The Crusaders survived a late Hurricanes comeback to claim a hard-fought 31-24 win in their Super Rugby clash at Sky Stadium in Wellington on Friday night.
Leading 31-10 with just 15 minutes remaining, the visitors appeared set for a comfortable victory. But two late yellow cards and a spirited fightback from the Hurricanes saw the match tighten dramatically in the closing stages.
Hurricanes No 8 Peter Lakai sparked the revival with a 65th-minute try, followed by sustained pressure from the home side as the Crusaders were reduced to 13 men. Despite errors and penalties creeping into their game, the Crusaders defended stoutly to deny the Hurricanes a dramatic late victory.
“It took everything but the kitchen sink,” Crusaders fullback Will Jordan told Sky Sport. “I’m proud of our forward pack for getting a stop at the end there and getting the job done.”
The win came at a cost, with Crusaders captain David Havili leaving the field injured after 30 minutes and not returning.
Lock Scott Barrett impressed for the visitors, playing a key role in two of their five tries, while their lineout proved a reliable platform throughout most of the match.
The Hurricanes started strongly, opening the scoring through Peter Umaga-Jensen, but handling errors and missed opportunities allowed the Crusaders to take control. Trailing 24-10 at halftime, the Hurricanes were left needing a near-perfect second half to turn things around.
Despite closing the gap late, the Hurricanes fell short — a familiar story in a season where five of their losses have come by fewer than 10 points.
“We left it too little too late,” Hurricanes captain Du’Plessis Kirifi said. “We were our own worst enemy in the first half. Too many mistakes again.”
Scoring Summary:
- Crusaders 31 (Ioane Moananu 2, Tamaiti Williams, James O’Connor, Chay Fihaki tries; Taha Kemara 2 cons, James O’Connor con)
- Hurricanes 24 (Peter Umaga-Jensen 2, Peter Lakai tries; Riley Hohepa con, pen; Callum Harkin 2 cons)
- Halftime: Crusaders 24-10