Chiefs Rugby And Everything To Know | Super Rugby 2025 Preview

Chiefs Rugby begins the Super Rugby season Feb. 15, and all of the action will be streaming live on FloRugby. Here's what to know.

Feb 1, 2025 by Joe Harrington

Chiefs Rugby And Everything To Know | Super Rugby 2025 Preview

One of the world’s best professional rugby leagues returns Feb. 14 for the 2025 season, as the new Super Rugby campaign begins.

Super Rugby, armed with a new schedule format, played its first season in 1996 when SANZAR was formed and now features 11 teams from Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and other Pacific Islands.

Loaded with All Blacks and Wallabies on the rosters throughout the league, Super Rugby joins the likes of the United Rugby Championship, Top 14 and the Premiership as one of the world’s best rugby competitions.

This year, the league plays its first matches on Valentine's Day, and that includes the 2024 Super Rugby runners-up, the Chiefs.

Here’s what to know about the Waikato Chiefs:

What Was The Chiefs' Super Rugby Record in 2024?

The Chiefs finished fourth in the standings with a 9-0-5 record and 43 points, but they advanced to the Super Rugby final following a massive 30-19 upset win over the No. 1 seed Hurricanes in the semifinals.

The magic ran out in the final, with the Blues winning 41-10.

All Blacks star Damian McKenzie led the Chiefs and Super Rugby in scoring with 177 points.

Formerly known as the Waikato Chiefs, the team now is the Gallagher Chiefs as part of a sponsorship deal.

How Many Times Have The Chiefs Won The Super Rugby Championship?

The Chiefs have won two Super Rugby championships, doing it in back-to-back style in 2012 and 2013. They reached the final in 2021 but lost to the Crusaders.

How Many All Blacks Are On The Chiefs ?

Eight members of the Chiefs 2024 team played for the All Blacks last season.

Anton Lienert-Brown, Mid-fielder: Gallagher Chiefs
Cortez Ratima, Halfback: Gallagher Chiefs
Damian McKenzie, First Five-Eighths: Gallagher Chiefs
Josh Lord, Lock: Gallagher Chiefs
Luke Jacobson, Loose Forward: Gallagher Chiefs
Samipeni Finau, Loose Forward: Gallagher Chiefs
Tupou Vaa’i, Lock: Gallagher Chiefs
Wallace Sititi, Loose Forward: Gallagher Chiefs

Who Coaches The Chiefs?

The Chiefs are coached by Clayton McMillan, who was named the interim coach in 2021 when former coach Warren Gatland became the director of rugby.

Gatland, the famed Wales Rugby coach from 2007-2019, left Wales to take over the Chiefs. He then left the Chiefs to return to Wales.

Where Do The Chiefs Play?

The Chiefs are based in Hamilton, New Zealand, on the banks of the Waikato River in the Waikato region. The team plays its matches at FMG Stadium Waikato.

How To Watch The Chiefs Play Rugby In U.S.

Every 2025 Super Rugby match, including the playoffs, is streaming live on FloRugby and the FloSports app.

Chiefs Rugby Fixtures And Super Rugby Schedule

Round 1 (Saturday, Feb. 15) – Blues vs. Chiefs (1:05 a.m. ET)
Round 2 (Friday, Feb. 21) – Chiefs vs. Crusaders (1:05 a.m. ET)
Round 3 (Friday, Feb. 28) – Chiefs vs. Brumbies (10:35 p.m. ET)
Round 4 (Friday, March 7) – Fijian Drua vs. Chiefs (10:35 p.m. ET)
Round 5 (Saturday, March 15) – Chiefs vs. Blues (2:05 a.m. ET)
Round 6 (Friday, March 21) – Moana Pasifika vs. Chiefs (2:05 a.m. ET)
Round 8 (Friday, April 4) – Chiefs vs. Reds (2:05 a.m. ET)
Round 9 (Friday, April 11) – Waratahs vs. Chiefs (5:35 a.m. ET)
Round 10 (Saturday, April 19) – Chiefs vs. Highlanders (3:05 a.m. ET)
Round 11 (Friday, April 25) – Chiefs vs. Force (3:05 a.m. ET)
Round 12 (Saturday, May 3) – Hurricanes vs. Chiefs (3:05 a.m. ET)
Round 13 (Saturday, May 10) – Crusaders vs. Chiefs (3:05 a.m. ET)
Round 15 (Saturday, May 24) – Chiefs vs. Moana Pasifika (3:05 a.m. ET)
Round 16 (Friday, May 30) – Highlanders vs. Chiefs (3:05 a.m. ET)

Super Rugby Pacific 2025 Fixtures

Round 1

Friday, Feb. 14

1:05 a.m. ET: Crusaders vs. Hurricanes
3:35 a.m. ET: Waratahs vs. Highlanders
10:35 p.m. ET: Fijian Drua vs. Brumbies

Saturday, Feb. 15

1:05 a.m. ET: Blues vs. Chiefs
3:35 a.m. ET: Force vs. Moana Pasifika

Round 2

Friday, Feb. 21

1:05 a.m. ET: Chiefs vs. Crusaders
3:35 a.m. ET: Reds vs. Moana Pasifika
10:35 p.m. ET: Hurricanes vs. Fijian Drua

Saturday, Feb. 22

1:05 a.m. ET: Highlanders vs. Blues
3:35 a.m. ET: Brumbies vs. Force

Round 3

Friday, Feb. 28

1:05 a.m. ET: Moana Pasifika vs. Highlanders
3:35 a.m. ET: Waratahs vs. Fijian Drua
10:35 p.m. ET: Chiefs vs. Brumbies

Saturday, March 1

1:05 a.m. ET: Hurricanes vs. Blues
3:35 a.m. ET: Force vs. Reds

Round 4

Friday, March 7

1:05 a.m. ET: Blues vs. Brumbies
10:35 p.m. ET: Fijian Drua vs. Chiefs

Saturday, March 8

1:05 a.m. ET: Moana Pasifika vs. Hurricanes
3:35 a.m. ET: Waratahs vs. Force
9:35 p.m. ET: Crusaders vs. Reds

Round 5

Friday, March 14

2:05 a.m. ET: Highlanders vs. Hurricanes
4:35 a.m. ET: Brumbies vs. Fijian Drua
11:35 p.m. ET: Crusaders vs. Force

Saturday, March 15

2:05 a.m. ET: Chiefs vs. Blues
4:35 a.m. ET: Reds vs. Waratahs

Round 6

Friday, March 21

2:05 a.m. ET: Moana Pasifika vs. Chiefs
11:35 p.m. ET: Highlanders vs. Reds

Saturday, March 22

2:05 a.m. ET: Blues vs. Crusaders
4:35 a.m. ET: Waratahs vs. Brumbies

Sunday, March 23

2:05 a.m. ET: Force vs. Fijian Drua

Round 7

Friday, March 28

2:05 a.m. ET: Hurricanes vs. Waratahs
4:35 a.m. ET: Brumbies vs. Highlanders

Saturday, March 29

2:05 a.m. ET: Crusaders vs. Moana Pasifika
4:35 a.m. ET: Reds vs. Force

Round 8

Friday, April 4

2:05 a.m. ET: Chiefs vs. Reds
9:05 p.m. ET: Moana Pasifika vs. Waratahs
11:35 p.m. ET: Fijian Drua vs. Crusaders

Saturday, April 5

2:05 a.m. ET: Blues vs. Hurricanes
4:35 a.m. ET: Force vs. Highlanders

Round 9

Friday, April 11

3:05 a.m. ET: Hurricanes vs. Crusaders
5:35 a.m. ET: Waratahs vs. Chiefs
12:35 a.m. ET: Blues vs. Moana Pasifika

Saturday, April 12

3:05 a.m. ET: Highlanders vs. Fijian Drua
5:35 a.m. ET: Reds vs. Brumbies

Round 10

Friday, April 18

3:05 a.m. ET: Crusaders vs. Blues
9:05 p.m. ET: Moana Pasifika vs. Brumbies
11:35 p.m. ET: Fijian Drua vs. Waratahs

Saturday, April 19

3:05 a.m. ET: Chiefs vs. Highlanders
5:35 a.m. ET: Force vs. Hurricanes

Round 11

Friday, April 25

3:05 a.m. ET: Chiefs vs. Force
5:35 a.m. ET: Reds vs. Blues
12:35 a.m. ET: Moana Pasifika vs. Fijian Drua

Saturday, April 26

3:05 a.m. ET: Highlanders vs. Crusaders
5:35 a.m. ET: Brumbies vs. Hurricanes

Round 12

Friday, May 2

3:05 a.m. ET: Blues vs. Force
10:05 p.m. ET: Fijian Drua vs. Reds

Saturday, May 3

3:05 a.m. ET: Hurricanes vs. Chiefs
5:35 a.m. ET: Brumbies vs. Waratahs
11:35 p.m. ET: Highlanders vs. Moana Pasifika

Round 13

Friday, May 9

3:05 a.m. ET: Fijian Drua vs. Blues
5:35 a.m. ET: Waratahs vs. Reds

Saturday, May 10

3:05 a.m. ET: Crusaders vs. Chiefs
5:35 a.m. ET: Force vs. Brumbies

Round 14

Friday, May 16

3:05 a.m. ET: Hurricanes vs. Highlanders
5:35 a.m. ET: Waratahs vs. Crusaders
11:35 p.m. ET: Fijian Drua vs. Force

Saturday, May 17

3:05 a.m ET: Moana Pasifika vs. Blues
5:35 a.m. ET: Brumbies vs. Reds

Round 15

Friday, May 23

3:05 a.m. ET: Crusaders vs. Highlanders
5:35 a.m. ET: Reds vs. Hurricanes

Saturday, May 24

3:05 a.m. ET: Chiefs vs. Moana Pasifika
5:35 a.m. ET: Force vs. Waratahs

Round 16

Friday, May 30

3:05 a.m. ET: Highlanders vs. Chiefs
5:35 a.m. ET: Brumbies vs. Crusaders
12:35 a.m. ET: Blues vs. Waratahs

Saturday, May 31

3:05 a.m. ET: Hurricanes vs. Moana Pasifika
5:35 a.m. ET: Reds vs. Fijian Drua

How To Watch Rugby Matches In The United States On FloRugby

FloRugby and FloSports also are the U.S. home to:

FloRugby also is home to match archives and match replays.

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