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Back-to-back champions! Crusaders add to Super Rugby dominance with final demolition of Lions

August 4, 2018
Seta Tamanivalu of the Crusaders celebrates his try during the Super Rugby Final

Relive 1 NEWS NOW's live coverage of the 2018 Super Rugby final, as the Crusaders face the Lions from AMI Stadium, Christchurch.

9:20pm: FULLTIME - Crusaders 37 Lions 18

Into the final minute and Scott Robertson is celebrating with his team on the sideline. The Lions will have one last play as the siren goes. they go wide but the Crusaders are there in numbers to defend. 

The Lions keep the ball alive for 17 phases, but the Crusaders give away a penalty. They take the lineout and go for the line. Matt Todd steals the ball and boots it into touch.

The Crusaders are champions once again!!!

9:14pm: 77 mins - Crusaders 37 Lions 18

Richie Mo'unga has been voted man of the match. The Crusaders give away a penalty just in front of halfway, the Lions want the lineout.

They take the lineout but give away a penalty, Ryan Crotty's 10 minutes in the bin is up. Scott Robertson empties the bench, Richie Mo'unga gets a standing ovation from the Christchurch faithful.

9:08pm: 72 mins - Crusaders 37 Lions 18

TRY!!! The Crusaders hit back straight away! George Bridge breaks through and finds Drummond. He finds Samu who has a go at the line, before Scott Barrett picks and goes to score!

Richie Mo'unga adds the extras.

9:06pm: 69 mins - Crusaders 30 Lions 13

TRY!!! The Lions are back in the game! Malcolm Marx barges his way over from close range - over the top of Whitelock AND Barrett - to score. 

Jantjies looks to bring the gap to just 10 points with the kick - but he slips again and sends it wide!

9:03pm: 67 mins - Crusaders 30 Lions 13

Yellow card! Well now, Ryan Crotty is sent off after constant infringements from the Crusaders. The Lions just metres out, could this be a turning point?

8:59pm: 64 mins - Crusaders 30 Lions 13

TRY!!! The Crusaders are in again! The Crusaders go wide to Todd, who finds Taylor back inside him with an offload. Taylor goes one more to Drummond, who scores under the posts!

Mo'unga slots another conversion, and the Crusaders are surely home now.

8:55pm: 60 mins - Crusaders 23 Lions 13

Tamanivalu is penalised for not releasing, and the Lions opt for the shot at goal. Combrinck lines up the shot, he has a massive boot on him.

He misses, could that be it for the Lions' chances?

8:49pm: 54 mins - Crusaders 23 Lions 13

TRY!!! The Lions get one back! Brink gets the ball from the back of the maul, and races through a gap to score!

Jantjies lines up the kick and slips, but still slots it through the uprights.

8:44pm: 50 mins - Crusaders 23 Lions 6

The Lions have a scrum on the Crusaders' 5m line. Hang on a tic, the Crusaders' front row have come up trumps, Tim Perry the hero, to win a penalty and get out of any danger.

8:42pm: 48 mins - Crusaders 23 Lions 6

The Lions going for broke now as Kwagga Smith breaks upfield. He's tackled, but the ref brings play back for offside. This time the Lions go for the lineout.

They drive again from the lineout, but the Crusaders defence holds. Jantjies has a go at the line but looks like he's short, before Havili steals it and tries to clear. The referee wants to check with the TMO.

Wow. Almost identical to the call that went against Beauden Barrett last week. The TMO says he's short, but we'll go back for a penalty against Scott Barrett.

8:35pm: 44 mins - Crusaders 23 Lions 6

Penalty!  The Lions give away a penalty to start the second half, and again the Crusaders want the points. 

Mo'unga with his fifth kick of the night, and he's got this one too!

8:31pm: 41 mins - Crusaders 20 Lions 6

Richie Mo'unga kicks off and the second half is away! The Crusaders 40 minutes away from back-to-back titles.

8:19pm: HALFTIME - Crusaders 20 Lions 6

The siren goes as the Crusaders have a lineout, they'll want one more chance. Hold that thought, Taylor's throw isn't straight and that's halftime.

8:17pm: 39 mins - Crusaders 20 Lions 6

Penalty!  The Lions look to get something back and win a penalty right in front of the posts. Jantjies wants the three though.

His kick is good, the Lions now just 14 behind.

8:13pm: 37 mins - Crusaders 20 Lions 3

TRY!!! Havili goes over for the Crusaders, but Richie Mo'unga has torn the Lions apart here! The first-five soars above the Lions to take a high ball, before going on a wicked solo run, finding Goodhue inside him. 

Goodhue carries the ball to the line before being tackled, as the pass goes wide to Havili who scores.

Mo'unga with the kick, and again, it's good!

8:10pm: 34 mins - Crusaders 13 Lions 3

Penalty!  A huge mix up from Jantjies sees him take the ball across his own line before grounding it, giving the Crusaders a scrum on the 5m line.

Hall feeds, but the front rows come up to force a reset. This time the Lions' front row collapses and the Crusaders win a penalty. Mo'unga points to the posts and will have another kick.

He lines up the kick, and again nails it. Crusaders' lead is now 10 points.

8:04pm: 28 mins - Crusaders 10 Lions 3

Again the Lions look for the driving maul, but again the Crusaders are up to it, as Scott Barrett forces the error to win a turnover.

8:02pm: 26 mins - Crusaders 10 Lions 3

Joe Moody loses two scrums in a row to give the Lions a penalty, which they'll take as a lineout right on the Crusaders' line. Marx throws and the Lions look for the driving maul. The Crusaders are penalised as they force the Lions back. 

The referee brings play back, and the Lions will have another lineout.

7:56pm: 21 mins - Crusaders 10 Lions 3

TRY!!!  Have the Crusaders scored? From their own lineout, the ball moves wide and Tamanivalu dives into the corner! The referee wants to check the grounding, but it should be fine. It is, Tamanivalu's try is awarded and the Crusaders hit the front!

Mo'unga with his second kick, and it's brilliant!

7:54pm: 19 mins - Crusaders 3 Lions 3

HUGE chance for the Crusaders, Bridge attempts to go over in the corner, but Mostert forces him over the sideline. The Lions win their own lineout as Jantjies clears, but the Crusaders will have another lineout of their own.

7:51pm: 16 mins - Crusaders 3 Lions 3 

Penalty!  The Crusaders have their first real attack of the night as Tamanivalu bursts forward. The referee has the arm out against Vorster before giving the Crusaders a penalty. Do they go for the points? They do, Mo'unga lines up his first kick of the night, and it's good! Scores level.

7:48pm: 13 mins - Crusaders 0 Lions 3

Penalty!  It's all the Lions at the moment, with 88% of possession and 99% of territory. The Crusaders give away a penalty inside their own half and Jantjies points to the posts.

He lines up the first kick of the night, and slots it straight down the middle!

7:41pm: 6 mins - Crusaders 0 Lions 0

The Lions are clean through as Combrinck breaks up the middle! The Crusaders' defence holds as the Lions are forced backwards. Cronje finds Whiteley from the back of the ruck as the Lions forwards look to drive over.

The ball's there for the Lions, but they knock it on right on the tryline! Crusaders' scrum.

7:39pm: 4 mins - Crusaders 0 Lions 0

Watch out for the rolling maul at the lineout. Marx throws and Codie Taylor steals it! Mo'unga clears.

7:38pm: 3 mins - Crusaders 0 Lions 0

Richie Mo'unga clears into touch and the Lions will have a lineout. Marx throws and the Lions attack straight away. Jantjies kicks out to the right wing for Marx of all people, but the ball goes back. The Lions keep possession, 

Scott Barrett gives away a penalty for not releasing in the tackle. The Lions take the lineout.

7:35pm: KICKOFF - Crusaders 0 Lions 0

Here we go then! The Lions will kick off to the Crusaders to get the ball rolling, Elton Jantjies boots high into the Christchurch sky and we're away!

7:33pm

Warren Whiteley strides out at the front of the Lions sid, can they finally break their duck and take the Super Rugby title?

7:32pm

Brilliant scenes, Scott Robertson does a lap of the ground to pump up the Christchurch fans. Sam Whitelock leads the Crusaders out of the tunnel first.

7:29pm

It's a beautiful night in Christchurch and AMI Stadium is a sell-out! Both sides currently in the changing sheds before kick-off.

PRE MATCH

For the second straight season, Super Rugby will be decided by the Crusaders and the Lions, with the 2017 finalists to reignite their rivalry in Christchurch tonight.

Having won the 2017 title in some style, the Crusaders are looking to go back-to-back tonight, this time playing in front of their home fans after last year's win in Johannesburg.

For the Lions, a maiden Super Rugby title is on the line with the South African table toppers also out to avoid three successive finals losses, after falling to the Hurricanes in 2016.

TEAMS

Crusaders : 15. David Havili, 14. Seta Tamanivalu, 13. Jack Goodhue, 12. Ryan Crotty, 11. George Bridge, 10. Richie Mo'unga, 9. Bryn Hall, 8. Kieran Read, 7. Matt Todd, 6. Heiden Bedwell-Curtis, 5. Sam Whitelock (c), 4. Scott Barrett, 3. Owen Franks, 2. Codie Taylor, 1. Joe Moody

Replacements : 16. Sam Anderson-Heather, 17. Tim Perry, 18. Michael Alaalatoa, 19. Luke Romano, 20. Pete Samu, 21. Mitchell Drummond, 22. Mitchell Hunt, 23. Braydon Ennor

Lions : 15. Andries Coetzee, 14. Ruan Combrinck, 13. Lionel Mapoe, 12. Harold Vorster, 11. Courtnall Skosan, 10. Elton Jantjies, 9. Ross Cronje, 8. Warren Whiteley (c), 7. Cyle Brink, 6. Kwagga Smith, 5. Franco Mostert, 4. Marvin Orie, 3. Ruan Dreyer, 2. Malcolm Marx, 1. Jacques van Rooyen

Replacements : 16. Corne Fourie, 17. Dylan Smith, 18. Johannes Jonker, 19. Lourens Erasmus, 20. Marnus Schoeman, 21. Dillon Smit, 22. Aphiwe Dyantyi, 23. Howard Mnisi

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