'Doing well to script a better debut': James O'Connor's Crusaders score try of the season contender
This article originally appeared on Stuff and is reproduced with permission
You'd be doing well to script a better debut than the one rookie Crusaders halfback Kyle Preston put together on Friday night.
Having grown up a Hurricanes fan, the 25-year-old bagged a hat-trick to lead the Crusaders to an exhilarating 33-25 win over his childhood team in the Super Rugby opener in Christchurch.
Thrust into the match in just the eighth minute, after the Crusaders lost All Blacks halfback Noah Hotham to what appeared to be a serious leg injury, Preston proved more than a smooth operator.
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Kyle Preston of the Crusaders makes a break. Getty
Armed with a crisp pass and the ability to kick well off both feet, it was Preston's third try, scored in the 76th minute via a snipe at the line, which iced a result that seemed unlikely when the hosts stumbled into an early 14-0 hole.
The Crusaders also trailed 22-14 at the half, and had to haul themselves back into the game running into a stiff easterly breeze.
Talk about a peach of a Super Rugby opener, featuring eight tries, including one that will surely contend for try of the season when 2025 is all done and dusted.
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That was the second try Preston scored, the icing on the cake of a move that started with a David Havili chip kick for Will Jordan deep in the Crusaders' half, before he flung it to wing Sevu Reece, who uncorked a superb centre-kick for Preston to dive on.
Rob Penney might not admit it, but chances are nobody in the Crusaders' catchment is breathing easier than the head coach of the red and blacks.
It's only one game, but Penney and the Crusaders needed that after the horror of 2024, when they won just four games and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2015.
Not that it was all smooth sailing on a night both teams were stripped of plenty of fire power through injury.
The Crusaders spoke about the importance of making fast start all week, only to cough up two tries during a shambolic opening quarter of an hour.
That started with them conceding three penalties in the first three and a half minutes, the third of which prompted referee Nic Berry to send All Blacks captain Scott Barrett to the bin.
A young Crusaders fan. Stan
Hurricanes hooker Jacob Devery crashed over the line shortly after Barrett took his seat in front of the south stand, despite Crusaders No 8 Christian Lio-Willie and prop Tamaiti Williams threatening to shunt back the raid with thumping hits.
Devery was over again 10 minutes later, this time out wide after the slick visitors exposed the red and blacks down the short side.
It was all too easy for the Hurricanes, who were crashing over the advantage line with little resistance, forcing Crusaders backs to fly off their line and take gambles.
James O'Connor of the Crusaders charges forward. Getty
With young No.10 Harry Godfrey impressing with his side down on options at the playmaking role due to injuries, the Hurricanes repeatedly punched holes in the Crusaders' line as a result.
The good news for the Crusaders was they had a returning weapon capable of doing just that himself - Jordan, who missed the entire 2024 season with a shoulder injury.
It was Jordan who sparked the hosts into life, taking an inside ball and gliding through a hole in typical fashion, before putting Preston over under the sticks.
Suddenly, they appeared to have their mojo, as Levi Aumu and Sevu Reece went close, before flanker Cullen Grace flopped over the line to knot the game up.
However, the Hurricanes, who enjoyed quick ruck ball much of the night, were soon again camped inside the Crusaders' 22, leading to a Godfrey penalty and an expertly finished Kini Naholo try inside the corner flag to cap an excellent opening half.
At Apollo Projects Stadium, Christchurch: Crusaders 33 (Kyle Preston tries 19min, 54min, 76min, Cullen Grace try 25min, Sevu Reece 66min; Taha Kemara 3 con, James O'Connor con) Hurricanes 25 (Jacob Devery tries 5min, 15min, Kini Naholo 39min; Harry Godfrey 2 con, pen, Callum Harkin pen). HT: 14-22
Yellow cards: Scott Barrett (Crusaders)
