Watch: Crusaders score the first try at new $683 million stadium

The Crusaders may not have scored the first points of the game, but Super Rugby’s most successful club was sure to claim the first try scored in their brand-new stadium in central Christchurch.

One New Zealand Stadium, Te Kaha, hosted its first event on Friday night, opening a weekend-long festival of rugby with the home-town Crusaders playing the Waratahs.

A sold-out crowd of 25,257 welcomed their team to the new arena, and the Crusaders performed their team haka to commemorate the occasion. Former Crusaders players Pete Samu and Ioane Moananu stepped forward from the Waratahs’ line to also perform the haka.

Once the game got underway, Sid Harvey penalties in the third and eighth minute saw the visitors claim an early 6-0 lead, drawing some audible restlessness from the local fans.

But those fans had something to celebrate by the 11th minute, with the Crusaders pushing into the Waratahs’ 22, gathering attacking momentum. The ball was sent wide right to Dallas McLeod, who had nothing but white chalk and a special record in front of him and finished the play.

 

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McLeod wasn’t initially named in the starting team, but when Sevu Reece was a late withdrawal from the match, the one-time All Black found himself inserted into the XV on the right wing.

The homegrown talent looked to have another try later in the first half, but it was ruled out when the TMO identified obstruction in his line break. It wouldn’t be McLeod’s last points of the game, though, with a brilliant 55th-minute finish pushing his side’s lead to 28-13.

The Crusaders faced a must-win scenario in their first game at One New Zealand Stadium, with only games against the three table-leading teams remaining over the final four rounds of the regular season, including two against the in-form Hurricanes. Friday night’s 35-20 victory was a meaningful separator against the seventh-placed Sydney team.

The serial Super Rugby champions sat in the sixth and final playoff spot heading into the round 11 matchup, eager to bring playoff rugby to the brand-new venue.