The Blues were chasing a home qualifying final for the playoffs but could not keep pace with the Chiefs, who ran in nine tries to five.
Captaining the Chiefs for the first time, Sititi had a magnificent all-round game, and scored a try, taking a quick penalty tap and catching the Blues defence napping.
Winger Daniel Sinkinson scored two tries for the victors.
The Blues led early, were down by just four points at halftime and were still in it in the 53rd minute at 26-20. But then the Chiefs cut loose.
The Chiefs will have a home qualifying final against the Reds on Saturday night, while the Blues will play the Crusaders in Christchurch earlier that day.
The Hurricanes will host the Brumbies on Friday night.
The three winning teams in the qualifying finals will progress to the semifinals along with the highest-ranked losing team.
The ‘‘lucky loser’’ will be relegated to the lowest seeding for the semifinals.
Meanwhile, Moana Pasifika bowed out of Super Rugby Pacific — for this season, at least — with a brilliant win, coming from behind with only 14 players to rock the Brumbies’ playoff hopes.
They won 21-19 in Canberra in the last performance by the current edition of Moana Pasifika, although hints in the past week suggest the financially stricken club may still be rescued.
Moana Pasifika’s players fought all the way, scoring a converted try in the 73rd minute to take the lead for the first time in the game then holding out the Brumbies’ final attacks.
The Reds did the Highlanders a favour by beating the Fijian Drua 45-24, ensuring the Drua finished below the Highlanders in 10th place.
The Force leapfrogged the Waratahs into seventh with a 31-25 win in Perth. — RNZ/Allied Media
Super Rugby
The playoffs
Friday: Hurricanes v Brumbies, Wellington, 7.05pm
Saturday: Crusaders v Blues, Christchurch, 4.35pm; Chiefs v Reds, Hamilton, 7.05pm
