Watch: Super Rugby Aotearoa highlights – Hurricanes 25-39 Crusaders

The Crusaders marked their return to the playing field with a 39-25 win over the Hurricanes in Wellington on Sunday 21 June.

Super Rugby Aotearoa match report

Five tries were scored by the visitors who remain the most successful franchise in Super Rugby history although the rust was evident in the penalty count.

Prior to the enforced break, the Crusaders had made a solid start to the regular Super Rugby season topping the New Zealand Conference. With that competition now void the Crusaders needed to make a strong start in the all-new Super Rugby Aotearoa tournament, which has allowed fans to return to stadiums.

Enjoying a bye in week one the Crusaders started in their usual clinical fashion by dismantling the Hurricanes who had lost to the Blues in Auckland last Sunday.

The Crusaders started like a house on fire and scored inside two minutes against a Hurricanes side desperate to bounce back from their loss last week to the Auckland Blues.   

All Black winger Sevu Reece flew into in the corner after a slick handling move that started from a stolen lineout and swept more than 70 metres downfield with backs and forwards involved. 

The Hurricanes stayed in touch for much of the game thanks to a succession of penalties and were level at 25-25 with 10 minutes to play, before the Crusaders found another gear and sealed the match with two late tries.

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“Our discipline was pretty poor in the first half,” Crusaders captain Codie Taylor said.

“We gave away countless penalties and a yellow card and that’s something we have to look at. Against New Zealand teams you can’t afford to do that.”

Hurricanes skipper TJ Perenara said the Crusaders’ precision could not be faulted.

“They pounced on opportunities in the first half … and scored off all of them which is a sign of a quality team,” he said.

“In the second half we got ourselves in the hunt, it was 25-all at one point, but we gave away a couple of penalties and ended up at the other end.”

At half-time, the Crusaders led 19-15 from three tries, two of them converted, to four penalties and a drop goal by Jackson Garden-Bachop for the Hurricanes.

After Garden-Bachop landed another penalty soon after half-time when Jack Goodhue was sent to the sin bin, the Crusaders tightened their discipline and restricted the Hurricanes to a sole try while scoring two more of their own.

For the Crusaders, Reece, Braydon Ennor, Goodhue, Richie Mo’unga and David Havili all scored tries. Mo’unga landed four conversions and two penalties.

The Hurricanes points came from a try to Asafo Aumua while Garden-Bachop kicked five penalties, a drop goal and a conversion.

Super Rugby Aotearoa highlights – Hurricanes 25-39 Crusaders