Super Rugby is red hot!

A thrilling first round of Super Rugby Pacific has set the stage for an exciting season ahead: attendance is on the rise; the matches are closer than ever and kicking off our campaign with a hard-fought win at home in front of thousands of fans was the cherry on top.  

Our opening match against the Hurricanes at Apollo Projects Stadium in Christchurch gave fans a taste of what's to come in 2025.  

The Crusaders reached 13,559 in ticket sales - which saw the biggest Round one attendance since 2018, when we played the Chiefs, and the biggest crowd against the Hurricanes since 2018.  

Crusaders CEO Colin Mansbridge says the atmosphere at the stadium was electric. 

"I can’t remember an opening match quite like that. Not only was it a great game of footy with plenty of exciting moments, but the fans were absolutely loving it too.  

"An addition of a half-time kiss-cam, a wedding at half time and Bayleys ' Catch a Can' all provided quality off-field entertainment for spectators, but the real winner was the intensity of the action on the field – it was up there with a final," Mansbridge adds.  

The number of memberships is also growing at a rapid rate of knots, with huge interest in the new stadium attracting a wide range of fans. 

"Our members are such a valuable part of our fanbase, and we have already had some amazing member events which has allowed us to connect with them as we look forward to the season ahead," Mansbridge says.  

Kyle Preston made history as the first New Zealand debutant ever to score three tries on debut. 

There was a 38% increase in average attendance at games compared to 2024, across all five matches, not just in New Zealand.  

"Fans provided some great feedback on the role of referees, particularly on how they kept the game moving. The use of the ref mic during our game also received positive feedback, and new graphics in stadiums across all games helped fans understand what was happening,” Mansbridge says.  

The first round of Super Rugby Pacific 2025 was filled with excitement, featuring plenty of tries, lead changes, and close results. The average winning margin was just 5 points, the third smallest for Round one in Super Rugby history, behind 1997 (3.5) and 2012 (4.4). 

Fantasy Super Rugby Pacific is also adding another element of excitement with over 56,000 fans participating. 

The highest performing players in Fantasy Super Rugby Pacific included: 

Damian McKenzie (Chiefs) – 104 points 

Sevu Reece (Crusaders) – 91 points 

Caleb Tangitau (Highlanders) – 83 points 

Will Jordan (Crusaders) – 61 points 

Jacob Devery (Hurricanes) – 68 points 

Interestingly, only 0.1% of Fantasy players had Kyle Preston in their teams, and they’ll be thrilled with his performance. 

The Crusaders' next match is against the Chiefs in Hamilton on Friday 21 February.  

With both teams first up winners in Round one, it's a high-stakes match as each team looks to keep their winning streak going.