'aho, Retallick, Ratima, Boshier, Nanai-Seturo, Stevenson, McKenzie, Vaa'i | McKenzie (5) | ||
| Crusaders | Retallick, Stevenson, Thompson | McKenzie (2) | McKenzie (5) | |
| Highlanders | Rona (2), Dyer, Weber, Lienert-Brown, Narawa, Stevenson | McKenzie (7) | McKenzie | |
| Reds | Nanai-Seturo (2), Finau | McKenzie (2) | McKenzie | |
| Hurricanes | Vaa'i (2), Taukei'aho | McKenzie | McKenzie (2) | |
| Brumbies | Jacobson, Ioane, Ratima, Stevenson | McKenzie (4) | McKenzie | |
| Force | McWhannell, Lienert-Brown, Coombes-Fabling, Finau, Sowakula, Tahuriorangi | Poihipi (5) | Poihipi | |
| Reds (qf) | Sowakula, Narawa | McKenzie (2) | McKenzie (5) | |
| Brumbies (sf) | Retallick | McKenzie | McKenzie (4) | |
| Crusaders (f) | Narawa, Stevenson | McKenzie (2) | McKenzie (2) |
When Damian McKenzie had scored eight points against the Crusaders in round 1, he passed Stephen Donald (886) as the Chiefs all-time leading scorer.
With his last successful kick against the Highlanders in round 10, McKenzie brought up 1000 points for the Chiefs. He finished the match on 1001, and the season on 1070.
When Damian McKenzie kicked five penalty goals against the Crusaders in round 9, it was the first time that particular feat had been performed for the team since 2014 (Gareth Anscombe v Rebels).
Season scoring
| Player | T | C | P | D | Pts |
| McKenzie, Damian | 3 | 43 | 30 | 191 | |
| Stevenson, Shaun | 12 | 60 | |||
| Narawa, Emoni | 8 | 40 | |||
| Nanai-Seturo, Etene | 5 | 25 | |||
| Poihipi, Rameka | 2 | 5 | 1 | 23 | |
| Gatland, Bryn | 1 | 5 | 2 | 21 | |
| Ratima, Cortez | 4 | 20 | |||
| Retallick, Brodie | 4 | 20 | |||
| Finau, Samipeni | 3 | 15 | |||
| Rona, Daniel | 3 | 15 | |||
| Sowakula, Pita-Gus | 3 | 15 | |||
| Vaa'i, Tupou | 3 | 15 | |||
| Weber, Brad | 3 | 15 | |||
| Coombes-Fabling, Liam | 2 | 10 | |||
| Lienert-Brown, Anton | 2 | 10 | |||
| Taukei'aho, Samisoni | 2 | 10 | |||
| Thompson, Tyrone | 2 | 10 | |||
| Boshier, Kaylum | 1 | 5 | |||
| Cane, Sam | 1 | 5 | |||
| Dyer, George | 1 | 5 | |||
| Ioane, Josh | 1 | 5 | |||
| Jacobson, Luke | 1 | 5 | |||
| McWhannell, Laghlan | 1 | 5 | |||
| Nankivell, Alex | 1 | 5 | |||
| Tahuriorangi, Te Toiroa | 1 | 5 | |||
| TOTALS | 70 | 53 | 33 | 0 | 555 |
Damian McKenzie, back from a sabbatical, had his second brush with 200 points in a season but for the second time fell just short. He scored 100 points in a season for the sixth time, equalling Donald’s team record.
Shaun Stevenson scored 12 tries in the season, equalling the team record which had stood alone since 2002, when Roger Randle scored 12 tries in an 11-match season. With Emoni Narawa also scoring eight tries in the season, it marked only the second time two Chiefs players had scored eight or more tries in the same season. The only previous instance was in 2016, when three players – Damian McKenzie (10), Seta Tamanivalu (9) and James Lowe (8) – did so.
Damian McKenzie equalled the Chiefs individual record of 43 conversions in a season, which he already shared (2016) with Aaron Cruden (2012).
Appearances
| Player | Cru | MP | Hig | Reb | War | Blu | Hur | FD | Cru | Hig | Red | Hur | Bru | For | Red | Bru | Cru | Ttl | Repl |
| Ah Kuoi, Naitoa | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 15 | 11 | ||
| Alaimalo, Solomon | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
| Boshier, Kaylum | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | |||||||||||||
| Cane, Sam | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 13 | |||||
| Coombes-Fabling, Liam | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 1 | |||||||||||||
| Dyer, George | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 14 | 5 | |||
| Finau, Samipeni | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 14 | 5 | |||
| Gatland, Bryn | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 5 | |||||||||
| Ioane, Josh | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 7 | |||||||||
| Jacobson, Luke | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 14 | 1 | |||
| Lalomilo, Lalomilo | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | |||||||||||||||
| Lienert-Brown, Anton | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 8 | ||||||||||
| Lord, Josh | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 2 | |||||||||||||
| Malimali, Peniasi | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | ||||||||||||||
| McKenzie, Damian | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 16 | 1 | |
| McWhannell, Laghlan | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 2 | |||||||||||||
| Moli, Atu | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | |||||||||||||||
| Nanai-Seturo, Etene | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 15 | |||
| Nankivell, Alex | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 12 | 2 | |||||
| Narawa, Emoni | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 13 | |||||
| Norris. Ollie | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 17 | 13 |
| Parker, Simon | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 3 | ||||||||||||
| Poihipi, Rameka | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 16 | 4 | |
| Proffit, Jared | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | |||||||||||||
| Punivai, Ngane | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||
| Ratima, Cortez | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 17 | 14 |
| Player | Cru | MP | Hig | Reb | War | Blu | Hur | FD | Cru | Hig | Red | Hur | Bru | For | Red | Bru | Cru | Ttl | Repl |
| Reihana, Rivez | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||
| Retallick, Brodie | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 13 | |||||
| Rona, Daniel | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 4 | ||||||||
| Ross, Aidan | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 13 | 1 | ||||
| Ryan, John | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 17 | 9 |
| Selby-Rickit, Manaaki | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 2 | ||||||||||||
| Slater, Bradley | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 7 | ||||||||
| Sowakula, Pita-Gus | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 16 | 5 | |
| Stevenson, Shaun | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 17 | 2 |
| Tahuriorangi, Te Toiroa | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | |||||||||||||
| Taukei'aho, Samisoni | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 15 | 2 | ||
| Thompson, Tyrone | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 8 | |||||||
| Tukuafu, Solomone | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||
| Vaa'i, Tupou | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 13 | 1 | ||||
| Weber, Brad | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 13 | |||||
| Wrampling, Gideon | 1 | 1 | 1 |
In addition to those who played, Solomon Alaimalo, Xavier Roe, Angus Ta’avao and Quinn Tupaea were also squad members.
Damian McKenzie became the ninth Chiefs centurion when he started against the Waratahs in round 5.
Anton Lienert-Brown became the tenth Chiefs centurion when he started against the Highlanders in round 10 – the same match which ended with McKenzie breaking the 1000-point barrier.
Ollie Norris and Cortez Ratima were the super subs in 2023; each appeared in all 17 matches, with Ratima making 14 appearances off the bench and Norris 13. Naitoa Ah Kuoi (11 out of 15 appearances) was also in double figures.
For the second consecutive year the Chiefs emptied the bench in every game, making 136 replacements in 17 matches.
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
