Crusaders edge Blues 29-27 to keep Super Rugby playoffs hope alive

The Crusaders have kept their Shop N Save Super Rugby Pacific playoffs hopes alive after defeating the Blues 29-27 last night.

The Crusaders came into the match with only two wins from 12 games, and sitting in 11th place on the points table, while the Blues had lost only once and were trying to return to the top with one round left in the regular season.

The match was close but for a period between the 22nd and 35th minutes when Blues prop Ofa Tu'ungafasi scored two tries to give his team a 15-7 lead.

But the Crusaders scored a vital try through winger Chay Fihaki right on halftime and cut the deficit at the break to three points.

That set up a thrilling second half in which the Crusaders captured the lead for the first time in more than 40 minutes after a try to scrumhalf Noah Hotham.

That gave them a 26-22 advantage, which became 29-22 after a penalty from Fihaki in the 67th minute.

The Blues rallied with a try to winger AJ Lam, but flyhalf Harry Plummer missed the sideline conversion, and the Crusaders clung to their two-point margin to the joy of a capacity crowd.

In other matches last night, Moana Pasifika defeated the Waratahs 27-12, and the Reds thrashed the Force 59-13 while the Hurricanes beat the Chiefs 20-17 on Friday night.

Meanwhile, the Swire Shipping Fijian Drua will face the Highlanders at 2.05pm today in a must-win match to keep their playoff hopes alive.

Super Rugby

Finals