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Kia ora, good afternoon and welcome to Newshub's live coverage of the Crusaders v Queensland Reds Super Rugby Pacific at Christchurch's Apollo Projects Stadium.
After a horror start to their season, the defending champions are finally getting some of their walking wounded back on the park and showed their ability with a resounding 39-0 win over surprising Melbourne Rebels last week.
They make a couple of key changes, with David Havili slipping into the No.10 jersey at the behest of the All Blacks selectors and Wales fullback Leigh Halfpenny making his long-awaited Super Rugby debut at fullback.
You sense the Crusaders are about to make their playoff run and the Reds loom as ideal opponents at this junction of the season - they have not won in New Zealand this century.
The Queensland side will be reeling from their last-minute defeat to the Blues last week, but Christchurch will be a hostile environment for them to overcome.
Join us at 4:30pm for kickoff.
TAB Odds: Crusaders $1.26, Reds $3.40
Wales centurion Halfpenny eyes long-awaited Super Rugby Pacific debut for Crusaders
Leigh Halfpenny may have more than 100 international caps to his names, but he admits there's nerves ahead of his Super Rugby Pacific debut for the Crusaders.
The Wales fullback will become the sixth-oldest debutant in the competition, when he steps out against Quensland Reds, but that maturity and wisdom have the Crusaders coaching staff most excited to see him add to the struggling side.
Up until late last year, the debut only seemed like a pipe dream for Halfpenney.
"As a kid, I always loved watching Super Rugby," he said.
Now, after overcoming a pectoral injury picked up in pre-season, the 101-test will become a late bloomer to the competition.
"There's definitely the nerves," he said.
That's something the fullback is more than use to dealing with and his big-game exposure is likely to be a huge asset to a Crusaders team hoping to continue an upward trend.
"He's been in every situation there could possibly be, so to have that experience..." offered defensive coach Matt Todd. "Obviously, his goalkicking ability will be big as well."
With David Havilli starting at No.10, Halfpenney, 35, will take over that duty immediatly. With a combined 850 test points for Wales and the British & Irish Lions, the Crusaders will be in safe hands.
"I guess, what a way for him and his family to celebrate at home at 4:30 on a Saturday afternoon with the sun on his back," said coach Rob Penney. "Not used to that in Wales."
"Yeah, my partner's mom and dad are over as well," said Halfpenny. "To have them here for the game and to share that moment after the game, that will be very special."
If he can kick the Crusaders to back-to-back victories for the first time this season, the in-laws won't be the only ones happy to see Halfpenney in red and black.
