The Hurricanes secured the minor premiership with a comprehensive 45–28 victory over the Highlanders at Hnry Stadium, blitzing their opponents with three tries inside 15 minutes before cruising to their 11th consecutive win over the Southerners. The match was marred by a red card to Highlanders prop Daniel Lienert-Brown for a head-on-head collision that forced Devan Flanders from the field.

Key moments

2 mins – TRY HURRICANES: Josh Moorby finished a coast-to-coast move on his 50th appearance, linking with Devan Flanders and Kini Naholo before easing over on the left edge. Ruben Love converted. (Hurricanes 7–0 Highlanders)

6 mins – RED CARD HIGHLANDERS: Daniel Lienert-Brown was initially sin-binned for a head-on-head collision with Devan Flanders, before the card was upgraded to red after review. Flanders left the field with a head injury.

9 mins – TRY HURRICANES: Kini Naholo walked in on the left edge after Love swung a cutout pass to exploit the numerical advantage. Love converted. (Hurricanes 14–0 Highlanders)

15 mins – TRY HURRICANES: Du’Plessis Kirifi finished down the right after Josh Moorby produced a mesmerising run from deep, beating five defenders. Love converted. (Hurricanes 21–0 Highlanders)

25 mins – TRY HIGHLANDERS: Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens hacked ahead from halfway and won the race with Love to squeeze the ball down. Cameron Millar converted. (Hurricanes 21–7 Highlanders)

29 mins – TRY HURRICANES: Ruben Love chopped inside a couple of front rowers, hit a massive step past Nic Shearer and strode in under the posts. Love converted. (Hurricanes 28–7 Highlanders)

40 mins – TRY HIGHLANDERS: Timoci Tavatavanawai chopped back inside Naholo off a stable scrum and dived over on the right edge on the stroke of half-time. Millar converted. (Hurricanes 28–14 Highlanders)

Half-time: Hurricanes 28–14 Highlanders. The Hurricanes were electric in the opening quarter, scoring three tries before the Highlanders could draw breath. Lienert-Brown’s red card compounded a difficult evening for the visitors, though Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens’ opportunistic try and Tavatavanawai’s effort on the stroke of half-time kept them in touch. Love was outstanding at ten, while Moorby’s try and involvement in Kirifi’s score were highlights.

41 mins – YELLOW CARD HURRICANES: Ngane Punivai was sin-binned for a dangerous tackle on Mitch Dunshea at the restart, taking out the lifter and the jumper who landed dangerously.

42 mins – YELLOW CARD HIGHLANDERS: Xavier Tito-Harris was sent to the sin bin for a deliberate knock-on with a line break on.

43 mins – TRY HURRICANES: Jone Rova flicked an offload for Naholo, who bounced through Jack Taylor to score his second in the left corner. Love converted. (Hurricanes 35–14 Highlanders)

49 mins – TRY HIGHLANDERS: Adam Lennox tapped a free kick and launched himself at the line to score from close range. Millar converted. (Hurricanes 35–21 Highlanders)

52 mins – TRY HURRICANES: Brayden Iose picked out Mitch Dunshea and breezed past him to score in the right corner after superb interplay involving Moorby. Love missed the conversion. (Hurricanes 40–21 Highlanders)

59 mins – TRY HURRICANES: Ereatara Enari powered over in the right corner after Ngane Punivai ran the crash and Peter Lakai bellowed around the corner. Love missed the conversion. (Hurricanes 45–21 Highlanders)

67 mins – YELLOW CARD HURRICANES: Tevita Mafileo was sin-binned for repeated scrum infringements.

68 mins – TRY HIGHLANDERS: Lucas Casey controlled a screwing scrum and powered through Love and Lakai to score down the right. Millar converted. (Hurricanes 45–28 Highlanders)

Full-time: Hurricanes 45–28 Highlanders

Full match report to follow.

Match details

Hurricanes 45 (Tries: Moorby, Naholo 2, Kirifi, Love, Iose, Enari; Conversions: Love 5/7)
Highlanders 28 (Tries: Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens, Tavatavanawai, Lennox, Casey; Conversions: Millar 4/4)
Half-time: 28–14

Venue: Hnry Stadium, Wellington
Referee: Angus Gardner (Australia)
Assistant Referees: George Myers, Matt Kellahan
TMO: Graham Cooper

Teams

Hurricanes: 15 Josh Moorby, 14 Ngane Punivai, 13 Bailyn Sullivan, 12 Jone Rova, 11 Kini Naholo, 10 Ruben Love, 9 Ereatara Enari, 8 Brayden Iose, 7 Peter Lakai, 6 Devan Flanders, 5 Warner Dearns, 4 Isaia Walker-Leawere, 3 Pasilio Tosi, 2 Asafo Aumua, 1 Siale Lauaki.
Replacements: 16 Jacob Devery, 17 Pouri Rakete-Stones, 18 Tevita Mafileo, 19 Tom Allen, 20 Du’Plessis Kirifi (co-c), 21 Jordi Viljoen, 22 Lucas Cashmore, 23 Billy Proctor.

Highlanders: 15 Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens, 14 Xavier Tito-Harris, 13 Jona Nareki, 12 Timoci Tavatavanawai (co-c), 11 Jonah Lowe, 10 Cameron Millar, 9 Nic Shearer, 8 Hugh Renton (co-c), 7 Lucas Casey, 6 Te Kamaka Howden, 5 Mitch Dunshea, 4 Tomás Lavanini, 3 Saula Ma’u, 2 Henry Bell, 1 Daniel Lienert-Brown.
Replacements: 16 Angus Ta’avao, 17 Jack Taylor, 18 Ethan de Groot, 19 Oliver Haig, 20 Sean Withy, 21 Adam Lennox, 22 Stanley Solomon, 23 Meihana Grindlay.

Thirty-seven-year-old lock Cadeyrn Neville proved the unlikely hero as the Brumbies secured their place in the Super Rugby Pacific finals with a clinical 21–14 derby victory over the Waratahs at Allianz Stadium in Sydney.

Key moments

3 mins – HELD UP BRUMBIES: Kadin Pritchard collected a Tom Wright grubber and dived for the line, but Jack Bowen produced a try-saving tackle to flip the Brumbies centre onto his back.

15 mins – HELD UP WARATAHS: Charlie Gamble dived for the line from close range but was held up by the Brumbies defence after the Waratahs had won back-to-back penalties on the visitors’ line.

21 mins – TRY BRUMBIES: Billy Pollard crashed over just left of the posts after Ryan Lonergan fired a sharp cutout pass from the base of the ruck. Lonergan converted. (Waratahs 0–7 Brumbies)

31 mins – YELLOW CARD WARATAHS: Charlie Gamble was sent to the sin bin for playing the ball on the ground with the Brumbies in sight of the line after Kadin Pritchard had made a line break down the right edge.

33 mins – TRY BRUMBIES: Cadeyrn Neville powered over from close range off the back of a dominant scrum, with the Brumbies making immediate use of the extra man. Lonergan converted. (Waratahs 0–14 Brumbies)

Half-time: Waratahs 0–14 Brumbies. The Brumbies’ defence was extraordinary, repelling wave after wave of Waratahs attack inside the 22. The hosts spent over five minutes inside the Brumbies’ 22 but had nothing to show for it, while the visitors struck twice from limited opportunities.

52 mins – TRY BRUMBIES: Allan Alaalatoa scooped the ball from the back of the ruck and powered over to celebrate his 150th Super Rugby cap with a try. Lonergan converted. (Waratahs 0–21 Brumbies)

59 mins – YELLOW CARD BRUMBIES: Lachlan Lonergan was sin-binned for dragging down the maul close to the line, but the Brumbies held firm with 14 men.

64 mins – TRY WARATAHS: Isaac Kailea drove over from close range after Matt Philip and Angus Scott-Young carried to within metres of the line. Sid Harvey converted. (Waratahs 7–21 Brumbies)

70 mins – TRY WARATAHS: Max Jorgensen beat his man on the left edge and tiptoed down the touchline to score in the corner. Harvey converted. (Waratahs 14–21 Brumbies)

Full-time: Waratahs 14–21 Brumbies

Match report

The Brumbies placed the Waratahs’ season on life support with a clinical 21–14 derby win at Allianz Stadium, securing a Super Rugby Pacific finals berth and keeping alive their hopes of a top-four finish. The result was built on one of the most resolute defensive performances of the season, with 37-year-old lock Cadeyrn Neville the unlikely hero at both ends of the pitch.

The Waratahs will be haunted by the first half. Dan McKellar’s side dominated possession and territory, spending over five minutes camped inside the Brumbies’ 22, yet somehow trailed 14–0 at the break. It was a familiar story for an erratic outfit that has struggled all season to convert pressure into points, and the defeat leaves them needing a miracle to reach the playoffs — a win over the Force in Perth next weekend and the Reds to lose both their remaining matches.

The Brumbies, coming off a bye week, set the tone early with their defensive intent. Kadin Pritchard had sliced through the line in the opening minutes only to be held up over the line by a try-saving tackle from Jack Bowen. But it was the Waratahs who dominated the opening quarter, winning penalties on the Brumbies’ line and hammering through phase after phase. Gamble was held up over the line in the 15th minute, and the hosts passed through 15 phases in front of the posts without breaching the defensive wall.

Neville was at the heart of the resistance. The veteran lock, who was recalled to the starting side as part of Stephen Larkham’s strategic rotation, produced a stunning tackle to haul down Bowen just as the fly-half appeared certain to score. It was a moment that embodied the Brumbies’ refusal to yield.

Against the run of play, the Brumbies struck in the 21st minute. Ryan Lonergan, who was superb throughout, identified space on the short side and fired a surgical cutout pass to hooker Billy Pollard, who skipped through the defence to draw first blood. Lonergan converted to give the visitors an improbable 7–0 lead.

The Waratahs’ frustration deepened when flanker Charlie Gamble was sin-binned in the 31st minute for playing the ball on the ground after Pritchard had made a line break down the right edge. The Brumbies wasted no time capitalising on the numerical advantage. Off the back of a dominant scrum, Neville crashed over under the posts for the try that would prove the visitors’ nemesis had become their hero. Lonergan added the extras to make it 14–0 at half-time.

There was a sense of inevitability about the opening stages of the second half as the Brumbies extended their lead. Probing both sides of the pitch and battering their way into the 22, they built immense pressure before Allan Alaalatoa celebrated his 150th Super Rugby appearance in fitting fashion. The veteran prop scooped the ball from the back of the ruck and powered over in the tackle of Bowen, registering his 13th career try and taking the score to 21–0. Lonergan converted to complete a perfect night from the kicking tee.

The Waratahs, to their credit, refused to go quietly. Lachlan Lonergan’s sin-binning in the 59th minute for dragging down the maul gave the hosts a numerical advantage, but the Brumbies’ defensive wall held firm once more, forcing Apolosi Ranawai to be held up over the line and then winning a goal-line dropout.

The dam finally broke in the 64th minute when prop Isaac Kailea drove over from close range after Matt Philip and Angus Scott-Young had carried to within metres of the line. Harvey converted, and suddenly the deficit was 14.

Six minutes later, Max Jorgensen produced the individual moment the Waratahs had been crying out for. Receiving a long pass from Philip on the left edge, the fullback beat his man on the outside and tiptoed down the touchline to score in the corner. Harvey’s conversion from wide made it a seven-point game with ten minutes remaining, and Allianz Stadium suddenly came alive.

The Waratahs mounted a late assault, with Jack Debreczeni’s booming free kick winning them a goal-line dropout and further penalties putting them deep inside the Brumbies’ half. But Larkham’s side held their nerve, winning a crucial stolen lineout late on before Tom Wright thumped the ball into the stands in the dying moments to seal the victory.

Lonergan was the standout performer, controlling the tempo with his kicking, passing and decision-making and finishing with a perfect three from three off the kicking tee. Valetini and Shaw were immense up front, while Neville’s contribution — both in defence and with his try — was the defining performance of the match. For the Waratahs, Jorgensen, Potter and Harvey were the brightest lights in a second half that showed what might have been had they executed in the first.

The result locks the Brumbies into the finals and keeps alive their push for a top-four finish. They face Moana Pasifika in Canberra in the final round, knowing that a win combined with a Crusaders loss to the Hurricanes would deliver fourth place. The Waratahs travel to Perth to face the Force, needing victory and a series of unlikely results elsewhere to keep their season alive.

Match details

Waratahs 14 (Tries: Kailea, Jorgensen; Conversions: Harvey 2/2)
Brumbies 21 (Tries: Pollard, Neville, Alaalatoa; Conversions: R. Lonergan 3/3)
Half-time: 0–14

Venue: Allianz Stadium, Sydney
Referee: Ben O’Keeffe (New Zealand)
Assistant Referees: Todd Petrie, Warwick Lahmert
TMO: Richard Kelly

Teams

Waratahs: 15 Max Jorgensen, 14 Harry Potter, 13 Triston Reilly, 12 Lawson Creighton, 11 Sid Harvey, 10 Jack Bowen, 9 Teddy Wilson, 8 Angus Scott-Young, 7 Charlie Gamble, 6 Clem Halaholo, 5 Miles Amatosero, 4 Matt Philip (c), 3 Dan Botha, 2 Ioane Moananu, 1 Jack Barrett.
Replacements: 16 Oniti Finau, 17 Isaac Kailea, 18 Apolosi Ranawai, 19 Ben Grant, 20 Jamie Adamson, 21 Michael McDonald, 22 Jack Debreczeni, 23 Joey Walton.

Brumbies: 15 Tom Wright, 14 Andy Muirhead, 13 Kadin Pritchard, 12 David Feliuai, 11 Corey Toole, 10 Declan Meredith, 9 Ryan Lonergan (c), 8 Toby Macpherson, 7 Rory Scott, 6 Rob Valetini, 5 Lachlan Shaw, 4 Cadeyrn Neville, 3 Allan Alaalatoa, 2 Billy Pollard, 1 James Slipper.
Replacements: 16 Lachlan Lonergan, 17 Blake Schoupp, 18 Rhys van Nek, 19 Nick Frost, 20 Luke Reimer, 21 Klayton Thorn, 22 Tane Edmed, 23 Hudson Creighton.

What’s next

The Brumbies host Moana Pasifika in Canberra in the final round, with a top-four finish still within reach. The Waratahs travel to Perth to face the Western Force, needing a win and the Reds to lose both their remaining games to have any hope of making the playoffs.

David Havili produced one of the performances of the Super Rugby Pacific season to lead the Crusaders to a breathtaking 36–32 comeback victory over the Chiefs at One New Zealand Stadium, scoring the match-winning try and setting it up with a booming 50/22 kick that nearly lifted the roof off the ground.

Key moments

5 mins – TRY CHIEFS: Kyren Taumoefolau finished in the right corner after slick hands from Josh Jacomb and Liam Coombes-Fabling. Jacomb missed the conversion from wide out. (Crusaders 0–5 Chiefs)

13 mins – TRY DISALLOWED CRUSADERS: Noah Hotham streaked 45m down the left touchline from a quick lineout, but the TMO ruled it out after replays showed his boot grazed the touchline in Isaac Hutchinson’s covering tackle.

19 mins – TRY CRUSADERS: Leicester Fainga’anuku powered through Luke Jacobson’s tackle from close range after the Crusaders’ maul surged forward from a lineout. Rivez Reihana missed the conversion. (Crusaders 5–5 Chiefs)

24 mins – TRY CHIEFS: Samisoni Taukei’aho peeled off the back of a driving maul to score the Chiefs’ second try after a high tackle by Fainga’anuku on Hutchinson had given the visitors field position. Jacomb converted. (Crusaders 5–12 Chiefs)

29 mins – TRY CRUSADERS: Jamie Hannah collected a bounce pass and powered over in the corner after Sevu Reece regathered his own chip kick and sent Chay Fihaki into the 22. Reihana missed the conversion. (Crusaders 10–12 Chiefs)

33 mins – TRY CHIEFS: Josh Lord picked and drove over from the goal line for his first Super Rugby try in his 42nd match, after the Chiefs pounded through multiple phases close to the line. Jacomb converted. (Crusaders 10–19 Chiefs)

37 mins – TRY CRUSADERS: Christian Lio-Willie crashed over from close range after Noah Hotham popped a short pass. Reihana converted. (Crusaders 17–19 Chiefs)

Half-time: Crusaders 17–19 Chiefs. A pulsating first half featuring six tries. The Chiefs had the edge through their set piece, with Taukei’aho and Lord both scoring from lineout drives, but the Crusaders hit back each time through the power of Fainga’anuku and the finishing of Hannah. Hutchinson’s covering tackle to deny Hotham a try in the 13th minute was a pivotal moment.

44 mins – PENALTY CHIEFS: Jacomb slotted from 23m out after the Chiefs won a scrum penalty for illegal wheeling. (Crusaders 17–22 Chiefs)

51 mins – TRY CRUSADERS: Johnny McNicholl dived over after Reece made a searing break down the right touchline from a Chiefs handling error and delivered a pinpoint pass back infield. Taha Kemara converted. (Crusaders 24–22 Chiefs)

55 mins – TRY CHIEFS: Quinn Tupaea ran a cracking angle through a gap from a crisp flat pass by Jacomb off a lineout movement. Jacomb converted. (Crusaders 24–29 Chiefs)

66 mins – PENALTY CHIEFS: Jacomb landed from close range after the Chiefs pounded through 20 phases on the Crusaders’ goal line before earning a penalty for side entry at the ruck. (Crusaders 24–32 Chiefs)

71 mins – TRY CRUSADERS: McNicholl scored his second after Will Jordan floated a long pass to the right corner. Kemara missed the conversion from wide out. (Crusaders 29–32 Chiefs)

75 mins – TRY CRUSADERS: David Havili sliced through under the posts after Fainga’anuku drew multiple defenders and flicked an offload. Havili had earlier pumped a huge 50/22 kick to put the Crusaders back on attack. Kemara converted. (Crusaders 36–32 Chiefs)

80 mins – MISSED PENALTY CRUSADERS: Kemara’s attempt from 47m dropped short.

Full-time: Crusaders 36–32 Chiefs

Match report

The Crusaders scored twice in the final nine minutes to complete a stunning comeback and beat the Chiefs 36–32 in a see-sawing classic at One New Zealand Stadium in Christchurch. Trailing by eight points with 14 minutes remaining, the defending champions dug deep through the brilliance of captain David Havili and the relentless power of Leicester Fainga’anuku to seal a result that secures their place in the Super Rugby Pacific finals and keeps alive their push for a home qualifying final.

The victory was the Crusaders’ third in succession over the Chiefs and extended their unbeaten record at One New Zealand Stadium to three matches. For the Chiefs, it snapped a seven-match winning streak that had dated back to late March and all but ended their hopes of overhauling the Hurricanes for the minor premiership.

The match was a fitting rematch of last year’s final, with the two heavyweights trading blows from the opening whistle. The Chiefs struck first in the fifth minute when Kyren Taumoefolau muscled over in the right corner after slick hands from Josh Jacomb and Liam Coombes-Fabling created the overlap. Jacomb missed the conversion, but the visitors had set the tone.

The Crusaders thought they had hit back immediately when halfback Noah Hotham streaked 45 metres down the left touchline from a quick lineout with Sevu Reece, only for the TMO to deny him after replays showed his boot had grazed the touchline in a desperate covering tackle by Isaac Hutchinson. It was a pivotal intervention from the fullback, who was starting in place of the concussed Damian McKenzie, and one that denied the Crusaders momentum at a crucial juncture.

They would not be denied for long. The Crusaders built relentless pressure through their maul and a string of penalties against the Chiefs, who were given a warning for persistent infringement. Fainga’anuku was the beneficiary, powering through Luke Jacobson’s tackle from close range to level the scores in the 19th minute. Rivez Reihana missed the conversion, leaving the Chiefs ahead on points differential alone.

The pattern of punch and counter-punch defined the remainder of the first half. A high tackle by Fainga’anuku on Hutchinson gave the Chiefs field position, and their lineout drive proved irresistible as Samisoni Taukei’aho peeled off the back to score his ninth try of the season. The Crusaders responded through Jamie Hannah, who collected a bounce pass and powered over in the corner after Reece had regathered his own chip kick to create the opening.

Josh Lord then drove over from the goal line for his first Super Rugby try in his 42nd match, extending the Chiefs’ lead to 19–10 after another dominant lineout drive. But Christian Lio-Willie crashed over from a Noah Hotham short pass to reduce the deficit to two points at the break.

The Chiefs edged further ahead early in the second half when Jacomb slotted a penalty after a dominant scrum earned a penalty for illegal wheeling. The Crusaders then seized the lead for the first time in the 51st minute. A Chiefs handling error gifted them possession, and Reece made a searing break down the right touchline before delivering a pinpoint pass back infield to replacement Johnny McNicholl. Taha Kemara, who had come on for Reihana, converted from wide to put the Crusaders 24–22 ahead.

The Chiefs’ response was immediate and clinical. Off the top of a lineout, Xavier Roe fed Jacomb, who delivered a crisp flat pass to Quinn Tupaea. The inside centre ran a devastating angle through a gap in the Crusaders’ defensive line and scored untouched under the posts. Tupaea had been outstanding throughout, and this was his signature moment.

Jacomb extended the lead to eight points in the 66th minute after the Chiefs pounded through 20 phases on the Crusaders’ goal line. The Red and Blacks held firm for phase after phase but were eventually penalised for side entry at the ruck, and Jacomb made no mistake from close range.

With the match slipping away, the Crusaders produced their most clinical passage of the season. McNicholl scored his second in the 71st minute, finishing in the right corner after Will Jordan floated a long pass from a sustained attack. Kemara missed the conversion from wide, leaving the Crusaders three points adrift with nine minutes remaining.

Then came the moment that will define the Crusaders’ season. Havili, standing on his own 22-metre line, pumped a huge kick that bounced into touch eight metres from the Chiefs’ line — a 50/22 that flipped the field position and sent the sold-out crowd into a frenzy. From the resulting lineout, the Crusaders worked through multiple phases before Fainga’anuku drew in several defenders and flicked a late offload to Havili, who sliced through to score under the posts. Kemara converted to push the lead to four.

The drama was not finished. Kemara’s penalty attempt from 47 metres with time up dropped short, giving the Chiefs one final chance to steal the match. Hutchinson and Taumoefolau burst through the line and into the 22, but they were isolated and turned over. Fainga’anuku then booted the ball into touch to seal an enthralling victory.

Fainga’anuku was immense throughout, carrying with trademark power and providing the decisive assist for Havili’s winner. Lio-Willie was a standout in the loose, while Reece was a constant threat on the wing with his involvement in two of the Crusaders’ six tries. For the Chiefs, Wallace Sititi and Taukei’aho were tireless up front, Lord was influential in the lineout, and Hutchinson impressed at fullback with his try-saving tackle and threatening breaks. Tupaea’s try was a moment of genuine class.

The result lifts the Crusaders to 36 points on the ladder, just two behind the Blues in third. With both sides meeting the top two in the final round — the Crusaders hosting the Hurricanes and the Blues travelling to Hamilton to face the Chiefs — the race for a home qualifying final could go down to the wire.

Match details

Crusaders 36 (Tries: Fainga’anuku, Hannah, Lio-Willie, McNicholl 2, Havili; Conversions: Reihana 1/3, Kemara 2/3)
Chiefs 32 (Tries: Taumoefolau, Taukei’aho, Lord, Tupaea; Conversions: Jacomb 3/4; Penalties: Jacomb 2/2)
Half-time: 17–19

Venue: One New Zealand Stadium, Christchurch
Referee: James Doleman (New Zealand)
Assistant Referees: Marcus Playle, Fraser Hannon
TMO: Glen Newman

Teams

Crusaders: 15 Will Jordan, 14 Chay Fihaki, 13 Dallas McLeod, 12 David Havili (c), 11 Sevu Reece, 10 Rivez Reihana, 9 Noah Hotham, 8 Christian Lio-Willie, 7 Leicester Fainga’anuku, 6 Ethan Blackadder, 5 Jamie Hannah, 4 Antonio Shalfoon, 3 Fletcher Newell, 2 Codie Taylor, 1 George Bower.
Replacements: 16 Manumaua Leitu, 17 Jack Sexton, 18 Seb Calder, 19 Liam Jack, 20 Dom Gardiner, 21 Kyle Preston, 22 Taha Kemara, 23 Johnny McNicholl.

Chiefs: 15 Isaac Hutchinson, 14 Liam Coombes-Fabling, 13 Kyle Brown, 12 Quinn Tupaea, 11 Kyren Taumoefolau, 10 Josh Jacomb, 9 Cortez Ratima, 8 Wallace Sititi, 7 Luke Jacobson (c), 6 Samipeni Finau, 5 Tupou Vaa’i, 4 Josh Lord, 3 Sione Ahio, 2 Samisoni Taukei’aho, 1 Ollie Norris.
Replacements: 16 Brodie McAlister, 17 Jared Proffit, 18 George Dyer, 19 Seuseu Naitoa Ah Kuoi, 20 Simon Parker, 21 Xavier Roe, 22 Tepaea Cook-Savage, 23 Daniel Rona.

What’s next

The Crusaders host the Hurricanes in the final round of the regular season, needing a win to potentially claim third place and a home qualifying final. The Chiefs travel to Hamilton to face the Blues, with second place already secure but the chance to deny the Blues a home final adding spice to the occasion.