MATCH REPORT: Te Kaha comes alive as Crusaders mark a new era with bonus‑point win over the Waratahs
Friday 24 April 2026 will forever go down in history as one of the greatest nights Christchurch has ever seen. Fans lined the streets around Te Kaha as thousands descended on our city’s new stadium to be a part of a night that’s hard to put into words.
Under the roof, the city showed up in force, welcoming this team into a new home that already felt alive.
Pre-game, the stadium came alive, alumni lined the field before the Crusaders, led by Codie Taylor, performed Takina Te Kawa.
The Waratahs kicked off and settled quickly, earning early territory and pressure. Sid Harvey stepped up to slot the first ever points at One New Zealand Stadium, before adding a second penalty soon after to push the visitors out to a 6–0 lead inside the opening 10 minutes.
The Crusaders were working their way into the contest, but early discipline and field position favoured the Australians.
That changed when the Crusaders began to generate momentum through the forwards. A strong attacking sequence created space out wide, and Dallas McLeod crossed for the first Crusaders try at the new venue. Taha Kemara’s conversion edged the hosts ahead 7–6 and lifted both the tempo and the volume inside the stadium.
The match remained tight and physical. Miles Amatosero was sent to the sin bin, but the Waratahs responded impressively, striking back through Harvey, who finished a well‑worked movement and converted his own try to make it 13–7.
The Crusaders stayed patient, continuing to build pressure through repeated phases and a dominant scrum. Right on the stroke of half‑time, Codie Taylor took control at the back of a driving maul and forced his way over, with Kemara’s conversion handing the Crusaders a 14–13 lead at the break.
Scribe then lit up the crowd with his half-time performance which captivated more than 25,000 fans.
The second half saw the Crusaders begin to turn pressure into points. Ioane Moananu was shown yellow, and the home side immediately went back to work.
Leicester Fainga’anuku, making a surprise shift to openside flanker, powered over close to the line to extend the lead. Kemara converted to make it 21–13, and the balance of the game started to tilt.
The moment of the night followed soon after. From deep in their own half, Kemara spotted space and launched a perfectly weighted cross‑kick to Dom Gardiner. The loose forward burst through with intent, fixed the defence, and delivered a sublime offload to McLeod, who sliced inside and sprinted away to score his second try of the evening.
The conversion pushed the score out to 28–13 and brought the crowd to its feet.
The Waratahs refused to fold. David Havili spent time in the bin, Maloni Kunawave entered the contest as Crusader #309 on debut, and Teddy Wilson sniped around the fringes to score, with Harvey converting to reduce the margin to eight.
But the Crusaders closed the door emphatically. From broken play, Macca Springer hit the line at speed, took the short ball and sliced through from distance to seal the bonus‑point try. Rivez Reihana added the extras, locking in a 35–20 result and ensuring the perfect opening night at the new stadium.
Captain David Havili said the occasion itself made the night unforgettable.
“It was actually quite emotional,” says Havili.
“Running out was pretty special. What the city’s been through to have something like this now has been amazing. Everyone behind the Crusaders – the staff, the community – it’s been special, so thank you.”
On the performance, Havili was honest.
“It was scratchy, but I thought we showed a lot of heart. The full pack really stepped up tonight. At times we weren’t too accurate, but we got what we wanted, and we wanted five points.”
Head coach Rob Penney also reflected on the emotion of the night, from the build‑up through to the final whistle.
“There was definitely a welling up. The reaction from the fans as the bus travelled through town, having the alumni there, and then seeing the stadium light up as we approached – it felt like coming back to Lancaster Park. It’s been a long time coming, and it’s such a proud place for the people of Christchurch and the Crusaders region.”
Penney praised the performance of Fainga’anuku in his new role.
“He did everything we asked of him, plus more,” he says.
“He’s such a competitive man, and the way the group embraced that change and helped him be the best he could be was special. That selfless attitude says a lot about this team.”
The Crusaders got the job done on a night that was about more than just the scoreboard. A new home has been opened, Super Round has arrived in Aotearoa, and One New Zealand Stadium has given this city a new heartbeat.
The next 30 Years starts here.
Full-time: Crusaders 35 – Force 20