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Chiefs 19 Crusaders 32
Fulltime
Crusaders 32 (Sanders, Jordan, Taylor, Fainga'anuku & Reece tries; Mo'unga 2 conversions & penalty) Chiefs 19 (Boshier try, McKenzie conversion & 4 penalties)
40th minute: The siren has sounded, but Chiefs have a penalty and kick for a lineout. They win the throw-in, but lose possession, as the game ends.
More heartbreak for the home side, as the Crusaders maintain their dominance of the competition.
39th minute: Chiefs win a relieving penalty and kick to halfway.
38th minute: From the lineout, Makalio controls the ball, but it eventually spills - there's rain falling. Trask replaces Cruden for the final couple of minutes - his 100th game for the franchise may also be his last home game.
37th minute: Crusaders overpower the Chiefs scrum again and win a penalty that Mo'unga kicks deep into Chiefs half. A roar from the crowd suggests a streaker has made their way onto the field.
36th minute: From a scrum inside Crusaders half, Milo-Harris throws a wild pass that Cruden can't gather.
34th minute: Chiefs forwards pound away at the line, but they lose the ball and Crusaders spread it left, where Goodhue makes ground to the 10m.
Brett Cameron comes into the Crusaders first-five slot, with Mo'unga moving to second-five and Goodhue leaving the field.
33rd minute: Ah Kuoi wins the lineout again, Cane surges towards the line, but Crusaders withstand the pressure.
32nd minute: Ah Kuoi wins the lineout, Crusaders forwards disrupt the maul, but Chiefs surge towards the line and draw another penalty. Cruden kicks to the corner again.
31st minute: Ah Kuoi is dragged down just short of the tryline and O'Keeffe blows for an offside penalty against Crusaders. Cruden kicks to the corner.
30th minute: Chiefs inside Crusaders 22 and their forwards lay seige on the line.
29th minute: From the kickoff, Chiefs win the ball and spread it left, before Wainui loses it over the touchline in Whitelock's tackle. Ball deflects off Crusaders for Chiefs throw-in.
27th minute: TRY to Fainga'anuku
From a scrum, Mo'unga slips through a gap and feeds the replacement wing, who scoots down the left touchline and overpowers McKenzie to score. Mo'unga's conversion is sliced - he hasn't kicked well tonight.
24th minute: Crusaders shove their counterparts off a scrum and earn a midfield penalty. Mo'unga will kick for goal from 45m, but it's short.
Milo-Harris on for Chiefs halfback Brad Weber.
22nd minute: Mo'unga clears, McKenzie rises high to claim the ball, but the ball is knocked back into Chiefs half and momentum is lost.
21st minute: TRY to Reece
Inside the Chiefs 22, Jordan offloads to Strange, but he can't gather cleanly. Reece regathers to score, but Strange has surely knocked the ball on.
Mo'unga converts.
O'Keeffe thinks otherwise and awards the try - no-one can believe it, not even Reece.
20th minute: From the lineout, Taylor charges over halfway. Mo'unga puts a clever kick through for Goodhue to dive on.
19th minute: Reece chases a ball over the touchline and as he jumps, Weber gives him a shove and Reece tumbles headfirst over the signage. O'Keeffe wants another look, but the TMO rules play on.
18th minute: Crusaders try to build another attack, but Vai'i knocks the ball down in a tackle.
16th minute: McKenzie slots the goal to bring the deficit back to one. Strange replaces Dunshea in the Crusaders second row, Hall replaces Drummond at halfback, Taukieaho replaces Slater at hooker for the Chiefs.
15th minute: Both halfbacks are trying to prise the ball free from a maul, but O'Keeffe warns off Drummond and awards a penalty to the Chiefs. McKenzie lines up another 45m kick at goal.
13th minute: Crusaders win a lineout on halfway and mount another attack, but a loose pass from Whitelock to Goodhue sets them back a few metres.
11th minute: From the kick-off, the Chiefs are immediately penalised in front of their own posts and Mo'unga cancels out their penalty, Crusaders 20-16.
10th minute: McKenzie lines up another shot at goal and slots it, Crusaders 17-16.
Fainga'anuku replaces Paea in the Crusaders backline.
Eighth minute: Boshier sets Stevenson loose down the right and Chiefs earn a penalty advantage. Eventually O'Keeffe brings them back for the penalty and there are bodies down all over the rield - Ala'alatoa and Drummond for the Crusaders, Boshier for the Chiefs.
Oli Jager replaces Ala'alatoa in the Crusaders front row, Boshier has an ankle heavily strapped.
Seventh minute: Crusaders pressure the Chiefs in a defensive scrum in front of their posts, but Sowakula has been impressive, charging off the base again, and Cruden clears.
Stevenson returns to the Chiefs line-up, after his 10 minutes in the sin bin.
Fifth minute: Crusaders force a lineout inside the Chiefs 22, but Chiefs win the lineout and Cruden kicks over halfway.
Jordan and Bridge counterattack, but Jordan is dragged down centimetres short and Cruden is over the top to force a turnover.
First minute: Cruden kicks off for the second half and Paea runs the ball out of the Crusaders 22.
Boshier wins another penalty at the breakdown and McKenzie has another shot from 40m out, basically in front of the posts. It's over, Crusaders 17-13.
Halftime
Crusaders 17 (Sanders, Jordan & Taylor tries; Mo'unga conversion) Chiefs 10 (Boshier try, McKenzie conversion & penalty)
40th minute: TRY to Taylor
Mo'unga kicks to the corner for a lineout drive before halftime. Crusaders forwards maul it over the line and Taylor just needs to fall over at the back of the pack to score.
Mo'unga hooks his conversion and the Crusaders lead 17-10 into the sheds.
39th minute: Crusaders launch an attack from a scrum in their own territory, Mo'unga chips for Jordan, but the bounce eludes him and Cruden clears to halfway, but not touch.
The ball goes right, but as Reece tries to send Sione Havili away, Stevenson knocks the pass down and earns a yellow card.
36th minute: Crusaders building inside Chiefs half, but Cane is over the breakdown and earns a clearing penalty.
33rd minute: From a midfield scrum, the Chiefs go right to Stevenson and he heaves it back infield. A kick to the left goes into touch inside the 22 and Mo'unga clears.
29th minute: Crusaders on attack, but Cruden chops the legs from under Dunshea and wins a relieving penalty. Jordan cleverly keeps the touchfinder in play.
28th minute: Chiefs building again, Laulal makes a couple of good runs, but Norris is offside at the breakdown and Crusaders win a relieving penalty.
26th minute: From the kick-off, Chiefs control possession and McKenzie clears from inside his 22 to almost halfway.
24th minute: Reece runs across field, looking for a way through the Chiefs defence, but he slips over and slides into touch near halfway.
Chiefs win a midfield penalty for offside and McKenzie lines up a kick from a similar position to the one he missed earlier. This time, he's successful, Crusaders 12-10.
22nd minute: TRY to Boshier
From the midfield scrum, Sowakula runs off the back and feeds Lienert-Brown, Boshier picks up and appears to score.
Boshier is over the line, but O'Keeffe wants to check for a knock-on. He eventually decides the ball does not go forward, so try is awarded.
McKenzie's conversion is successful, Crusaders 12-7.
20th minute: Chiefs throw the ball wide right to Stevenson, who is halted metres short of the line. Sowakula lunges and the Chiefs forward lay seiges to the tryline, drawing an advantage.
A long pass to Wainui is rule forward, so referee Ben O'Keeffe comes back for the penalty.
18th minute: Prop Reuben O'Neill is struggling with a knee injury and hobbles off, replaced by Ollie Norris, who walks straight into a defensive scrum.
Sowakula runs off the base of the scrum and the ball is spread to Wainui, who enters Crusaders territory.
16th minute: McKenzie offloads to Wainui, who looks threatening inside the 22, but Chiefs are penalised and Crusaders clear into the Chiefs half.
13th minute: Try to Jordan
Crusaders are hot on attack, after Mo'unga offloads to Drummond in midfield. Chiefs threaten to disrupt possession, but when the forwards take control again, they suck in the Chiefs defence, leaving Jordan to cross untouched.
Mo'unga converts, Crusaders 12-0.
12th minute: McKenzie puts in a long kick, but it's rounded up by Mo'unga, who breaks a couple of tackles up the left to put the Crusaders back on attack.
10th minute: At at breakdown on halfway, Boshier does what he does best, forcing a penalty against the Crusaders.
From the lineout, the Crusaders steal the throw and clear.
Seventh minute: TRY to Sanders
From a midfield breakdown, the ball spreads left, where Sanders lurks at the end of the backline and stalks down the sideline to cross in the corner. Mo'unga's conversion attempt drifts across the face of the posts, Crusaders 5-0.
Fifth minute: McKenzie is the most accurate kicker in the competition at 85 percent, but he's wayward this time.
Third minute: First scrum of the game, Chiefs feed and Sowakula charges off the back. Wainui takes the ball into the Crusaders half and Chiefs win a penalty.
McKenzie lines up a long-range kick at goal.
First minute: Richie Mo'unga kicks off the Crusaders and the Chiefs clear to halfway, where Will Jordan makes his first run of the game,
There has been light rain over Hamilton's FMG Stadium, but an enthusiastic crowd has gathered to celebrate Aaron Cruden's 100th game for the franchise. He carried daughter Amelia out onto the field with him.
Sam Whitelock leads the Crusaders out for his 150th game and also received a warm reception.
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Kia ora, good evening and welcome to Newshub's live coverage of the Super Rugby Aotearoa clash between the Chiefs and Crusaders in Hamilton.
This contest looms as a classic top v bottom encounter, with the winless home side trying to break their duck against the competition leaders.
While the Chiefs haven't managed to get across the line so far this revamped season, they seem to be inventing new ways of losing each week and must surely rediscover their mojo at some point.
Meanwhile, the Crusaders have seen their long unbeaten home run ended by the Hurricanes and will be determined not start their own losing streak.
This will be a big night for Aaron Cruden, who brings up his 100th game for the Chiefs, and Sam Whitelock, who will represent the Crusaders for the 150th time.
Cruden will start in the No.10 jersey tonight, after being named on the bench for the past two games.
'Like a kid in a candy store': Ta'avao excited for Chiefs return
After six months on the sidelines, All Blacks prop Angus Ta'avao will get his first taste of Super Rugby Aotearoa, when the Chiefs host the Crusaders on Saturday.
Ta'avao has been named on the bench, after recovering from a torn quadriceps sustained in the opening game of Super Rugby back in January, when the Chiefs beat the Blues 37-29 in Auckland.
He underwent surgery a month later and the surgeon told him that the injury was "rare".
The 30-year-old then picked up a minor knee injury, which delayed his return even more.
The Chiefs are winless in the revamped post-coronavirus competition and Ta'avao can't wait to step out onto the field again.
"I'm like a kid in a candy store," says Ta'avao. "I probably need to settle down a bit, I'm a bit over-excited
"As soon as I got the heads-up that I was available to play if I got through a couple of days training, excitement levels were at an all-time high.
"Obviously, it's been a tough competition so far for the lads, and it's been even tougher to not be able to be out there with them and fight for those tough matches."
The Chiefs are playing for pride in their remaining two games, as they're out of contention for the Super Rugby Aotearoa title.
"We're not going to win this competition, but we have two games to put respect into the Chiefs jersey," Ta'avao adds.
"Five of our losses have been within seven points and we've had opportunities to win those.
"These last two games are a good chance for us to set a few things right and move forward, and finish the season the right way."
The Crusaders have won six of their last eight Super Rugby games against the Chiefs, including an 18-13 win when they met in round three of Super Rugby Aotearoa.
