They were the only NZ franchise to taste victory this week - a vital first win of 2014 for the Crusaders.

The Crusaders won't get close to winning the Super title playing as they did against the Stormers.

The Crusaders have pinched a late win over the Stormers to earn their first points of the Super Rugby season.

Join us here for live coverage of the Super Rugby clash between the Crusaders and the Stormers from AMI Stadium in Christchurch.

Coaching inbreeding has turned the champs into comparative chumps, writes Chris Rattue. "That backline is about as exciting and instinctive as a North Korean political rally."

Gregor Paul and Wynne Gray discuss the progress the Crusaders and Hurricanes have made this far into the Super Rugby season. Rugby Herald will be with you every week as the season unfolds.

First Daniel Carter, now Richie McCaw - the Crusaders are going to have to claw their way back into Super Rugby without either of their star players featuring much before June.

The Crusaders haven't had the start they wanted but I wouldn't be too worried about their longer term prospects. Not yet, anyway, writes Richard Loe.

The Blues showed their passion, class and skill to come back into the match and beat the Crusaders 35 - 24. Herald photographer Richard Robinson was there.

Auckland Blues head coach John Kirwan says his team still has plenty of work to do even after outplaying the Crusaders at Eden Park 35-24.

Herald Rugby writers Gregor Paul and Patrick McKendry give their expert opinion and analysis after the Blues outplayed the Crusaders at Eden Park.

This rollercoaster of a victory over the old enemy has eased the pressure on the Blues - and will also cause a fair bit of soul-searching in Christchurch.

Join us here for live coverage of the Super Rugby match-up between the Blues and the Crusaders from Eden Park in Auckland.

There are two things you can be sure of in life: a lame album from Cliff Richard at Christmas, and a lame start to the Super Rugby season from the Crusaders.

No team ever lost the Super Rugby title in the first week. But one could be about to lose it in the second.

Gregor Paul and Wynne Gray discuss the winners and losers from the first weekend of Super Rugby.Rugby Herald will be with you every week as the season unfolds.

Two on the Blues' skimpy best list will miss the Crusaders' match and probably the side's trip to Africa.

It is easy to write off the Crusaders' loss to the Chiefs on Friday as a bad night in front of the posts, writes Justin Marshall. But for me the Crusaders' concerns should run deeper than that.

The injuries continue to mount and the possession stats are still deficient, but the Chiefs keep on winning.

The Chiefs had injury dramas before they played the Crusaders, now they have even more but frankly, I doubt whether it will slow them down much, writes Richard Loe.

Chiefs coach Dave Rennie laments the penalties and the injuries but will take the win, Richie McCaw and Todd Blackadder say the Crusaders didn't take their chances and were 'thier own worst enemy'.

As a statement, this is about as good as it gets from the Chiefs.

Join us here for tonight's live blog from the Super Rugby match between the Crusaders and the Chiefs from AMI Stadium in Christchurch.

Aaron Mauger updates nzherald.co.nz on the Crusaders as they prepare to start the 2014 season against raining champions the Chiefs, we ask what's different and how can they regain the Super Rugby crown?.