VIDEO: Crusaders bounce back in style, Drua shock Hurricanes
SATURDAY WRAP: The Crusaders have got their season back on track with a comeback 43-33 win over the Chiefs in Hamilton.
In a rematch of the 2025 Final, the Crusaders scored 36 unanswered points to stun the hosts and get their first win of the season.
The Chiefs were motivated for revenge and came out delivering an early blitz.
Leroy Carter almost got the opener in the fourth minute after Daniel Rona burst through the defence. While he was put into touch, an errant throw by the Crusaders set up Quinn Tupaea to dive over from close.
Carter then launched from his own try-line to set up a contender for try of the year.
The former Sevens star sprinted away after beating several defenders, with some remarkable hands finding fullback Etene Nanai-Seturo to complete a special 95 metre try.
George Bell got the Crusaders on the board with a powerful run from close to the line.
But the Chiefs hit back straight away through their own hooker Samisoni Taukei’aho for a 21-7 lead after 22 minutes.
This is where the Crusaders kicked into life and turned the game.
Will Jordan settled the visitors, adding to the frantic start with his own break that delivered a try to Noah Hotham. Jordan nearly had his own try, with a wicked bounce the only thing saving the Chiefs.
However, the hosts couldn’t stop Christian Lio-Willie and suddenly the scores were level.
The Crusaders edged in front at half-time after a tip tackle cleanout off the ball, with Taha Kemara slotting the penalty for a 24-21 lead as tempers continued to flare up in the tunnel.
They kept the momentum flowing into the second half, with a wave of possession and territory setting the platform for Lio-Willie’s second.
David Havili then showed off the aerobatics in the corner after a looping ball from Will Jordan found Chay Fihaki, cutting back inside before the play flipped back to the captain.
Lio-Willie’s third sealed the win with 14 minutes to go after another bold call to attack from their own 22 paid off for the visitors.
A yellow card to Noah Hotham provided the opportunities for a late Chiefs comeback and tries to Tupou Vaa’i and Emoni Narawa.
But it was too little, too late to stop the Crusaders as they closed out a much-needed win with a remarkable try-saving tackle by Jordan on Carter.
The Fijian Drua are on the board in 2026, recording a 25-20 win over the Hurricanes in Lautoka.
The Drua were at home in the torrential conditions throughout the game as the rain belted down, leaving Lautoka waterlogged and filled with mud.
They sought to take points when they could, opening and ending the first half with penalties by Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula.
Meanwhile, the Hurricanes were unfazed early on and turned down an easy three for a quick tap, allowing new flyhalf Callum Harkin to get in the game early with a perfect cutout pass to Fehi Fineanganofo for the opener.
Charlie Cale has stepped up in the Brumbies’ moment of need to continue their unbeaten start to the Super Rugby Pacific season with a thrilling 30-27 defeat of the Blues.
Saturday’s scores and scorers!
Fijian Drua 25-20 Hurricanes
The scorers:
For Fijian Drua:
Tries: Murray, Samusamuvodre, Waqa
Cons: Armstrong-Ravula 2
Pens: Armstrong-Ravula 2
For Hurricanes:
Tries: Fineanganofo, Lakai, Proctor
Con: Barrett
Pen: Barrett
Teams
Fijian Drua: 15 Ilaisa Droasese, 14 Joji Nasova, 13 Tuidraki Samusamuvodre, 12 Isikeli Rabitu, 11 Epeli Momo, 10 Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula, 9 Frank Lomani (captain), 8 Elia Canakaivata, 7 Motikiai Murray, 6 Etonia Waqa, 5 Isoa Nasilasila, 4 Mesake Vocevoce, 3 Mesake Doge, 2 Zuriel Togiatama, 1 Haereiti Hetet
Replacements: 16 Kavaia Tagivetaua, 17 Emosi Tuqiri, 18 Peni Ravai, 19 Vilive Miramira, 20 Kitione Salawa, 21 Isoa Tuwai, 22 Issak Fines-Leleiwasa, 23 Inia Tabuavou
Hurricanes: 15 Josh Moorby, 14 Bailyn Sullivan, 13 Billy Proctor, 12 Jordie Barrett (captain), 11 Fehi Fineanganofo, 10 Callum Harkin, 9 Cam Roigard, 8 Brayden Iose, 7 Peter Lakai, 6 Devan Flanders, 5 Warner Dearns, 4 Hugo Plummer, 3 Tevita Mafileo, 2 Asafo Aumua, 1 Pouri Rakete-Stones
Replacements: 16 Jacob Devery, 17 Xavier Numia, 18 Siale Lauaki, 19 Isaia Walker-Leawere, 20 Brad Shields, 21 Ereatara Enari, 22 Lucas Cashmore, 23 Ngane Punivai
Referee: Ben O’Keeffe
Assistant referees: Todd Petrie, Maggie Cogger-Orr
TMO: Richard Kelly
Chiefs 33-43 Crusaders
The scorers:
For Chiefs:
Tries: Narawa, Vaa’i, Taukei’aho, Tupaea, Nanai-Seturo
Cons: Jacomb 4
For Crusaders:
Tries: Lio-Willie 3, Bell, Hotham, Havili
Cons: Kamara 4, Fihaki
Pen: Kamara
b: 15 Etene Nanai-Seturo, 14 Emoni Narawa, 13 Daniel Rona, 12 Quinn Tupaea, 11 Leroy Carter, 10 Josh Jacomb, 9 Xavier Roe, 8 Luke Jacobson (captain), 7 Kaylum Boshier, 6 Simon Parker, 5 Tupou Vaa’i, 4 Josh Lord, 3 George Dyer, 2 Samisoni Taukei’aho, 1 Jared Proffit
Replacements: 16 Tyrone Thompson, 17 Benet Kumeroa, 18 Reuben O’Neill, 19 Samipeni Finau, 20 Wallace Sititi, 21 Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, 22 Tepaea Cook-Savage, 23 Lalakai Foketi
Crusaders: 15 Will Jordan, 14 Chay Fihaki, 13 Leicester Fainga’anuku, 12 David Havili (captain), 11 Sevu Reece, 10 Taha Kemara, 9 Noah Hotham, 8 Christian Lio-Willie, 7 Ethan Blackadder, 6 Dom Gardiner, 5 Jamie Hannah, 4 Antonio Shalfoon, 3 Fletcher Newell, 2 George Bell, 1 Tamaiti Williams
Replacements: 16 Manumaua Letiu, 17 George Bower, 18 Seb Calder, 19 Tahlor Cahill, 20 Corey Kellow, 21 Louis Chapman, 22 James White, 23 Dallas McLeod
Referee: James Doleman
Assistant referees: Marcus Playle, Fraser Hannon
TMO: Glenn Newman
Brumbies 30-27 Blues
The scorers:
For Brumbies:
Tries: Meredith, Pollard, Reimer, Cale
Cons: Lonergan, Edmed
Pens: Lonergan 2
For Blues:
Tries: Clarke 2, Lam, Papali’i
Cons: Perofeta 2
Pen: Perofeta
Brumbies: 15 Andy Muirhead, 14 Ollie Sapsford, 13 Kadin Pritchard, 12 David Feliuai, 11 Corey Toole, 10 Declan Meredith, 9 Ryan Lonergan (captain), 8 Charlie Cale, 7 Rory Scott, 6 Rob Valetini, 5 Cadeyrn Neville, 4 Lachie Shaw, 3 Rhys van Nek, 2 Billy Pollard, 1 James Slipper
Replacements: 16 Liam Bowron, 17 Blake Schoupp, 18 Tevita Alatini, 19 Toby Macpherson, 20 Luke Reimer, 21 Klayton Thorn, 22 Tane Edmed, 23 Hudson Creighton
Blues: 15 Zarn Sullivan,14 Cole Forbes, 13 AJ Lam,12 Pita Akhi, 11 Caleb Clarke, 10 Stephen Perofeta, 9 Finlay Christie, 8 Hoskins Sotutu, 7 Dalton Papali’i (captain), 6 Anton Segner, 5 Sam Darry, 4 Laghlan McWhannell, 3 Marcel Renata, 2 Kurt Eklund, 1 Ofa Tu’ungafasi
Replacements: 16 Bradley Slater, 17 Mason Tupaea, 18 Sam Matenga, 19 Josh Beehre, 20 Torian Barnes, 21 Taufa Funaki, 22 Xavi Taele, 23 Codemeru Vai
Referee: Angus Gardner
Assistant referees: George Myers, Matt Kellahan
TMO: Graham Cooper
Source: SuperRugby
