Codie Taylor scored four tries on his 150th appearance as the Crusaders farewelled Apollo Projects Stadium with a dominant 69–26 victory over the Fijian Drua in Christchurch.
Key moments
3 mins – TRY CRUSADERS: Chay Fihaki breaks the line from an inside ball and Will Jordan throws a looping pass for Sevu Reece to score in the corner. Taha Kemara misses the conversion. (Crusaders 5–0)
10 mins – TRY CRUSADERS: Jamie Hannah releases Fletcher Newell into a huge hole with a slick backdoor offload and Leicester Fainga’anuku finishes in the corner. Kemara’s conversion drifts left. (Crusaders 10–0)
14 mins – TRY CRUSADERS: Codie Taylor crashes over from a rolling maul for his first — his 50th try for the Crusaders. Kemara converts. (Crusaders 17–0)
18 mins – TRY CRUSADERS: Taylor doubles his tally from another lineout drive. Kemara converts. (Crusaders 24–0)
22 mins – TRY CRUSADERS: Leicester Fainga’anuku’s excellent cross-kick is grabbed by Sevu Reece, who scores inside the corner flag for his second. Kemara converts. (Crusaders 31–0)
30 mins – TRY FIJIAN DRUA: Joseva Tamani powers over from close range to stem the bleeding. Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula converts. (Crusaders 31–7)
32 mins – TRY CRUSADERS: Will Jordan breaches the defence and Antonio Shalfoon sets up Chay Fihaki. Kemara converts. (Crusaders 38–7)
34 mins – YELLOW CARD CRUSADERS: Johnny Lee shown yellow for repeated team infringements.
37 mins – TRY FIJIAN DRUA: The Drua capitalise on their numerical advantage as Elia Canakaivata finishes off a driving maul. Armstrong-Ravula misses the conversion. (Crusaders 38–12)
Half-time: Crusaders 38–12. The Crusaders ran riot in the opening quarter, racing to a 31–0 lead in just 23 minutes. Codie Taylor’s brace from the maul and Sevu Reece’s double set the tone, though Johnny Lee’s yellow card gave the visitors a lifeline heading into the break.
41 mins – TRY CRUSADERS: Taylor completes his hat-trick with a pick-and-go from close range just 90 seconds into the second half. Kemara converts. (Crusaders 45–12)
44 mins – TRY FIJIAN DRUA: Issak Fines-Leleiwasa makes the break and Zuriel Togiatama’s work allows Elia Canakaivata to score his second. Armstrong-Ravula converts. (Crusaders 45–19)
47 mins – TRY CRUSADERS: Leicester Fainga’anuku produces a spellbinding run and offloads to Codie Taylor for his fourth — completing his haul just before the 50-minute mark. Kemara converts. (Crusaders 52–19)
53 mins – TRY FIJIAN DRUA: Former Crusader Manasa Mataele produces a stunning individual effort to score against his old club. Armstrong-Ravula converts. (Crusaders 52–26)
58 mins – TRY CRUSADERS: Corey Kellow crashes over after sustained pressure near the line. Kemara misses. (Crusaders 57–26)
60 mins – TRY CRUSADERS: Chay Fihaki intercepts and races away to score his second. Kemara converts. (Crusaders 64–26)
75 mins – TRY CRUSADERS: A gap opens in the defence and Sevu Reece completes his hat-trick. Unconverted. (Crusaders 69–26)
80 mins – TRY CRUSADERS: Seb Calder picks from the base of the ruck and crashes over for the 11th try of the night. Kemara misses. (Crusaders 74–26)
Full-time: Crusaders 69–26
Match report
There was never any need for histrionics or tearful speeches inside the Crusaders camp. The 14-year partnership between the club and the modest arena in Addington — a venue that was supposed to be a temporary solution after Lancaster Park was damaged beyond repair in the 2011 earthquakes — deserved a proper send-off. The Crusaders delivered emphatically, notching their 100th win at the ground where they have claimed four Super Rugby titles.
Codie Taylor, the popular hooker celebrating his 150th appearance, met his wife and three children on the grass before kick-off and was greeted by a haka from members of the Sydenham rugby club. What followed was a masterclass from the All Blacks veteran, who crossed four times in just 51 minutes to extend his career record to 53 tries — the most by any forward in Super Rugby history.
The onslaught began in the third minute. Chay Fihaki broke the line from an inside ball, drawing the final defender before captain Will Jordan threw a looping pass over the top for winger Sevu Reece to dot down in the corner. It was a clinical set-piece move that set the tone for a devastating opening quarter.
Leicester Fainga’anuku crossed shortly afterwards in the 10th minute after Jamie Hannah produced a slick backdoor offload that released Fletcher Newell into a massive hole. The All Blacks prop carried hard before the ball was shifted wide, with Fainga’anuku powering over in the corner despite attention from two defenders.
Taylor’s quick-fire double from the rolling maul had the Crusaders racing the clock. His first, in the 14th minute, was his 50th try for the club — a fitting milestone on such a special night. Four minutes later he was over again from another lineout drive, the Crusaders’ pack proving irresistible at close quarters.
The best five-pointer of the opening spell came in the 22nd minute when Fainga’anuku produced an excellent cross-kick from inside his own half. Reece timed his leap perfectly, grabbed the ball above the covering defender, and touched down inside the corner flag for his second. The hosts led 31–0 after just 23 minutes.
The Drua didn’t roll over to allow their bellies to be tickled. Lock Joseva Tamani powered over from close range in the 30th minute to get the visitors on the board, though Fihaki responded quickly with a try two minutes later after Jordan breached the defence and Antonio Shalfoon provided the final pass.
A yellow card to openside flanker Johnny Lee in the 34th minute was the only dour note for the Crusaders in the first half. No 8 Elia Canakaivata capitalised on the numerical advantage three minutes later, finishing off a driving maul as the Drua showed their own prowess in that area. Referee Paul Williams issued a warning to Jordan that he was tiring of the ill-discipline, though the Crusaders went into half-time 38–12 ahead.
Taylor made it three just 90 seconds into the second half, picking from the base of a ruck and burrowing over from close range. The hooker completed his haul before the 50-minute mark with a fourth try — this time after Fainga’anuku produced a spellbinding run through the heart of the Drua defence before offloading to his teammate. Replaced to a rousing reception shortly afterwards, Taylor smiled like a fellow who had just been given a sack of Bluff oysters and a truckload of crayfish for each five-pointer.
The Drua kept adding to the scoreboard. Canakaivata crossed for his second in the 44th minute after halfback Issak Fines-Leleiwasa made the initial break, and then former Crusader Manasa Mataele produced a stunning individual effort to score against his old club in the 53rd minute. The winger’s return to Christchurch was marked with a fitting five-pointer that drew warm applause from the home crowd.
Corey Kellow crashed over in the 58th minute after sustained pressure near the line, before Fihaki intercepted a loose pass two minutes later and raced away untouched to score his second. The bonus point was well and truly wrapped up with 20 minutes to go.
The final quarter was a tame affair as both sides emptied their benches. Reece completed his hat-trick in the 75th minute when a gap opened in the Drua defence, and replacement prop Seb Calder crashed over in the dying seconds for the 11th try of the night.
Taylor summed up the emotion of the evening in his post-match interview.
“To go out like that on this stadium, to get the job done and to pull this jersey on for the 150th time, I’m just so grateful. I love this team. I love this club,” Taylor said.
“I don’t think us as Crusaders can say how much you guys actually mean to us and how much you’re a big part of the success we’ve had over the years, so thank you. This has been a place of bringing the community together. A place of hope and love and we’re just glad we get to represent you guys every week putting on the red and black jersey.”
The result lifts the Crusaders to fourth on the standings with a 4–3 record. They will embark on a two-week Australian trip to face the Queensland Reds and Western Force before opening their new home at One NZ Stadium, Te Kaha, as part of Super Round against the NSW Waratahs on April 24.
Teams
Crusaders: 15 Will Jordan (c), 14 Chay Fihaki, 13 Leicester Fainga’anuku, 12 Dallas McLeod, 11 Sevu Reece, 10 Taha Kemara, 9 Louie Chapman, 8 Christian Lio-Willie, 7 Johnny Lee, 6 Corey Kellow, 5 Jamie Hannah, 4 Antonio Shalfoon, 3 Fletcher Newell, 2 Codie Taylor, 1 George Bower.
Replacements: 16 George Bell, 17 Jack Sexton, 18 Seb Calder, 19 Tahlor Cahill, 20 Dom Gardiner, 21 Mitch Drummond, 22 Rivez Reihana, 23 Braydon Ennor.
Fijian Drua: 15 Iliasia Droasese, 14 Joji Nasova, 13 Virimi Vakatawa, 12 Iosefo Namoce, 11 Manasa Mataele, 10 Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula, 9 Issak Fines-Leleiwasa, 8 Elia Canakaivata, 7 Kitione Salawa, 6 Etonia Waqa, 5 Isoa Nasilasila (c), 4 Joseva Tamani, 3 Mesake Doge, 2 Zuriel Togiatama, 1 Haereiti Hetet.
Replacements: 16 Sairusi Ravudi, 17 Emosi Tuqiri, 18 Peni Ravai, 19 Mesake Vocevoce, 20 Isoa Tuwai, 21 Phillip Baselala, 22 Kemu Valetini, 23 Isikeli Rabitu.
Match details
Crusaders 69 (Tries: Taylor 4, Reece 2, Fihaki 2, Fainga’anuku, Calder, Kellow; Conversions: Kemara 7/11)
Fijian Drua 26 (Tries: Canakaivata 2, Tamani, Mataele; Conversions: Armstrong-Ravula 3/4)
Half-time: 38–12
Venue: Apollo Projects Stadium, Christchurch
Referee: Paul Williams (NZ)
What’s next
The Crusaders travel to Australia for back-to-back matches against the Queensland Reds (Round 9) and Western Force (Round 10) before returning home to open One NZ Stadium, Te Kaha, as part of Super Round against the NSW Waratahs on April 24.
The Fijian Drua host the Highlanders in Suva in Round 9.
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