Super Rugby Pacific: Crusaders beat Blues 36-20 for second straight win at One NZ Stadium in Christchurch

Friday, 8 May 2026

George Bower celebrates his first Super Rugby try with Crusaders team-mates Leicester Fainga’anuku and Codie Taylor.

At One NZ Stadium, Christchurch: Crusaders 36 (George Bower 13’, Jamie Hannah 23’, Rivez Reihana 45’, Kyle Preston 51’, Sevu Reece 61’, George Bell 77’ tries; Reihana 3 con) Blues 20 (AJ Lam 32’, Sam Nock 39’, Hoskins Sotutu 69’ tries; Stephen Perofeta pen; Beauden Barrett con). HT: 12-13. Red card: Kurtis Macdonald (Crusaders) 67’. Yellow card: Jack Sexton (Crusaders) 69’.

Take a bow, George Bower - and everywhere man Leicester Fainga’anuku too.

Bower crowned his 100th game with the first try of his Crusaders’ career off a pass from hybrid hero Fainga’anuku in a niggly, ill-disciplined but entertaining 36-20 win over the Blues in Christchurch on Friday night.

Coach Rob Penney had quipped that the Crusaders planned to station their veteran front-rower on the edge for a cross-kick to score in the corner.

But his big moment, which seemed spookily pre-ordained, came from a far more prosaic forward move in the 13th minute.

The Crusaders executed off a lineout. Jamie Hannah fed Fainga’anuku who turned the ball inside for Bower to hurtle onto and smash over the line.

The big man’s grin was wide as his shoulder span and the Crusaders’ coaching box erupted in genuine joy on a night where the Crusaders all but clinched a playoffs place with their 20th home win in 21 games against the Blues.

“100 games for my first try. Kids never give up, never give up those dreams,” Bower told Sky TV after an emotional post-match patu presentation at a sold out One NZ Stadium.

The pre-match had been the hour of Bower.

The Crusaders horses return to action in front of sellout crowd at One NZ Stadium.

The horses were back after a Super Round stabling, lapping the pitch at a slower canter than at Addington.

Colourful lights strafed the stadium as Bower led the Crusaders out for his 100th match, flanked by his Fijian vuvale (family).

But the start didn’t go to script. Rivez Reihana’s kick-off didn’t clear 10m. Blues pivot Stephen Perofeta put a kick into touch, narrowly failing to get a 50:22.

Perofeta slotted a penalty after a Crusaders’ offside, but Bower then slammed the ball into the turf to put the Crusaders in front.

If Bower was the ace in the pack, Fainga’anuku was also a trump card with a hand - and a foot - in three of the Crusaders’ six tries.

The Crusaders’ hybrid started at flanker for the third successive week, but the number on his back is irrelevant. The All Black got an assist for Bower’s try, then pulled off a defensive turnover and channelled his inner first five-eighth with a slick left-footed chip which Blues halfback Sam Nock spilled for Jamie Hannah to get his big mitts on the ball for the Crusaders’ second try.

Fainga’anuku packed a game’s worth of highlights into the first quarter, breaking three tackles and uncorking a 30m run.

But the Crusaders failed to nail a couple of try-scoring chances and the Blues made them pay. AJ Lam scorched almost 80m to score after Antonio Shalfoon shelled a pass on the visitors’ 22m line.

A poor pass by David Havili put the Crusaders under pressure and Johnny McNicholl was forced to carry back a raking kick from the Blues.

Vern Cotter’s men showed plenty of patience to work multiple phases off the 5m scrum, leading to Nock scoring the go-ahead try for a 13-12 halftime lead. Perofeta ended the half with egg on his face when referee Angus Gardner pinged him for a conversion shot clock violation.

Fainga’anuku reverted to centre in the spell after an injury to Dallas McLeod, but he still snaffled a turnover.

The pack did the tough yards from another lineout maul before Reihana stepped neatly to restore the Crusaders’ lead.

Stephen Perofeta of the Blues and Kurtis Macdonald of the Crusaders collide, leading to the latter’s red card.

The Crusaders’ cavalry from the bench created instant chaos. Hooker George Bell’s pace and step made space that eventually led to Kyle Preston scoring in the corner for a 24-13 lead.

Bower saluted the crowd as he departed at 55 minutes before Fainga’anuku made his mate’s night, standing in at halfback to dink a deft grubber for Sevu Reece’s clincher try.

Substitute winger Kurtis MacDonald didn’t last long before copping a yellow card - justifiably upgraded to red - for a dangerous aerial challenge on Perofeta.

Jack Sexton joined him in the naughty chair for a ruck misdemeanour, and the 13-man Crusaders immediately conceded a try to Hoskins Sotutu.

The niggly end at least saw Bower back for another bow, replacing Sexton in a scrum before Bell barged over to clinch it for the depleted team.