Super Rugby Pacific kicks off, Black Caps and White Ferns reign victorious and Nico Porteous claims gold in the cold. Video / Photosport
Crusaders 42 Hurricanes 32
The latest version of Super Rugby has arrived with countless changes, but there already looks to be a familiar favourite.
The Crusaders were hardly flawless in defeating the Hurricanes in Dunedin tonight, yet the fact they eventually eased to victory with much room for improvement should worry the rest of Super Rugby Pacific.
The 12-time champions enjoyed strong starts to both halves, attacked clinically for their five tries, and rode a resolute defence - along with a little luck - when the Hurricanes threatened to mount to challenge for a rare Kiwi derby win.
That challenge was soon snuffed out as the Crusaders' class showed, naming nine All Blacks among their 23 - along with former Argentina captain Pablo Matera - while Richie Mo'unga and Codie Taylor remained on the sidelines.
It was scrappy throughout, suggesting some players had adapted better than others to the four-hour pre-match bus trip from the Queenstown bubble, but Leicester Fainga'anuku's early double provided a potent example of the Crusaders' threat.
Leicester Fainga'anuku bagged a hat-trick for the Crusaders against the Hurricanes. Photo / Photosport
The first was from broken play, as the outstanding Will Jordan sparked an attack in which the Crusaders' rhythm in sharing and recycling possession proved too tough to handle.
The second came from the set piece, with Fainga'anuku benefitting from more fine Jordan play after Bryn Hall had cleverly switched the point of attack from the back of a scrum.
Ill-discipline was the only gripe but their deficiency in that facet - along a cracking break from the Hurricanes - soon changed the course of the half.
After a great angled run from Wes Goosen eventually led to Ruben Love's try, the Hurricanes enjoyed their first opportunity to spend a consistent spell inside the opposition 22.
That almost led to two tries, with Ardie Savea held up and Asafo Aumua's effort ruled out for a double movement, but the Crusaders' rear-guard did just enough to hang tough, even after losing Oli Jager to the sin bin.
Ardie Savea in action for the Hurricanes. Photo / Photosport
The Crusaders took a 15-13 lead into halftime and both teams would have been reminded to look after the ball better in the second spell, a plea that initially appeared to fall on deaf ears.
Scott Robertson would have been the coach less concerned with that, though, as Fainga'anuku soon had his hat-trick through another effective set-piece move, this time from the lineout.
The Crusaders' lead soon swelled to 15 through Fergus Burke's boot and a bit of fortune as Savea was denied a try for the second time, his brilliant break negated when the TMO spotted a faint knock on in back play.
Shilo Klein's debut try soon sealed it, though the Hurricanes at least earned a late flurry through Bailyn Sullivan, Jordie Barrett and Jackson Garden-Bachop, making that bus ride home more bearable.
