Hurricanes v Crusaders
Kick-off: 7:05pm Friday 11 April
Sky Stadium, Wellington
Live blog updates on RNZ Sport
Can the Canes bounce back from their disappointing one-point loss to the Blues last weekend? It won't be easy against a Crusaders side that tasted victory for the first time in Fiji and seem to be over their shock loss to Moana Pasifika.
That loss meant the Hurricanes sit seventh and will be starting to anxiously look at their remaining draw and what games they have to win in order to safely make it into the play-offs. Meanwhile, the Crusaders are up in second and could potentially take over the top spot if the Chiefs slip up against the Waratahs later tonight.
Team lists
Hurricanes: 1. Xavier Numia, 2. Asafo Aumua, 3. Tyrel Lomax, 4. Caleb Delany, 5. Isaia Walker-Leawere, 6. Brayden Iose, 7. Du'Plessis Kirifi, 8. Peter Lakai, 9. Cam Roigard, 10. Riley Hohepa, 11. Kini Naholo, 12. Peter Umaga-Jensen, 13. Bailyn Sullivan, 14. Ngatungane Punivai, 15. Ruben Love
Bench: 16. Raymond Tuputupu, 17. Pouri Rakete-Stones, 18. Pasilio Tosi, 19. Will Tucker, 20. Brad Shields, 21. Ereatara Enari, 22. Callum Harkin, 23. Fatafehi Fineanganofo
Crusaders: 1. Tamaiti Williams, 2. Ioane Moananu, 3. Fletcher Newell, 4. Scott Barrett, 5. Jamie Hannah, 6. Cullen Grace, 7. Ethan Blackadder, 8. Christian Lio-Willie, 9. Noah Hotham, 10. Taha Kemara, 11. Sevu Reece, 12. David Havili (c), 13. Levi Aumua, 14. Chay Fihaki, 15. Will Jordan
Bench: 16. Matt Moulds, 17. George Bower, 18. Kershawl Skyes-Martin, 19. Antonio Shalfoon, 20. Tom Christie, 21. Mitch Drummond, 22. James O'Connor, 23. Macca Springer
Hurricanes selections
Callum Harkin. Photo: Iain McGregor/ActionPress
Clark Laidlaw has stuck with Riley Hohepa at first five, despite some real goal kicking woes at Eden Park and the availability of Ruben Love. Callum Harkin is also back after along time on the sideline with injury, other than that it's a very similar team to what the Canes have been putting out recently.
Crusaders selections
Levi Aumua of the Crusaders. Photo: Andrew Cornaga/www.photosport.nz
Sevu Reece moves back to the wing and Levi Aumua gets a reprieve at centre in an otherwise settled Crusaders line-up. Kyle Preston is still a week away from returning from a rib injury, so Noah Hotham starts at halfback with Mitch Drummond on the bench. Scott Barrett returns at lock alongside Jamie Hannah.
Key stats
Ngatungane Punivai of the Hurricanes is tackled by Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii of the Waratahs. Photo: photosport
The Hurricanes defeated the Crusaders 27-26 when they last met at Sky Stadium in Super Rugby Pacific (Rd 15 2023), snapping a four-match losing run against them at the venue.
The Crusaders have scored 14 tries on the 6th phase or later this Super Rugby Pacific season, the joint-most of any team in the competition alongside the Brumbies, while their tally of 17 line breaks after 6+ phases are more than any other team.
Ngantungane Punivai has scored a try in three of his last four Super Rugby Pacific games, including one in each of his last two. He'll be looking to score a try in three consecutive games for the first time in his career.
What they're saying
"I hold myself to a high standard, and potentially some of the performances early in the year haven't been where I would have liked. I have reflected on that and looking forward to bounce this week." - Crusaders lock and All Black captain Scott Barrett.
"We were frustrated with the way we played (against the Blues), we thought there were big areas of the game that we didn't get quite…there's been a lot of trying to find rhythm so we think this is the best team to take on the Crusaders." - Hurricanes coach Clark Laidlaw.
The last time they met
Crusaders 33 - 25 Hurricanes
Only have to go back to round one of this year for the latest instalment of this often heated rivalry. The Crusaders set down a warning to everyone thanks to a hat trick on debut to Kyle Preston, who is ironically from Hurricanes territory but opted to move south. Things were in the balance till he scored his third with six minutes to play, setting up the much improved showing from the Crusaders so far this year.
What's going to happen
This is a battle of the two shakiest goal kickers in the competition, with Taha Kemara and Riley Hohepa struggling a great deal off the tee. So hopefully it doesn't come down to a missed shot late in the game. The Crusaders will back their forward pack as they've been the most successful at set piece this season, while the Canes have a very effective midfield defence. Really though, this one should come down to whoever adapts to the rereferring quickest.
