NPR

Kiwias wrote: Fri Apr 11, 2025 7:46 am Crusaders are playing some seriously good rugby, Fihaki scores a cracker try in the corner and lead stretches to 24 - 10

Gumboot wrote: Fri Apr 11, 2025 9:22 am Next up, Waratahs hosting the Chiefs in Sydney...

Gumboot wrote: Fri Apr 11, 2025 10:23 am Tahs ahead 14-7 at HT.

Kiwias wrote: Fri Apr 11, 2025 10:26 am

Gumboot wrote: Fri Apr 11, 2025 10:23 am Tahs ahead 14-7 at HT.

And that is with two tries disallowed.

Gumboot wrote: Fri Apr 11, 2025 11:29 am Tahs win 21-14.

Very sloppy performance by the Chiefs, but that was largely down to some excellent Tahs hustle.

DMac had a game to forget.

Kiwias wrote: Sat Apr 12, 2025 5:43 am Not fancy at all but Blues now leading 31 - 5

Hurricanes: 1. Xavier Numia 2. Asafo Aumua (cc) 3. Tyrel Lomax 4. Caleb Delany 5. Isaia Walker-Leawere 6. Brad Shields (cc) 7. Du’Plessis Kirifi (cc) 8. Peter Lakai 9. Cam Roigard 10. Ruben Love 11. Fatafehi Fineanganofo 12. Peter Umaga-Jensen 13. Bailyn Sullivan 14. Ngatungane Punivai 15. Callum Harkin.

Bench: 16. Raymond Tuputupu 17. Tevita Mafileo 18. Pasilio Tosi 19. Zach Gallagher 20. Brayden Iose 21. Ereatara Enari 22. Riley Higgins 23. Billy Proctor.

Crusaders: 1. Tamaiti Williams 2. Codie Taylor 3. Fletcher Newell 4. Scott Barrett 5. Antonio Shalfoon 6. Cullen Grace 7. Ethan Blackadder 8. Christian Lio-Willie 9. Noah Hotham 10. Taha Kemara 11. Sevu Reece 12. David Havili (c) 13. Levi Aumua 14. Chay Fihaki 15. Will Jordan.

Bench: 16. Ioane Moananu 17. George Bower 18. Kershawl Sykes-Martin 19. Jamie Hannah 20. Corey Kellow 21. Kyle Preston 22. James O’Connor 23. Macca Springer


Blues: 1. Joshua Fusitu’a 2. Ricky Riccitelli 3. Angus Ta’avao 4. Patrick Tuipulotu (c) 5. Josh Beehre 6. Anton Segner 7. Dalton Papali’i 8. Hoskins Sotutu 9. Finlay Christie 10. Beauden Barrett 11. Mark Tele’a 12. A.J. Lam 13. Rieko Ioane 14. Cole Forbes 15. Zarn Sullivan

Bench: 16. Kurt Eklund 17. Mason Tupaea 18. Hamdahn Tuipulotu 19. Laghlan McWhannell 20. Cameron Suafoa 21. Adrian Choat 22. Taufa Funaki 23. Harry Plummer.

Moana Pasifika: 1. Abraham Pole 2. Samiuela Moli 3. Sione Mafile’o 4. Tom Savage 5. Michael Curry 6. Miracle Faiilagi 7. Sione Havili Talitui (c) 8. Semisi Tupou Ta’eiloa 9. Jonathan Taumateine 10. Patrick Pellegrini 11. Kyren Taumoefolau 12. Julian Savea 13. Pepesana Patafilo 14. Fine Inisi 15 Tevita Ofa.

Bench: 16. Sama Malolo 17. Monu Moli 18. Chris Apoua 19. Samuel Slade 20. Ola Tauelangi 21. Melani Matavao 22. Jackson Garden-Bachop 23. Danny Toala.

Chiefs: 1. Aidan Ross 2. Brodie McAlister 3. George Dyer 4. Naitoa Ah Kuoi 5. Tupou Vaa’i 6. Samipeni Finau 7. Jahrome Brown 8. Luke Jacobson (c) 9. Xavier Roe 10. Damian McKenzie 11. Leroy Carter 12. Quinn Tupaea 13. Daniel Rona 14. Emoni Narawa 15. Shaun Stevenson.

Bench: 16. Samisoni Taukei’aho 17. Jared Proffit 18. Reuben O’Neill 19. Jimmy Tupou 20. Kaylum Boshier 21. Cortez Ratima 22. Josh Jacomb 23. Anton Lienert-Brown.

Highlanders: Ethan de Groot, Henry Bell, Sosefo Kautai, Mitch Dunshea, Fabian Holland, Oliver Haig, Veveni Lasaqa, Hugh Renton (cc), Folau Fakatava, Cameron Millar, Jona Nareki, Timoci Tavatavanawai (cc), Thomas Umaga-Jensen, Taniela Filimone, Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens.

Bench: Soane Vikena, Daniel Lienert-Brown, Saula Ma’u, Te Kamaka Howden, Will Stodart, Adam Lennox, Sam Gilbert, Jonah Lowe.

Kiwias wrote: Wed Apr 16, 2025 6:29 am Looking forward to seeing Love at 10!!

Damn, the Crusaders have a decent bench and Taylor back in the starting XV. Yessssss

Gumboot wrote: Thu Apr 17, 2025 7:22 pm Great to see Zarn Sullivan back, after enduring such a horrendous run of injuries.

Edit: didn't realise how many quality players are coming back from injury this round.

It’s safe to say Angus Young’s iconic Thunderstruck guitar riff won’t fill the Addington air and welcome the Blues on to Apollo Projects Stadium on Friday night.

No AC/DC hype. And no Blues halftime themed show.

Makes sense. Although, given the Crusaders rolled out the welcome mat for Moana Pasifika before their shock defeat last month, the question had to be asked.

“We won’t be, no,” Crusaders boss Colin Mansbridge said, laughing.

It wasn’t a laughing matter after the Crusaders dished up some special treatment to Moana Pasifika at their Christchurch fortress, where opposing teams usually get anything but a warm welcome.

In fact, it’s understood some Crusaders were not enthused by the friendly reception and approached management in the aftermath of the team’s 45-29 defeat.

After the Crusaders received their usual rapturous welcome, they huddled on the field at a time the volume on the PA system is usually turned down.
The Crusaders celebrate a try against the Blues in Christchurch last year.John Davidson/photosport

However, AC/DC was soon blasting as a hyped Moana Pasifika sprinted on to the park, before going on to rip into the hosts en route to a famous boil over.

A Pasifika-themed halftime show was also dished up, before Moana Pasifika kept the Crusaders waiting for what felt like an age ahead of the second half.

A sold out match at the 17,400 capacity Apollo Projects Stadium generates about $350,000 for the Crusaders, significantly less than the approximate $1 million the Blues make from a packed Eden Park fixture.

Despite ratepayer-owned Venues Ōtautahi giving them a “fairer” rental price recently, it’s left the Crusaders scratching to break even since 2012