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Crusaders 31 Brumbies 29
Crusaders - Blackadder, Mo'unga, Havili, O'Connor, Grace tries; Mo'unga 3 conversions
Brumbies - Sio, Simone, Banks, Valetini tries; Lolesio 3 conversions, penalty goal
Full time
80 mins - Try Brumbies to Rob Valetini
What a try from the Brumbies. The visitors are throwing everything at the Crusaders. Lolesio flings the ball wide to Wright who produces a brilliant offload to Valetini who smashes his way over in the corner to give Lolesio a chance to tie the game.
From the sideline, Lolesio has just missed the conversion to the right and the Crusaders have hung on. (CRU 31-29)
79 mins
The Crusaders have give away another penalty inches short of their line, Paul Williams has put them on a team warning. What a finish to this contest. The visitors take a quick tap as they hunt a try to level the scores.
78 mins - Yellow Card Crusaders to Ereatara Enari
Rob Valetini makes a barnstorming run off the back of the lineout to go 10-metres short. Playing under advantage the attack comes to nothing but Paul Willaims has seen enough and sent Ereatara Enarito to the sin bin.
77 mins
The Brumbies are storming home as Oli Jager gives away a penalty for a high tackle and the visitors will have a lineout on the 22.
75 mins
The Crusaders go short from the restart and concede a penalty to hand possession straight back to the Brumbies. They will have a lineout on halfway.
The visitors make a meal of the lineout to concede a penalty and the Crusaders will look to run down the clock in the visitors 22.
73 mins - Try Brumbies to Tom Banks
What an individual try from Tom Banks, to get the Brumbies right back in the contest. From a scrum on halfway, a great wrap-around play from the backs sees Banks in a huge hole and pins his ears back and beats two defenders to storm his way over.
Lolesio has an important kick to get it back to seven points and he nails it. (CRU 31-24)
70 mins - Try Crusaders to Cullen Grace
The Crusaders have crashed over through Cullen Grace with a critical try. Ereatara Enari delivers a great short pass to put Grace in a hole and he smashes his way over next to the posts, with his head covered in blood.
Mo'unga converts the try. (CRU 31-17)
67 mins
The home side are looking to extend their lead and have a lineout just inside the 22. Playing under advantage, Mo'unga goes for a risky chip kick and it doesn't come off and they will come back for a penalty.
Surprisingly they have chosen to go for the lineout instead of the easy three points.
63 mins - Try Crusaders to Brendon O'Connor
The Brumbies have conceded a harsh penalty to see the home side have a lineout just five metres out. The Crusaders produce one of their trademark drives with Brendon O'Connor crashing over at the back of the maul.
Mo'unga can't convert the try. (CRU 24-17)
61mins
The Crusaders think they have hit back after a barnstorming run from Blackadder but on review, his foot is in touch after a try-saving tackle from Luke Reimer who has just come on. Big moment in this contest.
60 mins - Penalty goal Brumbies to Noah Lolesio
The Brumbies are looking good with ball in hand and after five phases, the visitors win a breakdown penalty and they will have a shot at goal to close the deficit to just two points.
Lolesio makes no mistake and nails the penalty goal. (BRU 19-17)
57 mins
The Brumbies win a penalty and Tom Wright takes it quickly to get down to the home sides 22. Lolesio puts a chip in behind but the bounce of the ball beats everyone and goes into touch five metres out from the home sides line.
54 mins
The momentum is swinging in the Brumbies favour as they hunt a try to put them in front. Kata makes a strong run to take the visitors into the home sides half.
50 mins - Try Brumbies to Irae Simone
The Brumbies think they're over under the posts with Irae Simone picking the ball up at the breakdown and crashing over.
Lolesio converts the try to make it a five-point ball game. (CRU 19-14)
48 mins
Scott Sio makes a storming run downfield to get the Brumbies onto the attack. After five phases, the visitors win a penalty and they will have a lineout five metres out.
45 mins
The Crusaders try to work a backline move but Brendon O'Connor is called for obstruction to give the Brumbies a penalty. The visitors will go for touch to give them their first attacking opportunity of the half.
43 mins
The Crusaders have made a great start to the second half as they throw the ball around just inside their own half. After 15 phases Fainga'anuku puts a chip kick in but it comes to nothing and the Brumbies clear back down to the home sides 22.
The Crusaders win a breakdown penalty to end a long passage of play to start the second half and they will have a lineout on the visitors 22.
Kickoff - Noah Lolesio gets the second half underway.
40 mins
The Brumbies win another penalty at scrum time and Lolesio kicks the ball into touch to end the first half.
39 mins
The Crusaders are looking to finish the half on a high with Bridge going inches short before Ennor tries to reach out to score but he knocks on in contact.
38 mins
Lolesio makes a meal of the kickoff, sending it into touch for the second time tonight. Scrum Crusaders on halfway.
37 mins Try Crusaders to David Havili
The Brumbies are attacking on halfway when halfback Ryan Lonergan throws a wide pass but Havili intercepts it and sprints 50 metres to grab the Crusaders third try.
Mo'unga converts the try. (CRU 19-7)
35 mins
The Brumbies win another scrum penalty and they will have a lineout five metres out. The visitors work a move from the lineout and Taylor smashes Sio into touch to stop a certain try.
32 mins
The Brumbies have responded well to the Crusaders quick try and are attacking just short of the home sides 22. After six phases, Grace wins a breakdown turnover but in the process, he knocks the ball on and the visitors will have a scrum.
29 mins - TRY Crusaders to Richie Mo'unga
A moment of brilliance from Mo'unga. From a scrum, Mo'unga produces a huge right foot step to break through the Brumbies to crash over under the posts.
Mo'unga converts the try to put Crusaders back in front. (CRU 12-7)
26 mins - Try Brumbies to Scott Sio
The visitors struck with their first try. The Brumbies are hot on the attack with Lolesio who is showing great footwork to go close. At the next phase, Scott Sio picks and goes to crash over.
Lolesio converts the try to put the Brumbies in front. (BRU 7-5)
23 mins
The Crusaders have worked themselves into an attacking opportunity just short of the 22 before Irae Simone intercepts a stray pass.
He storms off downfield but doesn't have the pace to go all the way. At the breakdown the visitors when a penalty and they will have a lineout five metres out.
19 mins
The Brumbies have a lineout on the Crusaders 22 but they fail to throw the ball straight to continue the messy start to the contest.
17 mins
The Brumbies get their first opportunity to attack with the ball in hand. A great lob pass finds Kata out on the wing and he tries to smash his way over Bridge but he brings him down on the 22. At the breakdown, the home side wins a penalty to stop the attack in its tracks.
15 mins
George Bridge makes a strong run to stick his nose through the line before Rory Scott makes a brilliant tackle. The Crusaders go wide through Mataele but he knocks the ball on in contact.
13 mins
It's another very untidy scrum and this time it's the Crusaders who win the penalty. Mo'unga finds touch from the penalty on the 22.
10 mins
Another collapsed scrum but this time it's a Brumbies penalty and they will clear for touch to ease the pressure.
9 mins
After three collapsed scrums, Paul Williams has seen enough and awarded a penalty to the home side. They will have a lineout on the 22.
The Crusaders knock the ball on at the lineout and the visitors will have a scrum. Messy start at the set piece for both sides.
7 mins
The Brumbies make a meal of the kickoff with Lolesio kicking it straight into touch. The home side will have a scrum on halfway.
5 mins - TRY Crusaders to Ethan Blackadder
The Crusaders get the first attacking opportunity just short of the Brumbies 22. Greta hands between Whitelock and Havili put Bridge in a hole. The next phases sees the backline show great hands to put Blackadder in space and he crashes over in the corner.
Mo'uga can't convert the try. (CRU 5-0)
2 mins
The Crusaders win the ball back at the kickoff but the Brumbies do well to keep Alaalatoa up and win a turnover. They will have a scrum on their own 22.
Kickoff - Richie Mo'unga gets the contest underway.
7:04pm - Both sides are out on the field and Paul Williams is the man in the middle.
6:50pm - We are just 15 minutes away from kickoff and it will be a special day for Crusaders hooker Codie Taylor who is playing is 100th Super Rugby match.
*****
Kia ora, good evening and welcome to Newshub's live coverage of the Super Rugby Trans-Tasman clash between the Crusaders and the Brumbies from Christchurch's Orangetheory Stadium.
The Crusaders are the form team heading into Super Rugby Trans-Tasman after claiming their fifth straight title with an impressive, hard-fought victory over the Chiefs.
Codie Taylor will captain the Crusaders in his 100th Super Rugby match in the absence of Scott Barrett as the home side look to make it five straight victories against Australian teams dating back to 2019.
The Highlanders and Hurricanes made it two from two on Friday night for New Zealand sides and the Crusaders will be looking to make it three against a wounded Brumbies side.
The Canberra side are coming off a heartbreaking defeat to the Reds in the final of Super Rugby AU and will be looking to break a nine-game losing streak against the Crusaders, with their last win coming back in 2009.
The Crusaders hold the wood over the Brumbies in the head to head with the visitors only picking up the eight wins in the twenty-six encounters.
TAB odds:
Crusaders $1.10 Brumbies $6.10
Crusaders: 1-George Bower, 2-Codie Taylor, 3-Michael Alaalatoa, 4-Mitchell Dunshea, 5-Sam Whitelock, 6-Ethan Blackadder, 7-Tom Sanders, 8-Cullen Grace, 9-Bryn Hall, 10-Richie Mo'unga, 11-Leicester Fainga'anuku, 12-David Havili, 13-Braydon Ennor, 14-Manasa Mataele, 15-George Bridge
Reserves: 16-Brodie McAlister, 17-Tamati Williams, 18-Oli Jager, 19-Scott Barrett, 20-Brendon O'Connor, 21-Ereatara Enari, 22-Fergus Burke, 23-Sevu Reece
Brumbies - 1-Scott Sio, 2-Folau Fainga'a, 3-Allan Alaalatoa (c), 4-Darcy Swain, 5-Nick Frost, 6-Henry Stowers, 7-Rory Scott, 8-Rob Valetini, 9-Ryan Lonergan, 10-Noah Lolesio, 11-Tom Wright, 12-Irae Simone, 13-Len Ikitau, 14-Solomone Kata, 15-Tom Banks,
Reserves: 16-Lachlan Lonergan, 17-Harry Lloyd, 18-Tom Ross, 19-Tom Hooper, 20-Luke Reimer, 21-Issak Fines-Leleiwasa, 22-Reesjan Pasitoa, 23-Mack Hansen
Robertson wanted Hurricanes-bound Franks for Crusaders
Crusaders coach Scott Robertson would have welcomed back Owen Franks with open arms, if they could have squeezed him onto their roster for the 2022 season.
Newshub has revealed the former All Blacks prop has signed a one-year deal with the Hurricanes for next season's revamped Super Rugby.
Franks, who won three Super Rugby crowns in a 150-game, decade-long stint with the red-and-blacks, is returning home after two years with Northampton in the English Premiership.
Robertson has revealed the test centurion entered talks with his former franchise, but ultimately, neither side could make it work.
"We went through the process," Robertson says. "If we had a bit of space, we'd have loved to have Owie back.
"He has been great to us for a long period of time, but professional sport and timing didn't work. We had a full roster."
Franks' last Super Rugby appearance was the victorious 2019 Super Rugby final against the Jaguares.
The 33-year-old formed a daunting front row, alongside fellow All Blacks Joe Moody and Codie Taylor, as the Crusaders ran rampant during that season - losing just twice in 19 games.
But Franks missed selection for the 2019 Rugby World Cup before his move offshore and quietly disappeared from the New Zealand rugby melting pot.
Robertson believes the Hurricanes have pulled off a recruitment coup in inking Franks to a deal and admits the move north worked best for everyone involved.
"It's a professional game, that's where the opportunity was. We appreciate that he's made that decision, and it's best for him and his family."
Franks is the Hurricanes’ second high-profile former-Crusaders signing, with lock and former teammate Dominic Bird returning from France next season.
