A hat-trick to wing Leicester Fainga'anuku has helped the Crusaders open their Super Rugby Pacific account with a 42-32 win over the Hurricanes at Dunedin.
After the Hurricanes had overcome an early deficit to close their deficit to two points, the Crusaders came out of the halftime break and put the foot down to streak clear on the scoreboard.
While the Hurricanes refused to lie down and ran in some late tries, the result was long beyond doubt, as the perennial title favourites banked a first-up win in a try-fest at Forsyth Barr Stadium.
The Crusaders opened the try-scoring in the eighth minute, when a powerful Whitelock charge opened the gate for Will Jordan to send Fergus Burke within an inch of the line, leaving wing Leicester Fainga'anuku to power his way over from the ruck.
Five minutes later, Will Jordan burst through a hole courtesy of a Braydon Ennor short ball, before sending Fainga'anuku in untouched for his second.
After a pair of Jordie Barrett penalties, the Hurricanes took the lead with their first try of the game in the 28th minute. Wing Wes Goosen broke at halfway, before linking with Peter Umaga-Jensen, leaving Ruben Love to wriggle his way over in the tackle.
After Oli Jager was dealt a yellow card, the Hurricanes continued to wrestle the momentum, but were denied twice in the space of just a few minutes. Ardie Savea exploded off the back of a scrum and was over the line but couldn't get the ball on the turf.
Turning down a shot at goal, Asafo Aumua was then awarded a close-range try which was quickly reversed due to a double movement.
With the Hurricanes unable to cash in on their field position, Burke stepped up to slot penalties on either side of halftime, making Jager's absence an inexpensive one.
Fainga'anuku then bullocked over from a crafty lineout move, taking the pass directly from Cullen Grace to cross for his third of the night, and suddenly the Crusaders' lead was back up to 25-13.
In the 63rd minute, the Hurricanes were again cruelly denied a try. Ardie Savea burst from a ruck to go 40m to dot down, before Ben May - reviewing the maximum two phases - was ruled to have made the most marginal of touches.
The Crusaders swiftly rubbed salt in those wounds. The Canes were ruled to have dragged down a rolling maul from a 5m lineout, blowing the lead out to 22 points with 13 minutes to play.
A yellow card for cynical play against Burke squared the ledger at 14 men per team, with Bailyn Sullivan cashing in on Barrett's big fend on All Blacks teammate Sevu Reece to score a try on debut.
The Hurricanes ran in two more late tries to Barrett and replacement Jackson Garden-Bachop to close the gap on the scoreboard and deny the Crusaders a bonus point.
The Crusaders move on to face the Highlanders at the same venue next Saturday, while the Hurricanes will chase their first win, with a clash against the Blues at Queenstown next Sunday.
Crusaders 42 (Leicester Fainga’anuku tries 8 min, 11 min, 51 min, penalty try 65 min, Shilo Klein 69 min Fergus Burke 2 cons, 3 pens, Simon Hickey con) Hurricanes 32 (Ruben Love try 28 min, Bailyn Sullivan 68 min, Jordie Barrett 75 min, Jackson Garden-Bachop 79 min Jordie Barrett 2 cons, 2 pens, Garden-Bachop con) Halftime: 15-13
