Crusaders 26
Hurricanes 26
It was a classic. A real derby, a humdinger of a duel between the Hurricanes who were desperate to halt their Super 14 slide and the Crusaders who were iron-jawed about cementing their superior reputation.
The Hurricanes were staring down the demise of any playoff ambitions if they were beaten for the fifth successive match and needed some of their players with the five-star reputations to deliver.
Stand up Conrad Smith and Andrew Hore, quality players in a performance where the hosts dragged themselves out of the dirt of a dreadful start to claw their way to what looked like an epic win before a controversial late decision meant they had to settle on a draw.
The Hurricanes had to repel a furious last onslaught from the Crusaders which went deep into overtime before they heard the merciful release of referee Jonathan Kaplan's whistle to signal their heroic victory.
Or so they thought until Kaplan asked for TMO evidence on a try.
Kaplan got no joy from the official but awarded the touchdown.
Ace sharpshooter Daniel Carter missed the conversion as both sides celebrated in rather muted fashion.
It did not start that way as the Crusaders showed complete control and no signs of the fragility which afflicted them midmatch.
The Crusaders began with some real authority.
Precision too as they put an early sleeper hold on their hosts with some textbook rugby.
They wound into their forward work early, mauling and trudging their way down the ground before a classic switch from one side of the park to the other gave George Whitelock the opening try.
That start looked so ominous for the Hurricanes. They looked bewildered by the pace and power from the visitors. Flustered too as they conceded a few penalties when their line was breached.
Perhaps they were over-anxious carrying the burden of four straight defeats. Whatever the reasons that disquiet caused all sorts of flaws.
They lost a great deal of momentum as Kaplan pinged them for flaws while they also turned over possession at an alarming rate.
They were fortunate once, when Willie Ripia's optimistic crosskick found Sean Maitland and he was gunned down in the corner only by a desperate cover defence.
Luck then deserted them as the match officials failed to detect an illegal quick throw from Andy Ellis and with the crooked defensive line unable to recover, Zac Guildford whistled in for the touchdown.
It was one-way traffic, there was just no spark from the Hurricanes in the opening 25 minutes.
That changed when they claimed a slice of fortune.
There was a hint of blocking but Ma'a Nonu took advantage of some loose ball and forwards in front of him to carve his way to the line.
Suddenly the tempo changed. Cory Jane, Victor Vito and Conrad Smith combined superbly to send Jeremy Thrush to the line and the Hurricanes were a mere four points adrift and maintained that margin at the break just, after Ellis was hurt when tackled into touch in goal.
The crucial third quarter was bereft of tries but full of drama as the Hurricanes claimed the lead with three penalties to replacement kicker Piri Weepu with a solitary reply from Daniel Carter.
From a position of authority, an opening period when the Crusaders suggested there would be only one team in this game, the game had tilted slightly in favour of the Hurricanes.
The question was whether they could hang on and cause the upset.
Crusaders 26 (G Whitelock, Z Guildford, C Jack tries; D Carter 3 pen, con)
Hurricanes 26 (M Nonu, J Thrush, tries; W Ripia 2 con, P Weepu 4 pen)
Halftime: 18-14
WEEPU WATCH
He was back in yellow and black, given a reprieve after some mixed recent work. But the return did not start well for halfback Piri Weepu in his individual comparison against fellow test aspirant Andy Ellis. Weepu looked unsettled, he missed a simple tackle and could not get a grasp on the game because his pack was shut out of play. But as the Canes found some rhythm, so did Weepu, and their comebacks began.
