The Crusaders have won eight of their last nine Super Rugby games against the Hurricanes (L1), including their last two on the bounce; although, their only defeat in that term came on home soil (34-32, July 2020).
The Crusaders have won their last seven games on the bounce in Super Rugby with their last defeat coming by just a single point at the hands of the Chiefs in April 2021 (26-25, Super Rugby Aotearoa). They have scored 40.3 points per game in those wins.
- The Saders have won 42 of their last 45 Super Rugby games on home soil (D1, L2), including their last four on the bounce; however, one of their two defeats in that 45-game span came against the Hurricanes (34-32) in July 2020 (Round 7, Super Rugby Aotearoa).
- The Canes have lost five of their last seven Super Rugby games away from home (W2), after having lost only three times in their 13 away games beforehand (W9, D1).
- The Crusaders (5) and the Hurricanes (4) scored more tries per game than any other teams in Super Rugby competitions in 2021.
- The Hurricanes made dominant contact on 29 carries per game in Super Rugby competitions in 2021, more than any other team and seven per game more than the Crusaders (22).
- Scott Robertson’s charges gained 186 metres from mauls in Super Rugby competitions in 2021, the second-most by any team (Blues – 249) and more than three times the Hurricanes’ tally in this category (52).
- Jason Holland’s men scored eight tries in Super Rugby competitions in 2021 starting possession from a kick return, the most by any team and double the amount of the Christchurch side in this category (4).
Players to watch
- Leicester Fainga’anuku crossed the gain line on 109 carries in Super Rugby competitions in 2021, the most by any player and 24 more than any other individual.
- Jordie Barrett had 18 kicks in play retained by a teammate in Super Rugby in 2021, the most by any player and more than double the amount of any Crusaders player.
Match detail
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1.00: PEEEP! We are underway at Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin. The Crusaders are the designated ‘home’ team today.
3.00: Crusaders lose their first lineout of the season, but regain the ball after a kicking duel between the two teams’ halfbacks.
5.00: A 10-phase Saders’ attack – three-minute multiphase plays by both teams – ends with a knock-on and scrum to the Canes, who won the penalty for collapsing.
7.00: PENALTY! Jordie Barrett opens the scoring. 0-3
8.00: TRY! Leicester Fainga’anuku comes in from the left wing to score the game’s first try. Will Jordan ran from deep cutting through a massive hole in midfield before sending Fergus Burke away. Burke got tackled by Wes Goosen, but the ball was quickly recycled wide to Fainga’anuku, who busted over. 5-3
10.00: CONVERSION! Burke adds the extras. 7-3
14.00: TRY! Fainga’anuku gets his second after another sublime run and pass by Jordan. The fullback took Braydon Ennor’s (suspected forward) inside pass, hit the line at an angle, slipped Jamie Boothe’s tackle, drew the cover defenders, and sent the winger away for his ninth super Rugby try. 12-3
15.00: MISS! Burke cannot convert. 12-3
17.00: Hurricanes earn a lickable penalty in front.
18.00: PENALTY! Barrett halves the deficit. 12-6
22.00: Hurricanes earn a penalty, but they are making a lot of tackles as the Crusaders hog the ball, which will hurt them in the final quarter.
25.00: Canes lose an attacking lineout near the Saders’ try line; that’s one lost lineout each.
26.00: Robertson’s men are leaking penalties (6-1). Referee Brendon Pickerill talks to captain Scott Barrett.
27.00: MISS! Barrett cannot cut the gap to three; he misses a sitter from in front. WOW! 12-6
28.00: TRY! Ruben Love finishes off a sublime attack from the halfway line after Billy Proctor puts Wes Goosen away. Goosen made the linebreak and raced into the 22. He drew Jordan and played Peter Umaga-Jensen. The centre popped inside to the supporting Love, whose momentum carried him, and two defenders, over the whitewash. 12-11
30.00: CONVERSION! Barrett slots the wide conversion. 12-13
33.00: More pressure from Hurricanes as the Crusaders defend inside their 22.
35.00: Hurricanes dominating entries into opposition’s 22 (8-1), time in opposition’s 22 by double at 2 minutes. Ardie Savea is held up by some desperate defending from Cullen Grace and Jordan.
37.00: YELLOW CARD! Oli Jager goes to the bin after another cynical indiscretion; Barrett kicks to the corner.
39.00: NO TRY! Asafo Aumua crashes over after an energy-sapping 10-phase attack from the driving maul, but his knee hits the ground after being tackled, and the try is chalked off. This is game-changing and WILL come back to bite Holland’s men. 12-13
41.00: Du’Plessis Kirifi is offside, the ref sees it, and awards Burke a very kickable penalty in front.
42.00: PENALTY! Burke slots the kick. 15-13
The halftime score was Crusaders 15 Hurricanes 13
41.00: PEEEP! We are back underway in Otago.
45.00: PENALTY! Burke adds another goal. 18-13
51.00: TRY! Fainga’anuku gets a hat-trick, striking from close-range off the back of a well-worked attacking lineout. 23-13
52.00: CONVERSION! The kick is good. 25-13
56.00: PENALTY! Burke adds his third. 28-13
63.00: NO TRY! Ben May, the oldest player ever in SR, knocks on in the build-up to Savea’s sensational 40m try from a pick-and-go. That is harsh on the prop forward.
66.00: PENALTY TRY! The ref awards the Crusaders a seven-pointer after the Hurricanes illegally impeded the driving maul. 35-13
66.00: YELLOW CARD! Brayden Iose goes to the bin. 35-13
68.00: YELLOW CARD! Burke also goes to the bin as well for a cynical infringement. 35-13
69.00: TRY! Bailyn Sullivan, on debut, scores in the corner. 35-18
70.00: MISS! The kick is wide. 35-18
71.00: TRY! Shilo Klein, on debut, flops over the whitewash after a driving maul. 40-18
72.00: CONVERSION! Simon Hickey adds the extras. 42-18
75.00: TRY! Barrett goes over for his 21st SR five-pointer. 42-23
76.00: CONVERSION! Barrett adds two. 42-25
78.00: TRY! Jackson Garden-Bachop goes over near the sticks. 42-30
79.00: CONVERSION! Barrett takes a quick drop-kick. 42-32
81.00: Canes win a penalty on their line. No more time. Game over.
FULL TIME
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The final score is Crusaders 42 (15) Hurricanes 32 (13)
Scorers
Crusaders
Tries – Fainga’anuku (3), Penalty try, Klein
Pen – Burke (3)
Con – Burke (2), Hickey
Drop –
Cards – Jager (Yellow, 37′), Burke (Yellow, 68′)
Hurricanes
Tries – Love, Sullivan, J. Barrett, Garden-Bachop
Pen – J. Barrett (2)
Con – J. Barrett (3)
Drop –
Cards – Iose (Yellow, 66′)
Match Officials
Referee: Brendon Pickerill
Assistant Ref 1: James Doleman
Assistant Ref 2: Fraser Hannon
TMO: Mike Fraser
Teams
Crusaders
15 Will Jordan, 14 George Bridge, 13 Braydon Ennor, 12 David Havili, 11 Leicester Fainga’anuku, 10 Fergus Burke, 9 Bryn Hall, 8 Cullen Grace, 7 Tom Christie, 6 Pablo Matera, 5 Sam Whitelock, 4 Scott Barrett (captain), 3 Oli Jager, 2 Brodie McAlister, 1 Joe Moody
Replacements: 16 Shilo Klein, 17 George Bower, 18 Tamaiti Williams, 19 Quinten Strange, 20 Mitch Dunshea, 21 Mitch Drummond, 22 Simon Hickey, 23 Sevu Reece
Hurricanes
15 Jordie Barrett, 14 Julian Savea, 13 Billy Proctor, 12 Peter Umaga-Jensen, 11 Wes Goosen, 10 Ruben Love, 9 Jamie Booth, 8 Ardie Savea (captain), 7 Du’Plessis Kirifi, 6 Devan Flanders, 5 Justin Sangster, 4 James Blackwell, 3 Tyrel Lomax, 2 Asafo Aumua, 1 Pouri Rakete-Stones
Replacements: 16 Jacob Devery, 17 Xavier Numia, 18 Ben May, 19 Reed Prinsep, 20 Brayden Iose, 21 Richard Judd, 22 Jackson Garden-Bachop, 23 Bailyn Sullivan
