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Blues 7 Crusaders 21
Blues - Christie try; Perofeta conversion
Crusaders - Hall & Reece tries; Mo'unga conversion, drop goal & 2 penalties
Second half
40th minute - BLues win a penalty and take a tap. Romano charges forward, Ioane puts Sullivan into space and Sotutu carries on.
Romano spills the ball and Reece kicks into touch, as the siren sounds on another Crusaders triumph.
39th minute - Blues barely clear their scrum and surge into Crusaders territory, but a loose pass takes them back into their own half.
38th minute - Barrett kicks off short and the Crusaders knock on in midfield.
35th minute - TRY to Reece
McAlister's throw goes astray, but the Blues can't gather at the back of the lineout. Barrett claims a high kick and BLues try to clear their half, but Whitelock steals the ball.
Matera stabs the ball into the corner and the Blues defenders overrun it, with Reece following up to score. Mo'unga leaves his conversion right, CRU 21-7
33rd minute - Nock feeds to a Blues scrum in Crusaders territory, just outside the 22, and Lam runs hard when the ball is cleared.
Blues enter the 22, but concede a penalty at the breakdown, when Christie is over Ioane in the ruck.
32nd minute - Nock replaces Christie for the Blues. Barrett steals another lineout, but Crusaders knock on.
31st minute - Robinson wins a lineout near halfway and then carries strongly. Barrett kicks behind the defence and Lam takes Mo'unga into touch.
30th minute - Barrett spills the ball and Newell carries to halfway. Jordan makes metres to the 22, but the Blues have a clearing penalty.
29th minute - Better scrum from the Blues and Christie hacks the ball into the Crusaders 22. Mo'unga clears, but Barrett counterattacks.
28th minute - Mo'unga puts up a high kick and Perofeta leaps to claim it, but Christie knocks on at the ruck.
27th minute - Mo'unga's penalty kick falls short and Barrett runs it out of his 22.
25th minute - Big Crusaders scrum wins a penalty in Blues half and Mo'unga has another kick at goal.
24th minute - Blues opt for a midfield scrum near halfway...
23rd minute - Blues win a lineout free-kick, which helps their ailing lineout stats.
22nd minute - Crusaders in Blues half and throwing the ball left and right, but are penalised at the breakdown. Momentum is switching...
21st minute - From the kickoff, Perofeta kicks from his 22 and JOrdan runs it back, kicking high back to Perofeta, who breaks upfield. Crusaders steal the ball at the ruck.
19th minute - Havili receives a long pass behind his goal-line and Papalii is on him, but O'Keeffe is playing a knock-on advantage upfield. Hall is replaced by Drummond, McAlister replaces Taylor and Williams on for Bower.
TRY to Christie
Drummond is barely on the field and he's bustled off the ball at the back of the scrum by his opposite, who picks up and scampers over to open the Blues scoring. Perofeta converts, CRU 16-7
18th minute - Papalii breaks out of his own half and holds the ball up, but Barrett drops the ball in midfield. They have a penalty advantage and take a quick tap, but knock on.
17th minute - Vikena rumbles into the Crusaders 22, but Scott Barrett steals the ball and it's cleared into the Blues half again.
16th minute - Big Blues scrum, but Havili kicks deep into the BLues 22, where Barrett runs and then kicks. JOrdan kicks high, but Barrett's kick is charged down and falls to Sotutu.
15th minute - Vikena throws long again, but Taylor is ready this time and Heem knocks on under pressure.
14th minute - Barrett finds touch inside Crusaders half and Blues replace their front row. Vikena throws long and Heem takes the ball in midfield, but Barrett spills a pass and the Crusaders toe the ball upfield.
Taylor shoves Vikena, Robinson shoves Taylor... Bryn Hall whispers something to Robinson. O'Keeffe penalises Taylor for the push and Barret kicks deep into Crusaders half.
13th minute - BLues scrum crumbles, but Christie clears the ball to his backs and they win a penalty.
12th minute - Newell replaces Jager for the Crusaders.
BLues win a free-kick at their defensive scrum and opt for another scrum.
11th minute - Beauden Barrett kicks towards halfway and Jordan runs the ball back towards the 22. Mo'unga puts his nose through a gap, but spills the ball.
10th minute - Mo'unga kicks to the corner, as the Crusaders try to ice this contest early.
Grace wins the lineout and Fainga'anuku tries to duck around the front of the lineout. Barrett goes close and is held up over the line for a goal-line dropout.
Ninth minute - O'Keeffe is playing penalty advantage against Beauden Barrett for offside and Hall's attempted drop goal is charged down, so back for the penalty.
Eighth minute - From the kickoff, Hall clears towards halfway, but Taylor steals the throw from the Blues throw.
Mo'unga heads towards the corner, Hall throws a pass between his legs and the Crusaders build phases on the tryline...
Sixth minute - Mo'unga slots the penalty and the mountain just got steeper for the Blues, CRU 16-0
Fifth minute - Matera powers towards the posts and Mo'unga kicks to the corner for Havili, but Lam is there to save the day. O'Keeffe brings them back for a midfield penalty.
Papalii replaces Choat, Romano on for Goodhue and Heem for RTS.
Fourth minute - Another dash by Fainga'anuku, but dragged into touch by Telea. Sotutu returns.
Crusaders steal another lineout throw inside the Blues 22.
Third minute - Whitelock wins the lineout and Crusaders rumble towards their 10. They look left, but Fainga'anuku spills the ball and regains it.
Havili kicks deep and Barrett kicks to Jordan, who crosses halfway.
Second minute - Beauden Barrett takes on the advancing Crusaders line, but Papalii isn't ready for a pass that goes into touch.
First minute - Blues really need to be the next to score, if they hope to pull back this lead.
Dalton Papalii has replaced Sotutu in the Blues loose forwards, but the No.8 is undergoing an HIA. Blues kick off and Crusaders settle in midfield.
Hall kicks high to Perofeta and Blues have the ball inside Crusaders half.
Halftime
40th minute - TRY to Hall
Crusaders building phases in the shadow of the goalposts and have penalty advantage for offside.
Fainga'anuku is dragged down short, but Hall is at the base of the ruck to pick up and score.
39th minute - From the maul, Mo'unga runs left and finds Fainga'anuku inside him. Crusaders are inside the 22...
38th minute - Mo'unga finds touch near the Blues 10 and Barret wins the lineout. Crusaders maul towards the 22.
37th minute - Barrett finds touch inside Crusaders half and Eklund wisely throws to Robinson. RTS tries to jink through the right edge defence, but Blues have knocked on and are then penalised at the breakdown.
36th minute - Robinson is the Blues' safest lineout option and wins another one, with a penalty advantage.
35th minute - Blues lose another lineout throw, but win a penalty, when the Crusaders are off their feet in the ruck near the tryline.
Eklund throws over the lineout and RTS spills the ball in midfield.
34th minute - Mo'unga kicks into the Blues 22, but he's taken it back into his half, so not a 50-22.
33rd minute - Crusaders feed to a scrum on halfway and Havili drives over halfway.
32nd minute - Mo'unga drills deep into the Blues 22 and Barrett returns. Reece catches and chips ahead, but Christie gathers near halfway and Lam bobbles into touch.
30th minute - From the kickoff, Hall kicks high and the ball falls to Beauden Barrett, who shifts right, where Akira Ioane makes metres into the Crusaders half.
29th minute - Mo'unga points to the posts and slots his kick from a handy angle, CRU 6-0
28th minute - Blues defence is strong, but Crusaders have a penalty advantage. Havili kicks into the 22 and Mo'unga gathers, but there's a knock-on and O'Keeffe brings them back for the penalty.
27th minute - Christie clears upfield, but it bounces back infield. Mo'unga kicks high and Havili claims it on the Blues 10.
25th minute - Crusaders midfield scrum, but Grace is disrupted by Christie. Jordan kicks inside the Blues 22 and the Blues throw quickly to the lineout.
24th minute - Hall puts up a high kick, but Beauden Barrett can't claim it in the air and Crusaders knock on.
BLues clear their scrum, but go nowhere and evetually Perofeta can't gather Sotutu's pass.
23rd minute - Barrett wins the ball at the front of a lineout in Crusaders territory.
22nd minute - Blues have another lineout on the Crusaders 22 and Sotutu wins it, but the Blues are penalised at the breakdown.
21st minute - The ball bobbles out of the Blues scrum, but RTS gathers and hares upfield, before putting a kick ahead. Blues have a lineout near the tryline, but Whitelock steals the throw again.
20th minute - Barrett wins the lineout and Mo'unga pumps a high kick, but there's a knock-on by the Crusaders.
19th minute - Sotutu clears of the back of the scrum and RTS bumps off Goodhue. Christie clears towards halfway and Fainga'anuku almost keeps the kick in.
Officials are reviewing Goodhue's tackle on RTS and there is head on head, but it looks incidental. O'Keeffe rules Havili tackles RTS into the contact and there is no penalty - again, a rarity and some common sense at last.
18th minute - Crusaders build phases outside the 22 and eventually Goodhue enters the red zone, but the Blues secure the loose ball and Barrett kicks to Lam. O'Keeffe brings them back for the Crusaders knock-on.
Play has stopped for a TMO review for foul play...
Replays show Laulala making contact with Bower's head, but O'Keeffe rules there's no foul play, both players are very low in the contact, so back to the Blues scrum. That's a rarity.
17th minute - Crusaders run from halfway and Havili puts a kick ahead, but Christie is there to force for the BLues.
16th minute - Matera wins the lineout and Crusaders rumble towards the posts. Fainga'anuku is over the line, but O'Keeffe says he's held up and will check with the TMO.
It's called a no-try on the field and there is no clear angle to reverse that. Barrett's goal-line dropout clears halfway on the full.
15th minute - Blues lose another lineout and Havili kicks a 50-22 to put the Crusaders hot on attack again.
14th minute - From the kickoff, Hall clears towards halfway.
13th minute - Grace wins another lineout and Crusaders rumble towards the 22, winning a penalty, but Mo'unga takes affairs into his own hands and drops a goal, CRU 3-0
12th minute - Blues throw long to the lineout and Christie clears his own 22.
11th minute - Crusaders throw quickly and are trying to play at pace. When the ball goes left, Goodhue finds Taylor inside him, but he's barely forced into touch in the corner.
10th minute - Robinson finally claims a Blues throw-in and Christie clears a few metres up the touchline.
Ninth minute - Crusaders defence is up quickly and drives the Blues back. Perofeta puts up a high kick, but Jordan takes it outside his 22.
JOrdan puts a high kick in the air, but Telea spills it. Reece kicks for his opposite wing, but the ball skids into touch.
Eighth minute - Sotutu runs off the back of the scrum and over halfway. Long pass to Lam and Laulal powers forward, before Barrett breaks the advatnage line.
Seventh minute - Crusaders disrupt the BLues lineout again and win the ball. Mounga breaks out of his half, but Taylor spills the pass.
BLues will feed the scrum near halfway...
Sixth minute - Blues have a penalty for offside and can clear their half. Barrett finds touch on the Crusaders 10.
Fifth minute - Whitelock wins the lineout at the back and enter the 22 again, but Matera is driven back in a tackle. Crusaders have knocked on and Perofeta breaks out of the 22.
Fourth minute - Blues feed to the first scrum of the night on their five metres. Sotutu picks up and Christie clears his goal-line to the 22.
Third minute - Eklund's throw is batted back to the Crusaders and the ball shifts left, but Fainga'anuku is tackled into touch by Telea and RTS just metres out.
Second minute - Matera powers towards the 22 in midfield and Bower enters the red zone. Mo'unga's kick is blocked, but Hall regathers.
Quick hands give Reece some space down the right, but the ball is in touch.
First minute - Ben O'Keeffe will referee tonight's big game, weather conditions are drizzly and not conducive to running rugby.
Mo'unga kicks off for the Crusaders and Perofeta clears to touch on the Blues 10. Grace wins the lineout and the Crusaders maul forward.
*****
Kia ora, good evening and welcome to Newshub's live coverage of the Super Rugby Pacific final between the Blues and Crusaders at Auckland's Eden Park.
Buoyed by a soldout stadium, the home side ride a 15-game winning streak into the season finale, including a rare victory against their archrivals at Christchurch.
They barely held off ACT Brumbies in last week's semi-final and can surely feel the Crusaders breathing down their necks.
Late-breaking news has Blues captain Dalton Papalii passed fit to play tonight, after missing two weeks with the after-affects of appendicitis. He will come off the bench, with Adrian Choat starting in the No.7 jersey and Beauden Barrett captaining the team from first-five.
Beauden and Scott Barrett create more family history, as they square off as rival captains for the first time.
TAB Odds: Blues $1.75, Crusaders $1.97
Blues: 1-Alex Hodgman, 2-Kurt Eklund 3-Nepo Laulala, 4-Josh Goodhue, 5-Tom Robinson, 6-Akira Ioane, 7-Adrian Choat, 8-Hoskins Sotutu, 9-Finlay Christie, 10-Beauden Barrett, 11-AJ Lam, 12-Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, 13-Rieko Ioane, 14-Mark Telea, 15-Stephen Perofeta
Reserves: 16-Soane Vikena, 17-Karl Tu'inukuafe, 18-Ofa Tuungafasi, 19-Luke Romano, 20-Dalton Papalii, 21-Sam Nock, 22-Bryce Heem, 23-Zarn Sullivan
Crusaders: 1-George Bower, 2-Codie Taylor, 3-Oli Jager, 4-Scott Barrett (c), 5-Sam Whitelock, 6-Pablo Matera, 7-Tom Christie, 8-Cullen Grace, 9-Bryn Hall, 10-Richie Mo'unga, 11-Leicester Fainga'anuku, 12-David Havili, 13-Jack Goodhue, 14-Sevu Reece, 15-Will Jordan
Reserves: 16-Brodie McAlister, 17-Tamaiti Williams, 18-Fletcher Newell, 19-Quinten Strange, 20-Corey Kellow, 21-Mitch Drummond, 22-Braydon Ennor, 23-George Bridge
Emotional Matera embraces another shot at Super Rugby crown with Crusaders
A driving force in the Crusaders' run to Saturday's Super Rugby Pacific final, Pablo Matera feared his shot at a first championship trophy was in jeopardy, after drawing two yellow cards in the semi-final against the Chiefs.
That brought his season total to four yellows and a mandatory judicial process that - to his huge relief - found no "pattern of concern", clearing the Argentina enforcer for the decider against the Blues.
"I couldn't handle my emotions," said flanker Matera. "I was very happy, it's a dream come true to come here and be able to play a final.
"You never know if you are going to have another chance to play a final."
Matera was a member of the Jaguares team that fell to the Crusaders 19-3 in the 2019 final at Christchurch. The first Argentine side in Super Rugby were left high and dry the following year, when COVID-19 disrupted the competition.
Australia, New Zealand and South Africa retreated into domestic tournaments, leaving the Jaguares to fold and former captain Matera headed north to Stade Francais.
Unable to beat the Crusaders three years ago, Matera, 28, joined them this season and has fitted seamlessly into Scott Robertson's back row.
The blindside's uncompromising style has tested officials' patience at times, but proved priceless in helping push the Crusaders over the gain-line, and giving backline teammates time and space to attack.
The Crusaders are bidding for a sixth championship trophy in as many years at a soldout Eden Park on Saturday, but Matera is targeting the first of his career.
"I have honestly never won anything," he said. "I've been playing in different teams around the world for 10 years and never won a competition .
"This is a big chance for me."
A hot commodity as one of the world's premier loose forwards, Matera has yet to commit to a second year with the Crusaders, but said he would decide on his future within days.
"I don't want to lose too much focus on what's happening now, because it's really intense and I'm enjoying it a lot.
"I want to stay here in the moment and make the most of it."
Reuters
