As it happened: Super Rugby - Crusaders vs Hurricanes

FULLTIME: CRUSADERS 24 - 13 HURRICANES: Crusaders just far too strong in the end for the Hurricanes. They dominated the second half before a late try to the visitors added some respectably to the scoreline. 

80mins: Crusaders put the shove on at the scrum and are looking to just run the clock down through their forwards. Hooter sounds and Mo'unga kicks it out and it's fulltime! 

79mins: The Hurricanes finally find a bit of space down the right wing through Milner-Skudder and he steps his away up to the 22m. Beaudie tries to find his player out wide but it's forward.

77mins: Makalio's throw is a bit strong but Mo'unga does well to clean up and retain possession. Hurricanes force the turnover however but the ball goes into touch off of the Crusaders after a strong run by Laumape.

75mins: Hunt is hit hard and they're starting to go backwards so Drummond clears and Barrett looks to counter. They shift left and Lowe knocks it on into touch.

73mins: Crusaders playing for time now and looking to just take it up through their forwards. They're up over halfway and they're keeping it real right.

71mins: HURRICANES TRY - PRINSEP: Debutant Jonah Lowe finds a bit of space down the left wing before firing it back in field. Hurricanes still have it but are struggling to make metres on this Saders defence. Against the run of play, Ardie Savea finds Prinsep on his inside, beats a couple and races away 30 metres to score under the sticks.

69mins: Douglas wins the lineout for the Canes but pops the ball to absolutely nobody and the Crusaders pounce on it. Mo'unga clears up over the 22m.

67mins: CRUSADERS TRY - BEDWELL-CURTIS: Crusaders put the pressure on again at the scrum and Bedwell-Curtis breaks away from the back, beats Shields and powers his way over for the try. Just way too strong for the Hurricanes at the moment are the Crusaders.

65mins: Crusaders put the shove on and they have the advantage and Hall tries the cross kick. The ball is dropped by Jordie Barrett and Hunt dives on the loose ball before Havili picks it up, has a crack and a reach, but it's knocked on. We'll have a scrum for the penalty before.

63mins: West's introduction to the game is a poor one as his clearance goes dead inside his OWN in goal and the Crusaders will have the scrum just five metres out.

61mins: Goodhue shows great strength in the tackle to take a couple of Hurricanes players with him towards the try line but his offload to Bridge is knocked on.

59mins: Mo'unga puts a clever kick over the top and Miner-Skudder lets it roll into touch just a few metres out from the Hurricanes try line. The visitors are ringing the changes.

57mins: Time is called after Ennor is bent backwards in an ugly tackle and he's forced to go off and is replaced by Hunt. Hall will feed the Crusaders scrum on halfway,

55mins: Julian Savea is driven back by a strong Crusaders defence but they still have it on halfway before the sides decide to play a bit of force back. Lam does well to beat a couple but his offload to Jordie is left behind for the turnover.

53mins: CRUSADERS TRY - ALAALATOA: Barrett wins the lineout but the Crusaders decide to break away through Taylor and he's just a metre out. Alaalatoa picks it up and dives over for the try! We're having a look upstairs for a potential knock on but they rule it went backwards.

51mins: It's Toomga-Allen with the high shot but his arm went up in the tackle so it's nothing more than a penalty. Mo'unga puts the ball into the corner for the lineout.

49mins: Bridge is tackled high but the refs decide against it and the Crusaders continue march on. Nevermind, it's advantage. Mo'unga tries the drop kick but we'll come back for the penalty.

47mins: Barrett wins his 100th lineout of the night and the Saders march on. They're keeping it tight, taking up through their forwards. They're just five metres out before they finally go out wide and Havili looks to be over for a certain try but Savea does BRILLIANTLY to wrap him up in the tackle and take him dead. We'll come back for the penalty. Mo'unga lines up the shot at goal and he extends the lead.

45mins: Laumape makes a surging right up the middle but loses it contact and Hall clears to relieve the pressure. Havili does well to stay with Savea and make the tackle as the Canes concede the penalty for not releasing. Mo'unga's touch finder sees the first-five kick the turf and he's now down with an injury but he will go on.

43mins: Hurricanes guilty of going sideaways as Beaudie and Milner-Skudder can't make any metres up field. Alaalatoa is penalised and the Canes will have the lineout inside the Saders 10m.

41mins: We're back underway and the Crusaders are right on attack straight away. They try the grubber through but it goes dead.

HALFTIME: CRUSADERS 7 - 6 HURRICANES: As the scoreline would suggest, it's been a tight and scrappy encounter. The Crusaders look to have the measure at the set piece, but the Hurricanes have looked dangerous in their limited chances on attack. Hopefully we see an improvement of play in the second half.

40mins: Barrett wins another and the Crusaders look to maul it over. They're just a metre out but they're held up short after a number of pick and go's and it's halftime! Great defence in the end.

40mins: Barrett gets up to win it and again they drive and again, another penalty. Ref gives them a final warning. We'll have another lineout please!

40mins: Crusaders pack rumble it forward from the 22m and they win the penalty as the Hurricanes collapsed the maul. We'll have another lineout, this time just five metres out.

40mins: Laumape nails Tamanivalu in the tackle but it's called dangerous by the referee. Unlucky there, it looked just a solid hit but apparently he made contact with his neck. 

39mins: Perenara puts the kick up and Lam puts great pressure on Havili to force him to make contact with the ball before it goes into touch. 

38mins: Savea is put clean through after a great pass and the 'Bus' is finally taken down inside the Crusaders 22m. They have the advantage so they try the cross kick but we'll come back. Toomaga-Allen the one penalised. Beaudie will have a shot and he nails it front straight in front. Samu has gone off for a head check.

37mins: Wow, Havili drops his third high ball of the night but it was great pressure by Savea, who nailed the fullback right as he touched the ball. Another potential offside but it's just a scrum.

35mins: Ennor gets a beautiful popped ball and he's in space before being dragged down near the 22m. The Crusaders try the grubber through but Milner-Skudder wins the race for the 22m drop out.

33mins: Laumape puts a cross kick for Lam and it's perfect but he dangerous winger drops it in contact. Laumape rightfully has his hands on his head. They had numbers.

31mins: Hurricanes fluff the chance as mis-communication at the lineout leads to a free-kick for the Crusaders and Mo'unga clears. He gets it back from Milner-Skudder's kick and he combins brilliantly with Ennor to put the Crusaders up near the 22m but they turn it over the breakdown.

29mins: Ennor takes it up from the lineout win but Samu drops it on the following carry and the Hurricanes look to counter. We're having a look upstairs and it's Alaalatoa who's penalised for a high shot. He connected with Riccitelli's chin but it's just a penalty.

27mins: Havili takes in the restart and pumps it long right up to halfway. Fatialofa gets up to win the lineout and the penalty as Barrett obstructs him in the air. It's a Barrett-filled game so far! Jordie lines up the long-range attempt at goal and it's over! Great nudge.

25mins: CRUSADERS TRY - BARRETT: Barrett wins the lineout just five metres out from the try line but the Hurricanes sack the drive. The Crusaders forwards attempt to rumble it forward and Scott Barrett is over for the game's opening try!

23mins: Barrett puts the kick up and Bridge takes it in easily and it's Jordie again who's penalised. This time for a high shot on the Saders fullback.

21mins: There's space for Milner-Skudder once again on the outside and he finds Savea before his offload to Barrett is tapped back into the Crusaders' hands. Jordie Barrett is peanalised for a late hit on Mo'unga.

19mins: Perenara finds Milner-Skudder on his right and he ALMOST slips through but Bateman does well to hang on. They try the kick through but Havili this time is up to it before Hall clears it into touch. Bateman is limping off to the sideline.

17mins: Barrett puts up the bomb and Havili drops another! Had slightly more pressure on him this time and he couldn't hang on. Samu lucky not to be penalised for offside in his attempt to clean up.

15mins: Savea knocks on in the tackle and the Crusaders have the advantage. Mo'unga tries to find Tamanivalu with the cross kick, he gathers it but his offload can only find Lam waiting. Advantage was over.

13mins: Strange gets up to win the lineout and the Crusaders begin to drive. Ball comes loose and Samu's penalised for holding on after pouncing on it. Barrett finds touch around halfway for the lineout.

11mins: Hurricanes look to go out wide but Shields drops it in his attempt to find Lam for a Crusaders scrum. Toomaga-Allen is penalised for over-extending and the Saders will have the lineout on the 22m.

9mins: Crockett guilty of being too eager and he takes out a player without the ball, conceding the penalty. Barrett finds touch just up over halfway.

7mins: Tamanivalu takes the ball into contact and is hard hard by Ardie Savea. The two rumble on but the Hurricanes concede the penalty at the breakdown and Mo'unga will have a shot at goal...and he misses a relatively easy one.

5mins: Hurricanes switching directions in attack through Laumape but Goodhue does well at the breakdown and foces the penalty for hanging on.

3mins: Havili drops the uncontested catch and the Hurricanes will have the scrum inside the Crusaders 10m. It's pretty wet out there.

1mins: Barrett gets us underway and Bateman does brilliantly to slide in underneath it and take the grab. Mo'unga clears up near halfway. 

7:32pm: Just a couple of minutes away from kick off now. Players about to make their way out of the sheds. 

7:28pm: Very excited to see how some of the All Black snubs go tonight. You've got a few former and unlucky ones to miss out on selection, who'll no doubt be looking to make an impact.

7:25pm: The Crusaders have still managed to put out a good side for the clash, despite a number of their All Blacks ruled out. Meanwhile, their opposition are riding a 10-match win streak and boast the scariest backline in the competition.

7:20pm: Thanks for joining us tonight for what should be CRACKER of a game. It's a heavyweight clash between Super Rugby's best.

Kia ora and welcome to AMI Stadium as the defending Super Rugby champions, the Crusaders take on the high-flying Hurricanes in week 15 of Super Rugby.  

We bring you live streaming written commentary, (BE SURE TO REFRESH YOUR BROWSER), and all the action. Video will be available as soon as the final whistle goes.

Commentary will start at 7:20pm (NZT)

Lineups

Crusaders

15 David Havili, 14 Seta Tamanivalu, 13 Jack Goodhue, 12 Tim Bateman, 11 George Bridge, 10 Richie Mo’unga, 9 Bryn Hall, 8 Pete Samu, 7 Matt Todd (c), 6 Heiden Bedwell-Curtis, 5 Quinten Strange, 4 Scott Barrett, 3 Mike Alaalatoa, 2 Codie Taylor, 1 Wyatt Crockett.

Replacements: 16 Andrew Makalio, 17 Chris King, 18 Donald Brighouse, 19 Luke Romano, 20 Ethan Blackadder, 21 Mitchell Drummond, 22 Mitchell Hunt, 23 Braydon Ennor.

Hurricanes

15 Nehe Milner-Skudder, 14 Julian Savea, 13 Jordie Barrett, 12 Ngani Laumape, 11 Ben Lam, 10 Beauden Barrett, 9 TJ Perenara, 8 Blade Thomson, 7 Ardie Savea, 6 Brad Shields (c), 5 Sam Lousi, 4 Michael Fatialofa, 3 Jeff Toomaga-Allen, 2 Ricky Riccitelli, 1 Toby Smith.

Replacements: 16 Nathan Vella, 17 Chris Eves, 18 Ben May, 19 Murray Douglas, 20 Reed Prinsep, 21 Finlay Christie, 22 Ihaia West, 23 Jonah Lowe.

Match officials
Referee: Angus Gardner
Assistant Referees: Ben O’Keeffe, James Doleman
TMO: Aaron Paterson

Previous meetings
Sat, 10 Mar 2018 Crusaders v Hurricanes 19-29 Wellington
Sat, 15 Jul 2017 Crusaders v Hurricanes 22-31 Wellington
Sat, 13 May 2017 Crusaders v Hurricanes 20-12 Christchurch
Sat, 16 Jul 2016 Crusaders v Hurricanes 10-35 Christchurch
Fri, 29 May 2015 Crusaders v Hurricanes 35-18 Christchurch

Head-to-head
Crusaders $1.95 Hurricanes $1.85

Pre-match banter: All Black call-up Jordan Taufua to miss Hurricanes clash

The Crusaders have been dealt another blow ahead of their top-of-the-table Super Rugby showdown against the Hurricanes in Christchurch.

Loose forward Jordan Taufua will miss the crucial clash after injuring his calf during the All Blacks training camp earlier this week.

Taufua is the second Crusaders player to suffer a minor injury at the All Blacks training camp in Auckland this week after Tim Perry suffered a hamstring strain to his left leg during a low-intensity team drill on Tuesday.

Pete Samu will replace Taufua at number eight with Ethan Blackadder coming onto the bench.

In total, the Crusaders will be missing eight New Zealand internationals due to injury or suspension for their biggest game of the season.

"Jordan is out tomorrow night," Crusaders coach Scott Robinson told Team Talk on Sky Sports.

 "His calf tightened up at the All Blacks camp, so it's a shame for him because he was pretty pumped to play."

The match at AMI Stadium could ultimately decide who will finish on top of the New Zealand conference and the overall Super Rugby standings.

Just one point separates the two teams at the top of the conference standings, with the Crusaders in first spot on 46 points from 12 games.

But despite being in second place in their country's table, the men from Wellington have played one match fewer than the defending champions which highlights the importance of this fixture to both teams.

"If the Crusaders win [on Friday] they're still only one or two points ahead of us, and if the other teams continue to win, either side is catch-able," said Hurricanes coach Chris Boyd.

"The Crusaders still have a bye as well, so they've only got four games left rather than five. As it sits, now you'd say it was a one versus two battle, but you can't predict that's going to be the case in three or four weeks' time."

The Hurricanes have won eight of their last 11 games against the Crusaders.

Newshub.