Departing coach Rob Penney expects his Crusaders to bounce back next year after the 13-time Super Rugby champions' season-ending record loss to the "smoking hot" Chiefs.
The Chiefs ran in six tries in a sizzling opening 33 minutes of the 49-12 semi-final win in Hamilton on Friday night, handing the Crusaders their heaviest-ever defeat.
Penney conceded his defending champions were off their game and said every mistake was exposed by a Chiefs side marshalled expertly by fly-half Damian McKenzie, in his 150th match.
"It was pretty brutal. The Chiefs deserve all the plaudits – they were magnificent," Penney told reporters.
"We really struggled in some key areas that we'd been really good at. But at the end of the day, they were smoking hot and we were trying to put our fingers in the dyke at times, but we just couldn't stop the flood."
It marked the end of 19 straight wins in knockout matches for the Crusaders dating back to 2016.
It also ended a roller-coaster three-year head coaching tenure for Penney, who will be replaced next season by former All Blacks assistant coach Scott Hansen.
In his maiden campaign in 2024, Penney's Crusaders missed the play-offs for the first time in more than a decade, having won the five previous full championships under Scott Robertson.
Penney steered them back to the silverware last year, beating the Chiefs in the final.
However, his side struggled with injuries this season, including to key All Blacks Scott Barrett, Will Jordan and Tamaiti Williams.
"I guess my time here has had its moments but it's been such a pleasure," Penney said.
"The Crusaders' depth chart looks really healthy. I trust the guys and I admire them for their abilities and this team will be tough to beat going forward."
Also leaving the Crusaders, for French club Perpignan, is wing Sevu Reece, whose 74 career tries is a Super Rugby record.
The Chiefs, who have lost the last three grand finals, will line up for next week's decider against either the top-qualifying Hurricanes or the Blues.
Those teams meet in the second semi-final on Saturday.
Coach Jono Gibbes said the Chiefs had been determined to reverse the result of two losses to the Crusaders earlier this season.
"We won the game that mattered against the Crusaders, so for us, that's the satisfaction," Gibbes said.
"The margin of points is the by-product of the effort that's gone in."