Chiefs confirmed as Super Rugby Aotearoa finalists

The Chiefs will play the Crusaders in the Super Rugby Aotearoa final on May 8 after governing body SANZAAR confirmed on Monday that the tiebreaker for teams tied on points was the number of wins.

The top two teams in the competition standings will contest the final, with the Crusaders having locked up first place and home advantage with a 29-6 victory over the Blues on Sunday.

Despite that loss, the Blues could draw level with the second-placed Chiefs on points if they win the meeting between the two teams at Eden Park next weekend.

The Chiefs have already won five matches this year, however, and the Blues could only secure a fourth in the final match of the regular season on Saturday.

The Crusaders will be without Joe Moody for the final and the Trans Tasman Super Rugby competition that follows it, however, after the team confirmed that the All Blacks prop will require foot surgery.

The 32-year-old loosehead, who injured his left foot in his 100th Super Rugby match against the Hurricanes two weeks ago, will also miss New Zealand's July tests against Italy and Fiji during a spell of up to five months on the sidelines.