The Crusaders host the Highlanders for the last time at their temporary stadium in Addington which will also be the 50th match between the South Island neighbours, with the Crusaders winning 34 of the matches.
After stuttering to a 1-3 start to their title defence, a response is expected by the Crusaders, already beaten by the Highlanders in Dunedin to start the year, being swept by their neighbours would be a significant blow to their chances of a top-three finish just five weeks into the season.
If they are to avoid that, they will need to get out of their own way and cut out the inexcusable errors that have littered their game.
Remarkably, the Crusaders turned the ball over 66 times in their defeats to the Highlanders, Brumbies and Blues, and were hardly perfect en route to beating the Chiefs in Hamilton.
It goes without saying that the red and blacks, operating without 13 injured players, need to make a statement in a bid to shake off comparisons to their dismal 2024 campaign.
The 2-2 Highlanders, on the other hand, are coming off a high-scoring victory over the Force in Dunedin, and ought to be confident they’ve got the weapons to cut open an uncharacteristically leaky Crusaders defence.
The Crusaders host the Highlanders at 6.05 tonight.
In other games, the Reds play the Waratahs at 8.35 tonight while the Blues will face Moana Pasifika at 2.35pm tomorrow.
Source: stuff.co.nz
