DSPN - Devlin Sports Podcast Network
Are the Chiefs CURSED? | Chiefs v Crusaders SEMI-FINAL Preview
10 Jun 2026
Transcript generated automatically by AI and may contain errors.
Chapter 1: What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
This is the DSPN.
DSPN, we're talking Chiefs. Nigel Yeldon, three grand final losses in a row. Is it the Chiefs' year?
They've given themselves a good chance to at least get to the decider. I mean, I think there's a lot of people who are going to say that the Hurricanes are absolutely a class above at the moment, and if you're going to try and go into Wellington and win this year, it's going to be a heck of a task. But I think they've got...
Of the teams that are left, I think they've got the requisite skill sets to best challenge the Hurricanes in a final. That's assuming that the Hurricanes have no issues getting past a just descending blue side on Saturday night. So I think they have given themselves an opportunity.
Chapter 2: Are the Chiefs finally ready to break their losing streak?
It's similar to what we have seen from the Chiefs in years gone by. And they are one of the three best teams in the competition. It's something that they have been. probably for the last six, seven years in a run. So again, they're giving themselves a chance. But that Hurricanes team, Jamie, as you're fully aware, they're playing on some level at the moment.
They are. I'm nervous because I've been there before.
You're just nervous because you're a Hurricanes fan. That's all it is. It's the same reason. It's funny. It's the same thing with Chiefs fans. They're saying exactly the same things. We've seen this film before. We have seen them look really good throughout the regular season and get to the playoffs or get to a final and then not get over the line.
So it's funny that you talk about the Hurricanes like that. You talk about the Chiefs like that. The Crusaders fans are sitting there going, we've seen this as well. We're coming right at the right time of the year. We're a June rugby team. So the only team out of the four where people are going, we haven't seen this really before are the Blues. Yeah.
That's right. So if we're talking about movie franchises, we've got two horrors and one epic and another one with the Blues. Well, I don't know where they're at at the moment. We'll get to them in a minute. Something about Mary. I want to stay on the Chiefs. Obviously, it's Jono Gibbs' first year in charge. What have you seen from him?
What differences are there that could potentially take this Chiefs team that one step further?
Throughout the regular season, I haven't seen a lot of difference. And I think the change from Clayton McMillan to John O'Gibbs has been pretty seamless. I mean, I know when Clayton made the announcement that he was going overseas, there was conversations of, you know, we'll go through the process and all that sort of a thing.
I think it was pretty obvious to everybody that John O'Gibbs was going to be the person to take over. When you look at his overseas experience that he has guarded, he's been with the New Zealand under-20s, he sort of ticked All of those boxes had been in the system. And I haven't really seen a lot of change. The Chiefs have always been a team that want to dominate the collision.
Well, that's right in Jono's wheelhouse. He absolutely preaches that from the pulpit every Sunday morning. He is a guy that will, you know, demand excellence. Well, Clayton McMillan did exactly the same. So when we talk about what differences have I've seen, very little. In terms of the game plan, the execution, structures... you know, pretty similar
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Chapter 3: How does Jono Gibbes' European experience influence the Chiefs?
And you understand why the Highlanders wanted to get him down there earlier. But I think that it's actually worked out very well. And they do work. Individually, they work very, very well. As a tandem, they work very well. And I think they've got that good understanding, which you would expect because they have been working together for a few years now.
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Do you feel like it's a bit of a missed opportunity for the Chiefs to perhaps continue on with this? Obviously, Josh Jackham wants to be starting at 10 all the time and he wants to go to a team that doesn't. Good for him for doing this. But was this something that you look at now and you're like, oh gosh, that could have been like a really pivotal axis for this team in years to come?
Yeah, you would definitely say that because having two quality first fives is a great luxury to have, especially when one of them is also equally proficient at playing fullback. I think the ascension of Isaac Hutchison and what he's doing at fullback as well gives you a little bit more comfort.
And I guess the forgotten guy in all of this is Tapai Cook-Savage, who hasn't had a lot of opportunity, but we've seen him perform as a 10 at NPC level and We know he's got the skills. There's an element of that Damien McKenzie dynamic nature in that he is a former Sevens player. Great step, great acceleration. So I think, yep, of course, you would love to keep two quality first fives like that.
But ultimately, I think that... Josh has made a business decision. He wants to basically run that team. Looks as though Jamie Joseph is going to hand him the keys when he gets down there next year. He's going to be working, you hope, alongside the likes of a Dylan Pleasure, Timothy Tavatavanawai.
So that's exciting stuff if the Highlanders choose to actually move the ball as opposed to kicking it every 30 seconds. So I think what we're looking at is just... They've made it work. Again, I come back to the professionalism of Josh Jacob, the professionalism of Damian McKenzie, and the fact that they know what they're here for.
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Chapter 4: Are the Chiefs prepared to face the Crusaders in the semifinals?
All they needed to do was someone to put their absolute foot through that ball and get it down into the opposition territory. What do they do? They try to run, they muff it, drop the ball, and then the Crusaders just go to work and get the victory. So from those games, what did we learn? Key moments are the difference.
The Chiefs need to understand and make better decision in those key moments, maintain their discipline, I believe that they have got the ability to win this game on Friday night. I think they're better defensively than the Crusaders. I think the Chiefs and the Hurricanes are easily the best defensive teams in the competition. And so the key is going to be, can they limit the Crusaders scoring?
Because the Crusaders aren't exactly watertight defensively themselves at the moment. They have been leaking some points. So I think that that's going to be quite critical. And Jamie, I'll leave you with this. In 2023, the Chiefs won both regular season games but lost to the Crusaders in the final. In 2025, the Chiefs won both regular season games but lost in the final.
In 2026, the Crusaders have won both regular season games heading into the semifinal.
There you go. Fantastic stuff, Nigel. Thanks very much. Hopefully I'll see you on Friday down at FMG Stadium. Waikato Chiefs Crusaders. Massive game. Then on Saturday night, Blues heading down to Wellington. Massive underdogs against the Red Hot Hurricanes. Playing off to see who is going to make the grand final in a week's time. Right, that's it. DSPN. Keep your eyes peeled.
Thank you.
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