Crusaders and Blues bring the hate into Super final rematch
The Crusaders humbled the Blues 21-7 to claim a record-extending 11th championship in the 2022 decider, the last instalment of an increasingly tense rivalry.
The season is only three rounds old but there is already plenty at stake, with the Crusaders under pressure after being stunned 25-24 by Fijian Drua in Lautoka on Saturday, their second loss of the season.
In six years under coach Scott Robertson the South Island heavyweights have never lost more than three games in a season.
The Blues have stewed over the final loss through the off-season and are looking for a statement win in front of home fans, two rounds after leaving them flat with a humbling loss to Australia's ACT Brumbies.
"It’s one of the great rivalries and that goes back before Super Rugby to the Canterbury and Auckland days and the (Ranfurly) Shield eras," said Blues coach Leon MacDonald, a former Crusaders fullback.
"We sort of love to hate each other.
"I know because I’ve been on both sides of the fence and the passion is equal."
Only the Waikato Chiefs and Brumbies remain undefeated and odds are that will continue this week when they host the Melbourne Rebels and Moana Pasifika respectively on Saturday.
The Rebels, long the whipping boys of Australian rugby, have shown early improvement and claimed their first win of the campaign over the New South Wales Waratahs last week.
However, toppling the high-flying Chiefs at their home Waikato Stadium on Saturday will be a far tougher ask.
The Rebels have never beaten the Chiefs away and lost eight out of their nine total games.
Suspended for a week after making a throat-slitting gesture at a Rebels opponent, Ardie Savea returns to captain the Wellington Hurricanes, who host a much-changed Waratahs lineup at the Wellington Regional Stadium on Friday.
After a torrid start against the Blues, Crusaders and Chiefs, the winless Otago Highlanders may hope to secure their first points when they host Perth-based Western Force (2-1) at Invercargill on Sunday.
Fijian Drua (2-1) will look to continue their promising start when they travel to Brisbane to meet the Queensland Reds (1-2) on Sunday in the round's final match.