The Crusaders have confirmed their final pre-season fixture for 2022, with the team set to host the Hurricanes at Blenheim's Lansdowne Park on Friday 11th February. The game coincides with Marlborough Wine & Food Festival, which takes place over the same weekend.
In announcing the fixture, Crusaders CEO Colin Mansbridge said: "The Crusaders have always enjoyed plenty of support in the Tasman region, and February is the perfect time of year for fans to enjoy some early-evening footy in sunny Marlborough.
"We look forward to working closely with Marlborough District Council and Tasman Rugby Union over the coming weeks to bring this fixture together, in what will be our final preparation for the 2022 season."
Crusaders Head Coach Scott Robertson added: "Seven of our current squad are also proud Tasman Mako, so the opportunity for our team to play Super Rugby on a ground familiar to them, Lansdowne Park, is pretty special.
"Our players really enjoy connecting back in with their provincial unions and I'm sure this game will mean a lot to local rugby fans in Blenheim as well."
The match will kick off at 5:30pm and will serve as the Crusaders' final pre-season game before the start of the Super Rugby Pacific competition.
Hurricanes Head Coach Jason Holland said: "Renewing this pre-season fixture is excellent preparation for our campaign. Both sides will have already had their first hit out so we should see some quality rugby and Blenheim is normally cooking in February so it should be an exciting evening."
Crusaders partner Isaac Group, who have been connecting the Crusaders players with communities throughout the region during their annual 'regional visits', have also come on board as Match Day Partner for this game.
Isaac Group CEO Jeremy Dixon said: “Isaac Group and Simcox Construction are really proud to be supporting this fixture as Match Day Partner, and we look forward to helping bring Super Rugby to Blenheim in 2022.
"Our regional visits have been a feature of our partnership with the Crusaders over the years, and the opportunity to elevate our support and further connect with local communities is exciting.”
Tickets for the Crusaders versus Hurricanes pre-season match in Blenheim are $25 for adults and just $10 for a child. An exclusive pre-sale window for Crusaders 2022 Members, Hurricanes Members and the Tasman Rugby community opens at 9am tomorrow, Friday 3rd December, before tickets go on sale to the general public at 9am on Monday 6th December.