Crusaders vs Drua takes: Four-try Taylor stars in fitting stadium farewell

Defending Super Rugby Pacific champions the Crusaders put on a show in their final match at Apollo Projects Stadium in Christchurch, running away with a dominant 69-26 win over the Fijian Drua on Friday night.

Sevu Reece opened the scoring inside the first few minutes and the Crusaders never looked back. Leicester Fainga’anuku was next to score, before milestone man Codie Taylor powered over for what ended up being the first of his four tries.

The Crusaders led 31-0 after just 23 minutes before the Drua hit back through Joseva Tamanai, and then again just before the break through Elia Canakaivata. But the second half was more of the same for the Crusaders, who scored 11 tries on the night.

Here are some takeaways.

Four-try Codie Taylor stars in fairytale farewell

You couldn’t have scripted this match any better for milestone man Codie Taylor. Having debuted for the Crusaders at Apollo Projects Stadium and later becoming an All Black at the same venue, Talyor was the first player out on the field on Friday for another special appearance.

Taylor has become the latest member of the 150-game club for the Crusaders and it’s safe to say this match will forever live on in the history books. Of course, it’s the last game at Apollo Projects Stadium, but Taylor helped the Crusaders give the venue a fitting farewell.

The 35-year-old was replaced in the 52^nd minute, receiving a standing ovation from the Crusaders coaches and the faithful supporters in attendance. Taylor recorded a four-try haul, which included two in the first half.

Sevu Reece opened the scoring early on and Leicester Fainga’anuku powered over soon after, but Taylor was next to strike with an effort in the 14^th minute. There was a sense of déjà vu when Taylor completed a double soon after, with both efforts coming from rolling mauls.

Taylor made it a hat-trick of tries inside the first two minutes of the second half, before running in for a fourth in the 47^th minute. It was a remarkable performance that included eight carries and eight stops on the defensive side of the ball.

Form is temporary but class is permanent.

What a night for the Crusaders.

What an occasion for Codie Taylor.

Two Crusaders pushing for All Blacks call-up

Chay Fihaki and Jamie Hannah did their chances of a potential All Blacks debut absolutely no harm with their performances on Friday night. Hannah set the tone early with some impressive work in defence, while Fihaki was a clear standout on the other side of the ball.

Hannah’s performance was recognised by the Sky Sport panel at half-time, after the lock secured a pilfer penalty inside the first few minutes. The 23-year-old was the go-to option at the set-piece and proved reliable around the park in defence.

New Zealand has plenty of depth at lock but Hannah represented the All Blacks XV twice during their end-of-year tour in 2025, and the second-rower continues to push his case for higher honours with another solid performance.

Then there’s Fihaki, who made a game-high four line breaks against the Drua, with Seveu Reece in second making two.

Fihaki was among the try-scorers, having finished with a double, and ran for more than 70 metres on the night. Sevu Reece was brilliant on the other wing; many of the All Blacks stepped up on a big occasion for the club, but Hannah and Fihaki deserve praise as well.

Elia Canakaivata a shining light for Drua

It was a tough night for the Drua. The Crusaders started their entertaining point-scoring blitz with a Sevu Reece try in the third minute, and the home side never looked back as they piled on 31 unanswered in just 23 minutes.

If you looked at the match stats during the first half, they’ll tell you the Drua had the same tackle completion percentage (84%) as the Crusaders after about 20 minutes. The Drua also had a decent amount of possession but failed to turn that into points.

The Crusaders were unbelievably clinical really, with every pass seemingly going to hand and the bounce of the ball going their way. But there’s a need to give credit where credit’s due, with the Drua refusing to throw in the towel during a heavy defeat.

Joseva Tamani got the visitors on the scoreboard with a powerful effort in the 30^th minute, and the Drua scored another just before the break through Elia Canakaivata. Canakaivata was a shining light for the Drua in the end, finishing the match with a double.

The No. 8 crashed over for his second early in the second term, benefiting from hard work around the field, on both sides of the ball. Canakaivata made a game-high 10 carries during the opening 40 and reaped the rewards of those efforts.

Crusaders the real deal

There were five teams placed above the Crusaders on the ladder after seven rounds, with New Zealand rivals the Hurricanes and Blues leading the way. The ACT Brumbies and Queensland Reds have also been mighty impressive, but don’t forget about the defending champs.

The Crusaders made a real statement against the Drua. It’s their third win on the bounce, but it’s the confidence that really stands out from this contest. With Noah Hotham and David Havili among those sidelined, it’d be tough to fault this performance too much.

Will Jordan is in MVP-calibre form, as three RugbyPass writers acknowledged in a piece published earlier on Friday. Codie Taylor, Chay Fihaki, Sevu Reece, Leicester Fainga’anuku, Taha Kemara and Jamie Hannah all hard perhaps their best matches of the season as well.

“You just get the sense that the Crusaders, didn’t have the greatest start to this campaign but all of a sudden, they went into the bye with some momentum, won a couple on the trot,” former All Black Jeff Wilson said on commentary.

“They’ve come out here tonight, it’s been impressive, and they get to look forward to go to a new stadium under the roof. Maybe they’re starting to build towards something really impressive this season.”

But beyond all that, this was a fitting farewell to Apollo Projects Stadium. It’s been 15 years since the 2011 Christchurch earthquake, with the Crusaders moving into the temporary venue soon after, and winning four Grand Finals there over the years.

The Crusaders closed a chapter with a 11-try performance, and now prepare to write another one at their new home. One New Zealand Stadium, Te Kaha, will host the Crusaders for the first time during the opening match of Super Round this month.