Super Rugby Pacific 2026 · Round 10Crusaders
NSW Waratahs
Apollo Projects Stadium, Christchurch
Championship Standings
A rare 5W-5L Crusaders side sit 4th on 25 points — bankable, not commanding, and nothing like the team that has historically owned this fixture. Waratahs are 7th on 19 points after a 29–14 win over Moana Pasifika last round; both sides are scrapping for playoff seeding.
| Pos | Team | P | W | L | PD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hurricanes | 8 | 6 | 2 | +184 | 31 |
| 2 | Chiefs | 9 | 7 | 2 | +109 | 31 |
| 3 | Blues | 9 | 6 | 3 | +79 | 29 |
| 4 | Crusaders | 10 | 5 | 5 | +54 | 25 |
| 5 | Brumbies | 9 | 5 | 4 | +49 | 25 |
| 6 | Queensland Reds | 8 | 5 | 3 | −36 | 22 |
| 7 | NSW Waratahs | 9 | 4 | 5 | −43 | 19 |
| 8 | Highlanders | 9 | 3 | 6 | −55 | 16 |
| 9 | Fijian Drua | 9 | 4 | 5 | −93 | 16 |
| 10 | Western Force | 9 | 3 | 6 | −26 | 14 |
| 11 | Moana Pasifika | 9 | 1 | 8 | −222 | 4 |
Crusaders
W2, L3Five games, a mix of demolitions (69–26 over the Drua, 50–21 at Moana) and narrow losses on the road (Reds and the Force both edging them by five). The 31–26 loss in Perth last weekend is the worry — the Force haven't beaten a top-half Kiwi side at home all season until that result. At home at Apollo Projects Stadium the Crusaders remain a different proposition: they've won 18 of their last 20 home games against Australian opposition. The forward pack is still ruthless from 40m out; the discipline and closing ability have both wobbled.
NSW Waratahs
W2, L3Two wins in five — both at home, against the Brumbies and Moana — and three losses on the road that include a 42–14 hammering by the Chiefs and a 24–20 near-miss at the Highlanders. The 29–14 Moana win last week was tidy but tells us little: the Waratahs have not beaten a top-four NZ side on NZ soil this season, and their away record in Christchurch specifically reads 0W-12L in the last 13 attempts stretching back to 2009.
Head-to-Head Record
2 – 0 – 9
Waratahs wins · Draws · Crusaders wins (last 11 meetings)
The Crusaders have dominated this fixture for a generation — 9 wins in the last 11 meetings, with the Waratahs' only recent successes coming at home in Sydney in 2022 (33–24) and 2023. At Apollo Projects Stadium specifically, the Crusaders are unbeaten against the Waratahs since 2008. Last year's meeting at this venue was a 38–13 home win for the hosts; the prior year, 41–7.
Recent Results
| Date | Competition | Result |
|---|---|---|
| May 2025 | Super Rugby | Crusaders 38–13 Waratahs |
| Apr 2024 | Super Rugby | Waratahs 22–43 Crusaders |
| Jun 2023 | Super Rugby | Waratahs 33–24 Crusaders |
| Apr 2023 | Super Rugby | Crusaders 29–13 Waratahs |
| May 2022 | Super Rugby | Waratahs 33–24 Crusaders |
| Mar 2021 | Super Rugby | Crusaders 41–13 Waratahs |
Average score in the last 6 meetings: Crusaders 33 – Waratahs 18 across the last 11 meetings. At Apollo Projects/Orangetheory/AMI Stadium specifically the average sits at Crusaders 35 – Waratahs 15 — a 20-point margin that has barely moved in a decade.
Extended Form
Crusaders5W, 5L across Super Rugby Pacific 2026
Wins: Chiefs (43–33 A), Highlanders (29–18 H), Moana (50–21 A), Drua (69–26 H), plus one earlier-season win. Losses: Highlanders (25–23 A), Brumbies (24–50 H), Blues (29–13 A), Reds (31–26 A), Force (31–26 A).
Home record remains strong (3W-1L at Apollo Projects in 2026, the lone loss a 50–24 hiding by the Brumbies in R2), but the road form is where the slip has come — four away losses by a combined 23 points, which is uncharacteristically thin margins. This is still a Crusaders side with Fainga'anuku, Havili, Jordan and Taylor, but the aura has taken a knock.
NSW Waratahs4W, 5L in Super Rugby Pacific 2026
Wins: Reds (36–12 H), Drua (36–13 H), Brumbies (30–28 H), Moana (29–14 H). Losses: Hurricanes (19–59 A), Reds (17–26 A), Blues (20–35 A), Chiefs (14–42 A), Highlanders (20–24 A).
Every Waratahs win has been at home; every loss has been on the road or at a neutral venue. Their five road trips have produced zero wins, 170 points for against 186 against, and three defeats of 15+ points. A Friday-night trip to Christchurch fits the profile of their tougher fixtures, not their winnable ones.
Crusaders XV
Lineups not yet announced. Rob Penney should welcome back a near-full squad after last week's loss in Perth — expect Will Jordan back at fullback, Leicester Fainga'anuku on the wing, and the Havili–Mo'unga (if fit)/Taukei'aho axis through the midfield. The front-row trio of Newell, Taylor and Taukei'aho remains one of the best tight fives in the competition. Cullen Grace and Christian Lio-Willie anchor the back-row alongside Tom Christie.
NSW Waratahs XV
Lineups not yet announced. Dan McKellar's Waratahs will lean on Tane Edmed at 10 (their reliable goalkicker), Jake Gordon at 9, and the centre pairing of Lalakai Foketi and Joey Walton. Max Jorgensen returns to the wing, Andrew Kellaway at fullback, and the back-row of Charlie Gamble, Langi Gleeson and Rob Valetini provides genuine ball-carrying threat. Angus Bell and Taniela Tupou should both start up front.
Key Matchups
This is a positional mismatch up the spine. The Crusaders' front row has been one of the most consistent scrums in the competition; the Waratahs conceded five scrum penalties against the Chiefs in Hamilton and have struggled to set an attacking platform on the road. Gleeson and Valetini will get their yards off the back of the scrum and in close-quarters carrying, but the Crusaders back row's speed to the breakdown is where the Waratahs tend to leak. Behind the scrum it's Will Jordan and Leicester Fainga'anuku against a willing but positionally iffy back three — Jorgensen is dangerous with ball in hand but his aerial work has been flagged as a weakness. The Crusaders home engine should grind out enough field position to win comfortably.
Match Forecast
Net +17 on the scorecard puts this firmly in mismatch territory despite the Crusaders' unusual inconsistency this season. The Apollo Projects home record against Australian sides is the single most lopsided venue statistic in Super Rugby Pacific — 18 wins in 20, with the Waratahs specifically 0-for-12 at this ground since 2009. The H2H is 9–0–2 in the Crusaders' favour across the last 11 meetings, with an average home scoreline of Crusaders 35 – Waratahs 15.
The counter-argument exists but it's thin. The Crusaders are coming off a disappointing 31–26 loss at the Force and have shown uncharacteristic defensive lapses all season. The Waratahs are reasonably well-coached under Dan McKellar and have the Valetini-Gleeson carrying axis that can cause problems. But away from home the Waratahs are 0-5 with an average defeat of 15 points — including a 42–14 shellacking at the Chiefs. Expect the Crusaders to establish field position through the set piece in the first half and pull away in the third quarter with Jordan and Fainga'anuku stretching a tiring Waratahs defensive line.
Crusaders by 20+ — the Apollo Projects home record vs Australia is the most reliable bet in the competition.