Crusaders beat Moana Pasifika

This is the first Super Rugby match between Moana Pasifika and the Crusaders, as well as their inaugural match in the competition for the Samoan franchise.

Crusaders have lost only one of their last seven games in the competition when facing a team for the first time (W5, D1), a 28-19 defeat to the Melbourne Rebels (Round 12, 2012).

• The Crusaders have won their last nine Super Rugby games on the bounce, their longest winning streak in the competition since a run of 19 wins from March 2018 to March 2019; they have scored an average of 40 points per game across their last nine wins.
• Scott Robertson’s charges have lost only one of their last 37 Super Rugby matches against teams from outside New Zealand (W34, D2) and are undefeated in their last 15 such fixtures (W13, D2); their only defeat was a 20-12 loss to the NSW Waratahs (Round 6, 2019).
• Moana Pasifika coach Aaron Mauger won his first game as head coach in Super Rugby against the Crusaders in March 2018, but he has lost each of his six games against them since.
• The Crusaders have retained possession on 10 kicks in play in the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific season, three more than any other team in the competition.

Players to watch

• Braydon Ennor (Crusaders) has made two try saver tackles in the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific season; he is one of only two players to have made more than one so far this season (Pete Samu – 3).
• Crusaders’ duo Fergus Burke and Scott Barrett have each won three turnovers this Super Rugby Pacific campaign; no other player in the competition has won more than two.
• Solomone Kata joins Moana Pasifika after three seasons with the Brumbies, including an appearance in Round 2 of Super Rugby Trans-Tasman 2021 where he beat 12 defenders against the Chiefs – the second most of any player in a game throughout the tournament (16 – Jordie Barrett in Round 5).
• Sekope Kepu (Moana Pasifika) returns to Super Rugby for the first time since playing 11 seasons for the NSW Waratahs between 2008 and 2019; Kepu appeared in two games for Counties Manukau in the 2021 Bunnings NPC in which he completed all 13 of his tackle attempts.
• Sevu Reece (Crusaders) has scored 10 tries in his last six starts in Super Rugby, crossing for at least one try in every one of those six starts.

Match detail

We are waiting for the kick-off.

In the meantime, why not have a look at the match preview.

1.00: PEEEP! We are underway for this historic Super Rugby Pacific match between new boys Moana Pasifika and 10 time Super Rugby champions Crusaders.

3.00: Crusaders win a penalty after Ezekiel Lindenmuth did not roll away.

4.00: MISS! Simon Hickey misses from in front. 0-0

7.00: A couple of reset scrums leads to a Saders penalty for hinging by Ezekiel Lindenmuth.

9.00: Excellent driving maul defending by Moana Pasifika before forcing the Kiwis into a handling mistake near their line.

10.00: Henry Time-Stowers is – unfairly – pinged for not supporting his body weight, the replay shows how poor the call was by referee James Doleman.

13.00: More superb driving maul defending by the Pasifika forwards, who stop the opposition again.

15.00: TRY! Sensational score by Pasifika! Solomone Funaki reaches out to score a historic try for the Samoans. Lincoln McClutchie’s line-break in midfield, after another Crusaders turnover on the halfway line, set up his side’s score. 5-0

16.00: MISS! The kick is no good. 5-0

19.00: Crusaders with another mistake near the opposition’s try line. Pasifika clear before winning a scrum outside their 22.

21.00: Another lineout drive is repelled by Moana Pasifika before two sustained attacking phases end with another turnover.

23.00: TRY! Mitch Dunshea goes over untouched in the left corner after George Bridge’s linebreak on the 22. 5-5

24.00: CONVERSION! Kick is good. 5-7

26.00: Good cover defending by Ereatara Enari to give his team a goal-line drop-out.

29.00: TRY! Ethan Blackadder is over! Yet again, the Samoans halt the Kiwi driving maul; however, the Crusaders went through the phases, attack after attack, before Blackadder crashes over the chalk from close range. 5-12

31.00: CONVERSION! Hickey slots the kick. 5-14

35.00: It’s all Crusaders as they camp inside the opposition’s 22. Moana Pasifika are tiring, which does not bode well for the second half.

37.00: The front rows are struggling, Pasifika more than Saders, but the ref is warning all six players about scrum management.

39.00: Another Crusaders handling mistake gives the Samoans a reprieve.

41.00: Pasifika survive.

The halftime score was Pasifika 5 Crusaders 14

41.00: PEEEP! We are back underway in Dunedin.

43.00: Pressure from the Saders’ front row wins Robertson’s men another set-piece penalty.

46.00: TRY! Codie Taylor is over. The Samoans leaking penalties despite repelling the Crusaders’ driving maul; however, another maul eventually finds its way over the chalk. 5-19

47.00: CONVERSION! The kick is ggod. 5-21

48.00: Pasifika get their first penalty of the game – WOW!

52.00: Two opportunities go begging after an overthrown lineout lets the Saders off the hook.

57.00: Mauger’s men are not allowing their illustrious opponants to walk over them, they are tackling well; however, they have conceded 10 penalties to only two, which is killing their few chances at scoring.

60.00: A well-worked rolling maul comes to nothing after a knock-on near the opposition’s goal line.

63.00: Pasifika wring the changes. They earn a scrum penalty before another for offside. They go to the corner looking for their driving maul; however, the Saders keep the forwards out. A knock-on by the home team kills their chance at seven.

68.00: TRY! Fine Inisi scores next to the posts after Bryn Hall could not collect Matera’s knock-on for a scrum. 10-21

69.00: CONVERSION! The kick is good. 12-21

70.00: TRY! Abraham Pole dots down from a pick-and-drive. A mistake from the kick-off saw the Crusaders hit back immediately. 12-26

72.00: CONVERSION! The two is good from Mo’unga. 12-28

76.00: It’s end-to-end at stages, but turnovers are hurting both teams.

79.00: Time is running out for a bonus-point try.

81.00: Taukiha’amea Koloamatangi gives away a penalty near his 22, which allows Mo’unga to kick to the corner.

82.00: TRY! Taylor barges over from the rolling maul: Bonus point secured. 12-33

83.00: MISS! Mo’unga’s kick is wide. 12-33

FULL TIME

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The final score is Moana Pasifika 12 (5) Crusaders 33 (14)

Scorers

Moana Pasifika
Tries – Funaki, Inisi
Pen –
Con – McClutchie
Drop –
Cards –

Crusaders
Tries – Dunshea, Blackadder, Taylor (2), Pole
Pen –
Con – Hickey (3), Mo’unga
Drop –
Cards –

Match Officials
Referee: James Doleman
Assistant Ref 1: Ben O’Keeffe
Assistant Ref 2: Fraser Hannon
TMO: Chris Hart

Teams

Moana Pasifika

15 William Havili, 14 Tima Fainga’anuku, 13 Levi Aumua, 12 Danny Toala, 11 Neria Fomai, 10 Lincoln McClutchie, 9 Ereatara Enari, 8 Henry Time-Stowers, 7 Alamanda Motuga, 6 Solomone Funaki, 5 Samuel Slade, 4 Mike McKee, 3 Sekope Kepu (captain), 2 Luteru Tolai, 1 Ezekiel Lindenmuth

Replacements: 16 Samiuela Moli, 17 Taukiha’amea Koloamatangi, 18 Joe Apikotoa, 19 Alex McRobbie, 20 Jack Lam, 21 Jonathan Taumateine, 22 Christian Leali’ifano, 23 Fine Inisi

Crusaders

15 Chay Fihaki, 14 George Bridge, 13 Leicester Fainga’anuku, 12 Dallas McLeod, 11 Kini Naholo, 10 Simon Hickey, 9 Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, 8 Pablo Matera, 7 Tom Christie, 6 Ethan Blackadder, 5 Quinten Strange (captain), 4 Mitch Dunshea, 3 Oli Jager, 2 Brodie McAlister, 1 George Bower

Replacements: 16 Codie Taylor, 17 Abraham Pole, 18 Fletcher Newell, 19 Dominic Gardiner, 20 Corey Kellow, 21 Bryn Hall, 22 Richie Mo’unga, 23 Isaiah Punivai