Recap: Crusaders vs Hurricanes | Super Rugby Aotearoa
Follow all the action on the RugbyPass live blog from the Super Rugby Aotearoa clash between the Crusaders and Hurricanes at Orangetheory Stadium in Christchurch.
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The Crusaders remain the only unbeaten side in Super Rugby Aotearoa and saw their closest rivals, the Blues, go down to the Hurricanes in Wellington last weekend.
The Hurricanes will now be eyeing up securing the second spot on the ladder and will fancy their chances (however slim they may be) at taking out the competition if they can do the unthinkable and beat the Crusaders in Christchurch.
While the Crusaders have managed to conjure up wins in this Aotearoa competition even when they've been behind the 8-ball at times, there's no question that they're a different beast on their home turf, where they've not lost a Super Rugby match since 2016.
Tellingly, that last loss came at the hands of the Hurricanes.
In terms of the lineups in tonight's fixture, both teams have been shorn of some key players.
The visiting Hurricanes have lost co-captain Dane Coles, which presents the powerful Asafo Aumua with an excellent opportunity to stake a claim for the third hooker spot in the national set-up.
The hosts, meanwhile, have lost David Havili for the season and Braydon Ennor for the next couple of matches. Havili's spot will be taken by the talented Will Jordan while Fetuli Paea steps into the midfield for his first start at this level.
Tonight's game also marks Ben Lam's 50th and final outing for the Hurricanes before he takes up a contract in France.
The match kicks off at 7:05pm NZT from what will be a frosty Orangetheory Stadium.
Latest Comments
Danny don't care. He pretends to care but he don't. He says all this stuff to justify his reasoning but no one can claim that legitimately. He knew exactly what he was doing and wondered if his old team mate would overlook it, which he did. Ref has got to be sidelined or properly trained. It's one thing for refs to move up the ranks but if it was me I would require refs to either have played in different clubs or not at all having the temptation to bias in high stakes games like this. This has got to be stamped out. But then again World Rugby is so destroying the game of rugby in an attempt to be more “safe” and “concussion free”. What they are doing is making it more infuriating for the fans and more difficult for the refs to officiate evenly and consistently. It's fast become Australian Rules football. If guys don't want concussions, they should have played chess. Stop complaining you oldies of the game. When they played the game was vastly heavier hitting than it is now but of course they can't see that.
Go to commentsJa, why do Bulls get flack for not bringing their best but Leinster never bring their best and it goes “unnoticed”?
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