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Chiefs 34 Crusaders 24
Chiefs - Retallick, Thompson & Stevenson tries; McKenzie 5 penalties & 2 conversions
Crusaders - Williams & Burke tries, penalty try; Mo'unga 2 conversions & penalty
Fulltime
39th minute - TRY to Thompson
Big scrum from the Chiefs wins a penalty and that should nail it for the Chiefs. Retallick takes a tap and after a couple of phases, the replacement hooker surges over.
McKenzie converts after the siren for a famous victory and nine straight wins, CHI 34-24
37th minute - Gatland kicks to the corner for an attacking lineout and Ah Kuoi wins the lineout, but his pass is bobbled back to him for a Crusaders scrum on their own five metres.
36th minute - Crusaders throw a loose pass and Chiefs pounce, Narawa kicks ahead, but just can't find McKenzie inside him.
Chiefs lay seige on the tryline and Gardner awards a penalty for offside.
35th minute - Chiefs control the kickoff and McKenzie kicks down centrefield. Havili brings the Crusaders back into Chiefs half.
32nd minute - TRY to Stevenson
From the kickoff, Mo'unga kicks high and Chiefs have the ball in Crusaders half. McKenzie pierces the defence and finds Stevenson open on the left wing.
Stevenson has to dive over in Ennors tackle. McKenzie's sideline conversion stays right, CHI 27-24
31st minute - PENALTY to Mo'unga
Mo'unga puts the his side back ahead, CRU 24-22
30th minute - Barrett wins the lineout and Jacobson is penalised for offside at the breakdown. Mo'unga will kick for the lead back...
29th minute - From the kickoff, Poihipi kicks downfield, McKenzie fields a return and Gatland kicks out on the full.
28th minute - PENALTY to McKenzie
McKenzie kicks the Chiefs back in front, CHI 22-21
27th minute - Chiefs have a scrum penalty for collapsing and McKenzie points to the posts...
26th minute - Chiefs bring Gatland into first-five and McKenzie slips back to fullback, with Stevenson to the wing. This attendance is declared a sellout.
25th minute - Crusaders clear their scrum towards halfway, but there's an accidental offside. Jacobson returns to the game, so Chiefs are back to full complement.
24th minute - Retallick chases the kickoff, but knocks on, so Crusaders scrum outside their 22. Jager returns from injury in the Crusaders front row.
22nd minute - TRY to Burke
Crusaders have a scrum penalty, but release right to Ennor, who throws the ball back infield, as he is tackled into touch. Narawa can't grab the loose ball and Burke is there to score the try.
Mo'unga scuffs his sideline conversion through the posts, CRU 21-19
21st minute - Crusaders take the scrum against a shorthanded Chiefs pack, but the scrum collapses, eating up a few more seconds on Jacobson's absence.
19th minute - Another advantage to the Crusaders and Havili is brought down in midfield. Chiefs defence smothers Burke out right, but Grace carries on the movement.
Ennor dives for the corner, but is met in midair by McKenzie. Gardner brings them back for the offside penalty in midfield.
18th minute - Big scrum from the Crusaders earns a penalty advantage, but they release the ball to the backs.
17th minute - Crusaders win a scrum feed near the Chiefs 22.
16th minute - Crusaders win a lineout on halfway and drive to the 10. The maul eventually collapses, but Crusaders keep the ball in half and Goodhue charges in midfield.
15th minute - Ratima replaces Weber and Sowakula for Finau for the Chiefs.
12th minute - Crusaders have a penalty and Mo'unga kicks fo the corner.
PENALTY TRY to Crusaders
Grace wins the lineout and Crusaders maul towards the tryline. The maul collapses on the line and Gardner runs back towards the posts for the automatic seven.
YELLOW CARD to Jacobson
The Chiefs No.8 gets a late yellow card, when he's identified as the main culprit for collapsing.
11th minute - Crusaders outside the Chiefs and Havili floats a long pass to Goodhue that is almost intercepted by Narawa.
10th minute - Williams surges to the Chiefs 10, but the ball is lost into touch.
Ninth minute - Strange is on for Gardner, so Barrett to blindside.
Crusaders into Chiefs half.
Eighth minute - Crusaders lose the ball in midfield and Rona kicks ahead. Chiefs regather and Jacobson fires a long pass to Stevenson, but the ball loops into touch.
Seventh minute - From the kickoff, the Crusaders get the ball back and Grace charges over halfway. Goodhue is on the field for the Crusaders.
Fifth minute - TRY to Retallick
McKenzie pokes his nose through a gap and finds Stevenson outside him. The fullback draws the last defender and passes inside to Retallick charging over.
McKenzie converts, CHI 19-7
Fourth minute - Chiefs throw long and roll into the 22. They shift right and build phases.
Third minute - McKenzie grabs a long throw to the lineout and speeds towards the tryline, but Retallick loses the ball and Drummond clears to the 22.
Second minute - Crusaders barely win their lineout and Mo'unga is brought down in midfield. Stevenson claims a high kick and Weber dribbles a kick to the goal-line, where Burke clears to the 22.
First minute - Crusaders will now turn with the assistance of a wind at their backs, after it sprang up late in the first half. McKenzie kicks off for the second half.
After an exchange of kicks, McKenzie finds touch on the Chiefs 10.
Halftime
40th minute - Taukei'aho throws long to the lineout and McKenzie has it off the back. Chiefs have a penalty advantage and McKenzie's long pass is picked off by Ennor, so back they come.
PENALTY to McKenzie
As time runs out on the shot clock, McKenzie extends the lead into halftime, CHI 12-7
39th minute - Taukei'aho's throw to the lineout goes astray and the Crusaders steal it. Mo'unga kicks towards Fainga'anuku, but he's out when he bats it back infield.
38th minute - McKenzie's kickoff is dropped and the two teams come together for a pow-wow. Gardner singles out Moody for charging into the fray and McKenzie will kick to the corner.
37th minute - Mo'unga leaves his kick at goal left.
36th minute - Crusaders steal the lineout and try to run out of their half. Taylor surges and finds Moody in support, but the Chiefs are penalised at the breakdown.
35th minute - Chiefs win the lineout and McKenzie kicks long towards the goal-line. Burke's clearance comes of the side of his boot and into touch.
34th minute - Whitelock wins the lineout and the maul edges forward. Drummond puts up a high kick, and Fainga'anuku is there to claim it and kick ahead.
33rd minute - Crusaders earn a scrum penalty and Mo'unga finds touch near the 10.
32nd minute - From the kickoff, Narawa surges upfield, shrugging off Drummond and kicking ahead. The bounce just eludes Narawa in his chase and Crusaders have a scrum in their own 22.
31st minute - PENALTY to McKenzie
McKenzie slots from near the posts and the lead changes hands, CHI 9-7
30th minute - Chiefs go left from the scrum and Retallick carries the ball forward. Chiefs have penalty advantage, but they're building phases.
McKenzie is driven back in the tackle, so Chiefs will have the penalty for a high tackle.
29th minute - Taylor's throw to the lineout isn't straight, so Chiefs have a scrum about 10 metres out from the tryline.
28th minute - McKenzie catches Mo'unga's dropout and the ball shifts left, where Nanai-Seturo dashes down the touchline, but is pushed out.
27th minute - McKenzie leaves his kick to the right of the posts.
26th minute - Chiefs have a penalty advantage from the scrum, but keep the ball in hand, as they enter Crusaders half. Gardner brings them back for the penalty, and McKenzie will take another shot at goal from about 40 metres out and in front.
25th minute - Burke kicks long to the Chiefs goal-line, but it bounces dead, so Chiefs get a scrum back in Crusaders half.
24th minute - Chiefs have a scrum in midfield, just out from their 22. A long pass to Stevenson is nullified by the Crusaders and McKenzie kicks long.
22nd minute - McKenzie has the ball, but can't find a way through the advancing Crusaders defenders. Weber puts up a high kick and Stevenson claims it near halfway.
McKenzie has another kicked charged - he actually falcons teammate Jacobson - and Crusaders pour into the 22. Barrett lunges the final few metres, but Gardner wants to check for a knockon.
Replays show Dom Gardner spills the ball forward, but it's marginal.
21st minute - McKenzie kicks off long and Grace rumbles towards halfway.
20th minute - Mo'unga leaves his kick to the right of the posts.
19th minute - Crusaders have a penalty in the Chiefs half for offside at a kick and Mo'unga also points to the posts...
18th minute - From the kickoff, McKenzie tries to clear, but his kick is charged down by McLeod. The ball beats him dead.
17th minute - PENALTY to McKenzie
McKenzie slots the kick to reduce the margin, CRU 7-6
16th minute - Chiefs win a scrum penalty in midfield, with Moody the offender for the Crusaders. McKenzie points to the posts...
15th minute - Jacobson runs left off the Chiefs scrum and makes metres into Crusaders territory. McKenzie chips over the defence and Crusaders knock on.
14th minute - Chiefs win a scrum on halfway, but McKenzie's pass goes loose and the ball is toed ahead, with McLeod sliding over to score. Replays show Ennor knocked the ball forward out of McKenzie's hands.
13th minute - Mo'unga puts up a high kick that spills towards the Chiefs line. Havili races away, but Gardner calls them back for a knockon by Fainga'anuku.
12th minute - McKenzie finds touch towards the 10 and Chiefs win their lineout. McKenzie pumps a high kick to Burke.
11th minute - Crusaders keep the ball in hand, now up to 20 phases in the 22, but the Chiefs win a defensive penalty through Cane at the breakdown.
10th minute - After 11 phases, Crusaders shift right, where Burke is hauled down.
Ninth minute - Crusaders win a lineout and maul forward, winning a penalty advantage. They're deep inside the 22 and Fainga'anuku surges towards the tryline.
Eighth minute - Chiefs cover the kickoff and McKenzie clears to their 10.
Seventh minute - PENALTY to McKenzie
McKenzie slots the kick, CRU 7-3
Sixth minute - McKenzie kicks off, but Barrett spills the kick and Ennor gathers in an offside position. McKenzie lines up a kick at goal...
Fourth minute - TRY to Williams
Taylor throws long, and Grace runs off the back of the lineout and links with Fainga'anuku, who is dragged down short of the tryline. After a couple of phases, the big prop cannot be stopped from close range.
Mo'unga converts, CRU 7-0
Third minute - Chiefs overthrow the linout and Taylor snaps up the loose ball. The two teams exchange kicks and Havili is driven back in a tackle.
Crusaders win a breakdown penalty.
Second minute - Chiefs drive Crusaders back to halfway and Drummond tries another kick that bounces into touch.
First minute - Ideal conditions for tonight's clash, refereed by Angus Gardner. Mo'unga will kick off for the Crusaders.
Crusaders get the ball back and Drummond puts up a high midfield kick. Faingan'nuku claims the ball back and Crusaders roll into Chiefs half.
*****
Kia ora, good evening and welcome to Newshub's live coverage of the Chiefs v Crusaders Super Rugby Pacific clash at Hamilton's FMG Stadium.
At the start of the season, probably few would have imagined the Chiefs would reach the halfway point unbeaten, beginning with their opening upset of the six-time defending champion Crusaders at Christchurch.
Since then, they have run the table and now have the opportunity to double down on that victory on home turf.
The southerners have had to weather injury setbacks and the distraction of Scott Robertson's appointment as All Blacks coach-in-waiting, but have now compiled a five-game winning streak of their own.
This match offers a benchmark for both sides - can the Chiefs continue their dream run or are the Crusaders about to hit their straps?
Particularly intriguing will be the head-to-head match-up between All Blacks incumbent Richie Mo'unga and in-form challenger Damian McKenzie at first-five.
Join us for kickoff at 7pm.
TAB Odds: Chiefs $1.62, Crusaders $2.30, draw $21
Crusaders: 1-Joe Moody, 2-Codie Taylor, 3-Tamaiti Williams, 4-Scott Barrett, 5-Sam Whitelock, 6-Dom Gardiner, 7-Tom Christie, 8-Cullen Grace, 9-Mitch Drummond, 10-Richie Mo'unga, 11-Leicester Fainga'anuku, 12-David Havili, 13-Braydon Ennor, 14-Dallas McLeod, 15-Fergus Burke
Reserves: 16-Brodie McAlister, 17-Finlay Brewis, 18-Oliver Jager, 19-Quinten Strange, 20-Christian Lo-Willie, 21-Willi Heinz, 22-Jack Goodhue, 23-Macca Springer
Chiefs: 1-Aidan Ross, 2-Samisoni Taukei'aho, 3-George Dyer, 4-Brodie Retallick, 5-Tupou Vaa'i, 6-Samipeni Finau, 7-Sam Cane, 8-Luke Jacobson, 9-Brad Weber, 10-Damian McKenzie, 11-Etene Nanai-Seturo, 12-Rameka Poihipi, 13-Daniel Rona, 14-Emoni Narawa, 15-Shaun Stevenson
Reserves: 16-Tyrone Thompson, 17-Ollie Norris, 18-John Ryan, 19-Naitoa Ah Kuoi, 20-Naitoa Ah Kuoi, 21-Cortez Ratima, 22-Bryn Gatland, 23-Lalomilo Lalomilo
Thorn between two locks: Whitelock credits veteran mentor for career milestone
Stephen Foote
When he runs out at Hamilton's FMG Stadium on Saturday, Crusaders institution Sam Whitelock will join an elite club of NZ rugby players.
Whitelock will become just the sixth Kiwi to reach the 350 first-class games, putting his name alongside the likes of Sir Colin Meads, Keven Mealamu, Wyatt Crockett and Liam Messam.
On the eve of his milestone, the veteran lock took some time to reflect on his journey, where the wide-eyed kid from Manawatu has become the elder statesman of a Crusaders dressing room which is now much more Gen-Z than Gen-Y.
Reminiscing on his own initiation to the Crusaders squad as a 20-year-old back in 2010, Whitelock, 34, singles out one senior player who became somewhat of a mentor - crosscode star Brad Thorn.
The Australian rugby league superstar-turned-All Blacks lock was in the twilight of his career, when Whitelock showed up from Palmerston North, and quickly took - albeit inadvertently - the youngster under his wing.
Thorn's discipline on and off the field made a huge impression, Whitelock admits, teaching some valuable lessons about the realities of professional sport.
With 22 years at the highest level underneath his belt, Thorn and his regimented approach proved the ideal example for Whitelock to emulate.
"He had that typical Aussie way about things," Whitelock said. "He used to love getting into the gym, putting his singlet on and getting stuck in.
"He really installed a lot of the basics in me - the recovery, the stretching, the eating well, the mental side of it.
"He was a massive part of it."
Whitelock showed up a relative stringbean at 104 kg and under Thorn's tutelage, eventually tipped the scales at 124 kg, with his newfound focus in the weightroom paying dividends.
As they typically always have, the Crusaders squad - including Thorn - boasted a wealth of test riches in their second-row, including Chris Jack, Ross Filipo and Issac Ross, a valuable commodity for an ambitious, but green Whitelock.
"I had all these guys there that were playing for the All Blacks or had played for the All Blacks, and I just had an opportunity to look at what they did well, and try and take all their strengths and hopefully none of their weaknesses," he added.
The most recent inductee to the 350-club is Whitelock's childhood friend and 1st XV teammate at Feilding High School - Aaron Smith.
Smith achieved the feat during the Highlanders last month and Whitelock quickly reached out to offer his congratulations to his old mate, reflecting on their unlikely shared journey to the top, which has included a World Cup triumph in 2015.
As for just how much he has left in the tank, Whitelock has yet to commit beyond his current deal with NZ Rugby, which expires at the end of the upcoming Rugby World Cup, but confirms he's "working through a few things at the moment".
Crusaders and All Blacks coach-elect Scott Robertson hopes he'll have Whitelock's services for a few more years yet - both in the red and the black jerseys.
"He's a man of resilience. He's a man of true professionalism, on and off the field.
"Every game matters a lot to him. There's not much between his top performance and his bottom - he's so consistent… his standards that he keeps are what a Crusader is all about.
"He's performing like he has another couple of years, for sure. I'll have to ring up his agent and have another couple of conversations, I think."
Whitelock has a much more prestigious milestone ahead of him this season, when he'll surpass Richie McCaw as the most capped All Black of all time. With 143 caps to his name, he is just five appearances shy of his former Crusaders teammate.
Two World Cups and four Super Rugby titles. Not bad for a kid from Palmy, who once upon a time didn't even believe he had what it took to reach NPC level.
"I never thought I'd play for Manawatu, let alone go on and have the career I've had."
