Taumoefolau embraces Chiefs title push after hat-trick that shook Super Rugby Pacific

Kyren Taumoefolau scored one of Super Rugby Pacific’s most memorable hat-tricks on 17 May 2025, crossing three times as Moana Pasifika upset defending champions the Blues 27-21 at North Harbour Stadium in Albany. Now wearing a Chiefs jersey, the winger is chasing a title that has eluded the Hamilton franchise for 13 years.

Taumoefolau has settled quickly into his new surroundings, contributing five tries across eight wins in nine games as the Chiefs finished second in the regular season. Their next assignment is a 47th all-time meeting with the Blues in Hamilton, a fixture that carries extra weight given his history against them.

“Those three tries against the Blues were surreal,” Taumoefolau said. “I can’t wait to go again in a different jersey. Before that game, there was a lot of outside noise about how there was only one team in the 09. You try to block those distractions, but you do see them, and they provide a little extra fuel.”

His departure from Moana Pasifika comes at a difficult moment for the franchise, whose future beyond their upcoming match against the Brumbies in Canberra remains unconfirmed. Taumoefolau has not hidden his affection for the team that gave him his Super Rugby debut.

“I’ve got a lot of love for Moana. It’s devastating for my Moana brothers and sisters. They gave me my first break in Super Rugby. I hope everyone gets paid out and finds new opportunities.”

The Chiefs’ title credentials were tested last Friday in Christchurch, where they led the Crusaders for 65 minutes — Taumoefolau scoring one of the tries — before losing 36-32. The defeat echoed narrow final losses to the same opponents in 2021, 2023, and 2025, reinforcing the sense that closing out big matches remains the Chiefs’ defining challenge.

“She was a tough old battle. They won more vital moments than we did. Big games come down to little moments, and we have to be better,” Taumoefolau said. “We’re moving forward from that game. We take the learnings, especially winning more moments in the last minutes. We’ll be ready for them next time.”

Beyond finishing, Taumoefolau has embraced the expanded demands placed on modern wingers, from contesting aerial kicks to covering for carded teammates in lineouts and defensive realignments.

“For cards, we train scenarios. You don’t want to overcomplicate it, but if we lose a hooker, the wing might have to throw to the lineout or mark the space nearby,” he explained. “You have to be on for 80 minutes, especially against all the Kiwi sides.”

Taumoefolau represented Tonga at the 2023 Rugby World Cup, scoring in their 45-24 win over Romania, and has spoken openly about the importance of that identity. The phrase he keeps returning to — “you’ve got to rep where you’re from” — captures the thread running through his career, from the Pacific to Hamilton, and now into a potential championship run.