Super 15 Final 2013: Breaking Down How Chiefs Captured Second Straight Title

The Chiefs emerged victorious from a hard-fought championship match against Brumbies to win their second consecutive Super Rugby title. For awhile, it appeared they were going to let the opportunity slip away, but then the heart of a champion returned.

For the second straight match, the Chiefs were forced to fight until the bitter end to earn the win. In the semifinals, they narrowly escaped a matchup with the Crusaders. But the one-point win was enough to secure a spot in the Super 15 Final.

The Brumbies cruised out to an early 9-0 lead as the defending champions struggled to put any serious runs together. A combination of strong defensive play and a lack of top form from the Chiefs gave the underdogs some early confidence.

The Chiefs eventually woke up from their early-match slumber and were able to tie the match at nine shortly before halftime. Momentum had shifted, and it seemed like the Chiefs were getting ready to pull away in the second half.

But right before the break the Brumbies changed the outlook once again with a late try to regain the lead at 16-9. All the hard work the champions had done to get the match back level had virtually evaporated in the closing moments of the half.

With Christian Lealiifano playing so well and the late try changing the complexion of the match, it would have been easy for the Chiefs to let the match get away.

They almost did. The teams traded points early in the half, and with 20 minutes left in the final, the Brumbies were up by 10 and seemingly ready to end the Chiefs' title reign at one season.

Then the comeback began.

Unsurprisingly, it was team captain Liam Messam who jump-started the comeback. After a scrum, he picked up the ball and crashed across to get the Chiefs back in business. It was a crucial turning point. Without it, they probably weren't celebrating another championship.

The effort brought the Chiefs back within five with just over 10 minutes remaining. It was still an uphill battle but a far better position overall.

As the Brumbies fought to maintain their slight edge, Robbie Robinson rose to the occasion. The fullback took advantage of a stretched out Brumbies defense and was able to score what turned out to be the match-winning try.

The Chiefs withstood the final attempts from their game opponents to raise the trophy. A five-minute stretch where the game was going to get decided one way or another fell perfectly for the Chiefs, and they took full advantage.

Their victory capped off another impressive campaign. They are worthy champions for a second straight season.