Preview: Hurricanes v Crusaders

There will be plenty at stake when the Hurricanes take on the Crusaders in what promises to be a thrilling duel in Wellington on Saturday.

This encounter represents the final match of the Super Rugby regular season with the result set to influence the path each team takes during the play-offs.

For the Hurricanes, victory would mean a trip to Canberra to play the Brumbies in the quarter-finals, while a defeat would see the defending champions fly to Cape Town to play the Stormers.

The Crusaders are out to retain their unbeaten record and ensure they finish top of the overall table. The eight-time champions are currently on 63 points from their 14 matches played and are two points ahead of the Lions, who take on the Sharks in Durban later on Saturday.

Victory against the Hurricanes is imperative for the Crusaders as it will give them home advantage throughout the play-offs.

A home quarter-final is already secured, but the result of this weekend’s game will help to determine whether they will host the Sharks or the Highlanders at AMI Stadium in Christchurch next weekend.

With both sides boosted by their returning All Blacks, this should be an entertaining spectacle filled with tries aplenty and healthy dosage of drama.

This will be the first time since 2015 that the Hurricanes have hosted the Crusaders, with the Wellington side winning each of their last three such fixtures.

Victory for the visitors will be a momentous one as it would equal the Super Rugby record for the most wins by a team in a single season (including finals).

In fact, anything more than a loss for the Crusaders would see them become just the third team in Super Rugby history to progress undefeated through the regular season (Blues 1997, Crusaders 2002).

The Hurricanes will be looking to avoid consecutive Super Rugby losses on home turf for the first time since Round 4, 2014 after a 17-14 loss to the Chiefs prior to the international break.

The Crusaders kept the free running Hurricanes tryless when they met in Round 12 this season, the only team to keep the Wellington side from breaching their line in the last three years.

The last time these teams met: The previous encounter between these teams was a tight affair although the Crusaders eventually claimed a 20-12 victory in Christchurch in May. Matt Todd scored the only try of that match and the Crusaders’ other points came courtesy of five penalties from Richie Mo’unga. Jordie Barrett scored all the Hurricanes’ points via four penalties.

Players to watch: There are so many attacking threats in this Hurricanes side but one man who is expected to have a big influence on this game’s result is All Blacks utility back Jordie Barrett. Like his older brother Beauden, the 20-year-old possesses an impressive skill-set, searing pace and a brilliant rugby brain and he will be determined to leave his leave his mark on this match with an authoritative display.

Although he will not be leading the Crusaders, All Blacks skipper Kieran Read is a player who strengthens any team which he plays in and this one will be no different. Widely regarded as the best number eight in the world, Read will be keen to do well as he spent a large chunk of side’s Super Rugby campaign on the sidelines due to injury. A superb all round player, Read’s attacking skills will be expected to retain his side’s unbeaten record.

Team news: All Blacks TJ Perenara, Beauden Barrett and Ardie Savea will return to the Hurricanes starting XV. The key trio represents the only changes to the team that started during last month’s famous 31-31 draw with the British & Irish Lions. Perenara replaces Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi at scrum-half and reclaims the captaincy from Brad Shields, Barrett slots back into the number 10 jersey for Otere Black, while Ardie Savea takes over at openside flank from Callum Gibbins. Black drops out of the matchday 23 meaning Jordie Barrett, who starts at full-back, will again provide cover at fly-half for his older brother. Gibbins takes his place on a reserve bench that features the return of prop Loni Uhila and a potential debut for hooker James O’Reilly. O’Reilly comes into the squad for Leni Apisai, who has been ruled out due to an ankle injury picked up playing club rugby last weekend.

Openside flanker Matt Todd will captain a strong Crusaders side. Head coach Scott Robertson has named some of the All Blacks who have returned from the British and Irish Lions series this week, including Wyatt Crockett at looshead prop, Luke Romano and Scott Barrett as the starting locks, Kieran Read at number eight, Israel Dagg at full-back and Sam Whitelock on the bench. Jack Goodhue, who along with Todd, were included as injury cover in the All Blacks squad, will also take a starting spot. Jerseys 11 and 12 will be filled by two of the award winners from Tuesday’s Crusaders Awards evening. Wing George Bridge was named the Crusaders Rookie of the Year, while inside centre David Havili was named as the Crusaders Player of the Year.

Form: The Hurricanes have lost three out of their 14 matches played so far this year. Apart from that defeat to the Crusaders in Round 12, they also lost to the Chiefs in Round 3 and their previous match, against the Chiefs in Round 16.

The Crusaders are the form team in the competition and head into this fixture with an outstanding record after winning all 14 their previous matches. They came unstuck in their last match, however, when they suffered a 12-3 defeat against the British and Irish Lions in Christchurch last month.

Prediction: This match is so difficult to call. Don’t be surprised if it goes down to the wire but the Hurricanes will edge it by three points!

Previous results:

2017: Crusaders won 20-12 in Christchurch
2016: Hurricanes won 35-10 in Christchurch
2015: Crusaders won 35-18 in Christchurch
2015: Hurricanes won 29-23 in Wellington
2014: Hurricanes won 16-9 in Wellington
2014: Hurricanes won 29-26 in Christchurch
2013: Crusaders won 25-17 in Christchurch
2013: Hurricanes won 29-28 in Wellington
2012: Hurricanes won 23-22 in Christchurch

The teams:

Hurricanes: 15 Jordie Barrett, 14 Nehe Milner-Skudder, 13 Vince Aso, 12 Ngani Laumape, 11 Julian Savea, 10 Beauden Barrett, 9 TJ Perenara (c), 8 Brad Shields, 7 Ardie Savea, 6 Vaea Fifita, 5 Sam Lousi, 4 Mark Abbott, 3 Jeff Toomaga-Allen, 2 Ricky Riccitelli, 1 Ben May
Replacements: 16 James O’Reilly, 17 Chris Eves, 18 Loni Uhila, 19 Reed Prinsep, 20 Callum Gibbins, 21 Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, 22 Wes Goosen, 23 Cory Jane

Crusaders: 15 Israel Dagg, 14 Seta Tamanivalu, 13 Jack Goodhue, 12 David Havili, 11 George Bridge, 10 Richie Mo’unga, 9 Bryn Hall, 8 Kieran Read, 7 Matt Todd (c), 6 Jordan Taufua, 5 Scott Barrett, 4 Luke Romano, 3 Michael Alaalatoa, 2 Ben Funnell, 1 Wyatt Crockett
Replacements: 16 Andrew Makalio, 17 Tim Perry, 18 Oliver Jager, 19 Sam Whitelock, 20 Jed Brown, 21 Mitchell Drummond, 22 Mitchell Hunt, 23 Sean Wainui

Date: Saturday, July 15
Venue: Westpac Stadium, Wellington
Kick-off: 19:35 local (07:35 GMT)
Referee: Glen Jackson
Assistant Referees: Brendon Pickerill, Angus Mabey
TMO: Glenn Newman