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Hat-trick hero promoted for Crusaders in team to play Chiefs

34 days ago

CHRISTCHURCH, NEW ZEALAND - FEBRUARY 14: Kyle Preston of the Crusaders celebrates after scoring a try with Levi Aumua of the Crusaders during the round one Super Rugby Pacific match between Crusaders and Hurricanes at Apollo Projects Stadium, on February 14, 2025, in Christchurch, New Zealand. (Photo by Joe Allison/Getty Images)

The Crusaders have made minor changes to the team that beat the Hurricanes in round one ahead of their trip to Hamilton to face the Chiefs in round two.

All Black Noah Hotham has been ruled out of the game with an ankle sprain, making way for rookie Kyle Preston who scored three tries in his debut last Friday.

Preston will join Waikato native Taha Kemara in the halves. The young playmaker lining up as the starting No. 10 for the first time in his hometown at Super Rugby level.

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“I think I’ve got about 20 tickets for the game; it’s going to be cool to play in front of my family and against a few of my mates – but it’s probably not home at the moment. Home is Christchurch right now, ” Kemara said.

While only one week into the new season, Crusaders head coach Rob Penney was happy to label the Chiefs as the team to beat after their big win over the Blues in Auckland in round one.

“Going up to their home ground we are excited for the opportunity and it’s the best against the best of the country at the moment.”

Crusaders team to face Chiefs

Tamaiti Williams
Ioane Moananu
Fletcher Newell
Scott Barrett
Antonio Shalfoon
Cullen Grace
(VC) Ethan Blackadder
Christian Lio-Willie
Kyle Preston
Taha Kemara
Sevu Reece
(C) David Havili
Levi Aumua
Chay Fihaki
(VC) Will Jordan

Reserves

Manumaua Letiu
George Bower
Sam Matenga
Tahlor Cahill
Corey Kellow
Mitchell Drummond
James O’Connor
Dallas McLeod

Injury status

Codie TAYLOR, Hamstring, 2 weeks
Rivez REIHANA, Ankle, 2-3 weeks
Seb CALDER, AC Joint, 2-3 weeks
Quin STRANGE, Pec/Hamstring, 4 weeks
Dom GARDINER, Hamstring, 4-6 weeks
Jamie HANNAH, Shoulder (surgery), 4 weeks
Aki TUIVAILALA, Finger (surgery), 4 weeks
Johnny McNICHOLL, Hamstring, 4-6 weeks
Noah HOTHAM, Ankle, Unclear currently
Kershawl SYKES-MARTIN, Medial ligament (knee), 5-6 weeks
Braydon ENNOR, Wrist (surgery), Unclear currently
George BELL, Planter plate (foot), 16-20 weeks
Finaly BREWIS, Shoulder (surgery), Out for the season

Comments

6 Comments

GP 33 days ago

Kyle Preston made one of the most memorable debuts in Super Rugby history with the Crusaders last Friday. 3 tries, brilliant . Hooker Ioane Moananu really played well at hooker , as did his debuting replacement, Letia. Taha Kemara looks great and James O’Connor did well when he came. Same goes for Dallas McLeod. Levi Aumua is fitter and hence better. David Havili lead the team around so well. Then there is Will Jordan. Looking forward to Codie Taylor and Braydon Ennor, others being back.

JW 34 days ago

“Going up to their home ground we are excited for the opportunity and it’s the best against the best of the country at the moment.”

Haha Penney happy to ride the wave of a win at the right end of the season!

I gotta say here and in the post match interview last week he seemed like the most ungenuine person and gloater in SR history. He sounded like an Irish panelist from 2022.

That’s a pretty tough injury list to deal with, again.

GP 33 days ago

You are completely misrepresenting Rob Penney’s persona. Sounds more like Clayton McMillan.

lK 34 days ago

Such composure from the Crusader newbies. Round One was a blinder across the entire competition. Looking forward to Round 2

JW 34 days ago

Moananu and Preston were a class above last week.

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JW 13 minutes ago

Kyren Taumoefolau All Blacks stance splits opinions on eligibility

MP are a NZ side through and through, NZ is even having to pay for it.

Yes they caved to public demand, I bet it accomplished a lot of internal goals. They could have left it to the other groups, but I’m of the belief that they weren’t showing the capability to make it work as being a good reason for NZR to jump in and do it. I think it’s actually funded 50/50 between NZR and WR though.

(when nothing was stopping a pi player playing for any side in Super Rugby)

Neither is that fact true. Only 3 non NZ players are allowed in each squad.

I see you also need to learn what the term poach means - take or acquire in an unfair or clandestine way. - Moana have more slots for non eligible players (and you have seen many return to an NZ franchise) so players are largely making their own choice without any outside coercion ala Julian Savea.

Not one of these Kiwis and Aussies would go live in the Islands to satisfy any criteria, and I’d say most of them have hardly ever set foot in the islands, outside of a holiday.

Another inaccurate statement. Take Mo’unga’s nephew Armstrong-Ravula, if he is not eligible via ancestry in a couple of generations time, he will be eligible because he plays his rugby there (even if he’s only their for rugby and not living there), that is a recent change made by World Rugby to better reflect examples like Fabian Holland and Fakatava.

It’s becoming the jump-ship/zero loyalty joke that international League is.

Look I understand you’re reason to cry and make an example at any opportunity, but you don’t really need to anymore, other recent changes made by WR are basically going to stop the Ireland situation, and time (perhaps no more than a decade) will fix the rest.

23 Go to comments

JW 29 minutes ago

Kyren Taumoefolau All Blacks stance splits opinions on eligibility

Yes! Well, not so much both ways, more both ends. She is only thinking of players who give up one dream to pursue another, that is players coming towards the end/cross roads of their aspirations, but it is also perfectly fine for someone to do that at the beginning of their career too, yes.

Very good post.

23 Go to comments

JW 33 minutes ago

Kyren Taumoefolau All Blacks stance splits opinions on eligibility

No. She’s saying it’s the reason she voted for it when she was in World Rugby, not why everyone else voted in favour.

You also seem to be mistaken that she was critizing Kyren for it. You are way off the mark other than suggesting it’s fine for Kyren to switch allegiance.

You also either don’t understand what the word poach means; take or acquire in an unfair or clandestine way. - or you’re not familiar with Kyren’s decision/circumstance.

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JWH 2 hours ago

'Matches between Les Bleus and the All Blacks are rarely for the faint-hearted.'

Not the ABs. Covered with Roigard, Ratima, and Hotham thank you very much

14 Go to comments

JWH 2 hours ago

'Matches between Les Bleus and the All Blacks are rarely for the faint-hearted.'

Not NZR’s problem, its the FRU’s. They should’ve brought up that issue when scheduling matches and coordinating, not the other way around. Besides, it the Frenchies own fault at the end of the day.

14 Go to comments

Head high tackle 2 hours ago

Rugby down under could have hit high gear with Anzac Tests

Sorry but all NZR was going to get from it was costs and a small profit. Having the match in Perth EVERY YEAR meant RA grabbed millions and NZR was left with nothing but weary players and no money.

Silly proposal by RA when its analysed.

3 Go to comments

Head high tackle 2 hours ago

'Matches between Les Bleus and the All Blacks are rarely for the faint-hearted.'

And at world cups when the pressure comes on France fall apart. They constantly have blow-ups with their team mates and sometimes, like 2011, with their coaches, and then they lose. They dont tour together so dont handle world cups when locked as a team for 6 weeks. Do what you like France but 1/ you will never win a WC until you know how to tour for 6 weeks together and 2/ you are devaluing test rugby and making it easy for others to do it to you in the future. Just dont be all shocked and offended when it comes back at you.

14 Go to comments

Head high tackle 2 hours ago

Rugby down under could have hit high gear with Anzac Tests

Yes I just love how the two articles Ive read about this so far talk about the great matches the NRL and AFL will have on “ANZAC” weekend so RA and NZR should have a test match. SR will have exactely the same thing as NRL and AFL EXCEPT….. It will be between actual Aus v NZ teams.

3 Go to comments

SadersMan 2 hours ago

Rugby down under could have hit high gear with Anzac Tests

Yeah, nah. A test match in the middle of SRP is nuts. Cue, test players being given 4 or 5 SRP matches to prepare then recover from an ANZAC test. As we know, when star power leaves SR, the eyes switch off.

And comparisons with AFL & NRL ANZAC club fixtures are also silly. Neither code has international pull to contend with.

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Departing Quins boss Billy Millard in talks over huge Test job

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SadersMan 3 hours ago

Sky Sports commentator on why Wallabies players are outplaying All Blacks counterparts

You’re confused.

A quick check of the Reds/Crusaders match statistics shows your first comment is nonsense. Hence I thought, either joking or sarcasm.

Then your 2nd comment jumps into the world of conspiracy theory. Despite HHT alluding to (admittedly somewhat clunky) the stupidity of Taylah using team variables (the draw) versus an individual match-up. Again I thought, joking or sarcasm?

Hardly rocket science mate.

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DS 3 hours ago

2025 Lions' selection: An idiot's guide

My Lions Coaches would be P.O’CONNELL -FORWARDS / LINEOUT ,J. FOGERTY - SCRUM/BREAKDOWN, J. NIENABER - DEFENCE, R. WRIGGLESWORTH - ATTACK,, N.JENKINS - KICKING - , S.LANCASTER - SKILLS[ knows A.Farrell very well and alot of England and Irish players who will be touring] My Lions SQUAD 41 PLAYERS STRONG 1] P.SCHOEMANN - E.GENGE - A.PORTER 2] D.SHEEHAN - R.KELLENHER - J.GEORGE - D.LAKE [4 HOOKERS] 3] W.STUART - Z.FAGERSON - T.FURLONG [If proves fitness and form Otherwise F.BEALHAM 4] M.ITOJE - D.JENKINS 5] T.BEIRNE - O.CHESSUM - G.MARTIN 6] T.CURRY - J.MORGON -J.RITCHIE 7] B.CURRY -B.EARL - R.DARGE 8] C.DORIS -J.CONAN 9] JGP - B.WHITE - A.MITCHELL 10] F.RUSSELL - M.SMITH - G.FORD 11] J.LOWE - D.V.D.MERWE 12] B.AKI - R.HENSHAW [If S.TUIPULUTO doesn’t prove his fitnss and form] 13] H.JONES - G.RINGROSE - T.JORDON [Utility 14] T.FREEMAN - D.GRAHAM - E.DALY [Utility] 15] H.KEENAN - B.KINGHORN

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SC 3 hours ago

'Matches between Les Bleus and the All Blacks are rarely for the faint-hearted.'

Fair point. Serin is very good as are the others CV lists at 9.

My point was that none are Dupont’s class or experience at this point in their careers.

14 Go to comments

CV 3 hours ago

'Matches between Les Bleus and the All Blacks are rarely for the faint-hearted.'

Serin oozes class. He’d walk into any other test side. Then they also have Jauneau, Coly, Couilloud, Le Garrec… Six or so test level nines. At 10 they have Hastoy, Berdeu, Reus, Le Brun… At Toulouse they have 21 year old Valentin Delpy. He’s excellent too. The only position I see they have less depth in is tighthead prop. Haven’t been impressed with Colombe.

14 Go to comments

SC 3 hours ago

'Matches between Les Bleus and the All Blacks are rarely for the faint-hearted.'

Did Ireland beat the All Blacks after the 22 series?

Wasn’t it the Irish who were patting themselves on the back at the RWC after their pool victory over South Africa telling them they will see them again in the Finals overlooking their QF vs the All Blacks?

If you are going to lecture NZ on respect then don’t live in a glass house, Red.

14 Go to comments

JW 3 hours ago

Kyren Taumoefolau All Blacks stance splits opinions on eligibility

I think he should need to go and permanently reside in Tonga

That’s ridiculous, aren’t both his parents Tongan? Thanks like saying Lomax shouldn’t have been allowed to be an All Black.

I don't see any benefit to NZ rugby

How is being able to select someone with the experience of going to a Rugby World Cup already not a huge benefit for the All Blacks?

Fiji is a viable rugby nation with it's sides talent overwhelmingly coming from Fiji, Tonga and Samoa should have to do the same

You need to give it the same amount of time then.

Again, you’re making no sense. It seems like you really are trying to make an example of the wrong situation because of the NH poaching problem. I suggest you listen to what I’m telling you and not just gloss over the facts to suite your argument.

23 Go to comments

JW 3 hours ago

Five Aussie takes: Wallaby watch on wings, rocks and diamonds of Tahs attack

Not sure I agree with Josephs idea of resting players/using this game to freshen things up, it should have been a winnable one I would have thought. Maybe their lack of wins against NZ sides is really starting to grind on them down south and theyre going all out to win the tough games?

I thought Kalani was superb. Is he Wallaby capped/locked already and can NZR snaffle him lol Tate has been dropping a bit of form so perhaps another game out will do him good. I definitely feel like he’s still the type to run on short bursts of form (as apposed to the ‘permanent’ type) so saving the best for last could be a real angle if he was serious.

I think Kiss has improved on his approach from the first two season, or it at least took the team a while to adapt. Enjoy their play this year.

1 Go to comments

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