Crusaders hammer Hurricanes

PRE-SEASON: The Crusaders recorded an impressive 40-19 win over the Hurricanes in their Super Rugby pre-season match in Ashburton on Saturday.

The champions ran in six tries during the match as they fielded two different teams - one for each half.

However, it was the Hurricanes who started the better of the two teams with Du'Plessis Kirifi crashing over for the first try before Vince Aso scored his team's second after intercepting a pass from Crusaders flyhalf Brett Cameron.

After leading 12-0, things then went pear-shaped for the 'Canes with the Crusaders scoring four unanswered converted tries to lead 28-12 at the break.

The Crusaders scored two more tries in the second half, while the Hurricanes added to their tally with a try from South African Kobus van Wyk.

The Crusaders open their Super Rugby campaign with a match against the Waratahs in Nelson on February 1, while the Hurricanes will be in Cape Town to face the Stormers on the same day.

The scorers:

For Crusaders:

Tries: Ennor, McLeod, Sanders, Bower, Fuatai, Alaalatoa

Cons: Cameron 4, Burke

For Hurricanes:

Tries: Kirifi, Aso, Van Wyk

Cons: Garden-Bachop, Smith

Teams:

Crusaders (first-half): 15 Will Jordan, 14 Manasa Mataele, 13 Braydon Ennor, 12 Dallas McLeod, 11 Leicester Faingaanuku, 10 Brett Cameron, 9 Ereatara Enari, 8 Whetukamokamo Douglas (captain), 7 Billy Harmon, 6 Tom Sanders, 5 Cullen Grace, 4 Mitchell Dunshea, 3 Oliver Jager, 2 Brodie McAlister, 1 Isi Tu’ungafasi.

Crusaders (second-half): 15 Dan Hollinshead, 14 Fasi Fuatai, 13 Inga Finau, 12 Rameka Poihipi, 11 Fetuli Paea, 10 Fergus Burke, 9 Mitchell Drummond (captain), 8 Sione Havili, 7 Tom Christie, 6 Samipeni Finau, 5 Alex Ainley, 4 Ethan Roots, 3 Michael Alaalatoa, 2 Andrew Makalio, 1 Harry Allan.

Replacements: George Bower, Conan O’Donnell, Luke Romano, Sam Darry, Isaiah Punivai, Chay Fihaki

Hurricanes: 15 Chase Tiatia, 14 Kobus Van Wyk, 13 Vince Aso, 12 Peter Umaga- Jensem, 11 Jonah Lowe, 10 Jackson Garden Bachop, 9 Jamie Booth, 8 Brayden Lose, 7 Du’Plessis Kirifi, 6 Vaea Fifita, 5 James Blackwell, 4 Liam Mitchell, 3 Tyrel Lomax, 2 Ricky Riccitelli (captain), 1 Fraser Armstrong.

Replacements: 16 James O’Reilly, 17 Kianu Kereru- Symes, 18 Pouri Rakete-Stones, 19 Xavier Numia, 20 Joel Hintz, 21 Scott Scrafton, 22 Taine Plumtree, 23 Hamilton Burr, 24 Josh Southall, 25 Devan Flanders, 26 Caleb Delany, 27 Jonathan Taumateine, 28 Logan Crowley, 29 Fletcher Smith, 30 Ben Lam, 31 Ngani Laumape, 32 Billy Proctor, 33 Wes Goosen, 34 Trent Renata

Referees: James Doleman

Source: stuff.co.nz