Crusaders Rugby And Everything To Know | Super Rugby 2025 Preview
Crusaders Rugby And Everything To Know | Super Rugby 2025 Preview
Crusaders Rugby returns Feb. 14, as the legendary club looks to bounce back from down 2024 season.
One of the world’s best professional rugby leagues returns Feb. 14 for the 2025 season, as the new Super Rugby campaign begins.
Super Rugby, armed with a new schedule format, played its first season in 1996 when SANZAR was formed and now features 11 teams from Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and other Pacific Islands.
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Loaded with All Blacks and Wallabies on the rosters throughout the league, Super Rugby joins the likes of the United Rugby Championship, Top 14 and the Premiership as one of the world’s best rugby competitions.
This year, the league plays its first matches on Valentine's Day, and that includes the most successful club in history of the league, the Crusaders. Here’s what to know about the Christchurch Crusaders.
What Was The Crusaders' Super Rugby Record in 2024?
After one of the greatest runs in the history of club rugby, the Crusaders found themselves in a transition year in 2024.
Head coach Scott Robertson left to become the head coach of the All Blacks, leaving the Crusaders needing to replace arguably the best rugby coach in the world.
The team turned to former Waratahs and Munster Rugby coach, Rob Penney. And his debut season couldn't have been much worse for the six-time defending Super Rugby champions.
The club went 4-0-10 and failed to qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 2015.
If any team can turn it around and bounce back, it's likely the Crusaders, who employ 26-year-old Will Jordan, one of the best rugby players in the world and a superstar for the All Blacks.
The roster also feature Scott Barrett, an All Blacks captain and one of the greatest All Blacks of all-time.
How Many Times Have The Crusaders Won The Super Rugby Championship?
The Crusaders have an absurd 12 Super Rugby championships since 1998 and have reached the final 16 times. The Crusaders have made 23 playoff appearances.
Are The Crusaders The Best Rugby Club In The World?
The Crusaders have the best case of any Southern Hemisphere club to be considered the best club in the world.
The team certainly is in the conversation with Top 14 power Toulouse as the most dominant and successful professional club in the world.
The long championship run of six straight titles is something no club in the Premiership, United Rugby Championship, Top 14 or Champions Cup competitions has ever done since the sport went professional in 1996
How Many All Blacks Are On The Crusaders ?
The Crusaders 2024 team featured 10 players who played for the All Blacks last season, including Scott Barrett, Codie Taylor and Will Jordan.
The team also added James O'Connor to the roster this year.
O'Connor has 64 caps for the Wallabies and makes his New Zealand debut after playing his whole career with Australian teams.
- Codie Taylor, Hooker: Crusaders
- David Havili, Utility Back: Crusaders
- Ethan Blackadder, Loose Forward: Crusaders
- Fletcher Newell, Prop: Crusaders
- George Bell, Hooker: Crusaders
- Noah Hotham, Halfback: Crusaders
- Scott Barrett, Lock: Crusaders
- Sevu Reece, Outside Back: Crusaders
- Tamaiti Williams, Prop: Crusaders
- Will Jordan, Outside Back: Crusaders
Who Coaches The Crusaders ?
Rob Penney coaches the Crusaders. He has coached in the United Rugby Championship and Japan League One. He once was the New Zealand U20 coach.
Where Do The Crusaders Play?
The Crusaders play in Christchurch, New Zealand, which is the second-largest city in New Zealand and largest in the South Island. The team plays in Apollo Projects Stadium.
How To Watch The Crusaders Play Rugby In U.S.
Every 2025 Super Rugby match, including the playoffs, is streaming live on FloRugby and the FloSports app.
Crusaders Rugby Fixtures And Super Rugby Schedule
- Round 1 (Friday, Feb. 14) – Crusaders vs. Hurricanes (1:05 a.m. ET)
- Round 2 (Friday, Feb. 21) – Chiefs vs. Crusaders (1:05 a.m. ET)
- Round 4 (Saturday, March 8) – Crusaders vs. Reds (9:35 p.m. ET)
- Round 5 (Friday, March 14) – Crusaders vs. Force (11:35 p.m. ET)
- Round 6 (Saturday, March 22) – Blues vs. Crusaders (2:05 a.m. ET)
- Round 7 (Saturday, March 29) – Crusaders vs. Moana Pasifika (2:05 a.m. ET)
- Round 8 (Friday, April 4) – Fijian Drua vs. Crusaders (11:35 p.m. ET)
- Round 9 (Friday, April 11) – Hurricanes vs. Crusaders (3:05 a.m. ET)
- Round 10 (Friday, April 18) – Crusaders vs. Blues (3:05 a.m. ET)
- Round 11 (Saturday, April 26) – Highlanders vs. Crusaders (3:05 a.m. ET)
- Round 13 (Saturday, May 10) – Crusaders vs. Chiefs (3:05 a.m. ET)
- Round 14 (Friday, May 16) – Waratahs vs. Crusaders (5:35 a.m. ET)
- Round 15 (Friday, May 23) – Crusaders vs. Highlanders (3:05 a.m. ET)
- Round 16 (Friday, May 30) – Brumbies vs. Crusaders (5:35 a.m. ET)
Super Rugby Pacific 2025 Fixtures
Round 1
Friday, Feb. 14
- 1:05 a.m. ET: Crusaders vs. Hurricanes
- 3:35 a.m. ET: Waratahs vs. Highlanders
- 10:35 p.m. ET: Fijian Drua vs. Brumbies
Saturday, Feb. 15
- 1:05 a.m. ET: Blues vs. Chiefs
- 3:35 a.m. ET: Force vs. Moana Pasifika
Round 2
Friday, Feb. 21
- 1:05 a.m. ET: Chiefs vs. Crusaders
- 3:35 a.m. ET: Reds vs. Moana Pasifika
- 10:35 p.m. ET: Hurricanes vs. Fijian Drua
Saturday, Feb. 22
- 1:05 a.m. ET: Highlanders vs. Blues
- 3:35 a.m. ET: Brumbies vs. Force
Round 3
Friday, Feb. 28
- 1:05 a.m. ET: Moana Pasifika vs. Highlanders
- 3:35 a.m. ET: Waratahs vs. Fijian Drua
- 10:35 p.m. ET: Chiefs vs. Brumbies
Saturday, March 1
- 1:05 a.m. ET: Hurricanes vs. Blues
- 3:35 a.m. ET: Force vs. Reds
Round 4
Friday, March 7
- 1:05 a.m. ET: Blues vs. Brumbies
- 10:35 p.m. ET: Fijian Drua vs. Chiefs
Saturday, March 8
- 1:05 a.m. ET: Moana Pasifika vs. Hurricanes
- 3:35 a.m. ET: Waratahs vs. Force
- 9:35 p.m. ET: Crusaders vs. Reds
Round 5
Friday, March 14
- 2:05 a.m. ET: Highlanders vs. Hurricanes
- 4:35 a.m. ET: Brumbies vs. Fijian Drua
- 11:35 p.m. ET: Crusaders vs. Force
Saturday, March 15
- 2:05 a.m. ET: Chiefs vs. Blues
- 4:35 a.m. ET: Reds vs. Waratahs
Round 6
Friday, March 21
- 2:05 a.m. ET: Moana Pasifika vs. Chiefs
- 11:35 p.m. ET: Highlanders vs. Reds
Saturday, March 22
- 2:05 a.m. ET: Blues vs. Crusaders
- 4:35 a.m. ET: Waratahs vs. Brumbies
Sunday, March 23
- 2:05 a.m. ET: Force vs. Fijian Drua
Round 7
Friday, March 28
- 2:05 a.m. ET: Hurricanes vs. Waratahs
- 4:35 a.m. ET: Brumbies vs. Highlanders
Saturday, March 29
- 2:05 a.m. ET: Crusaders vs. Moana Pasifika
- 4:35 a.m. ET: Reds vs. Force
Round 8
Friday, April 4
- 2:05 a.m. ET: Chiefs vs. Reds
- 9:05 p.m. ET: Moana Pasifika vs. Waratahs
- 11:35 p.m. ET: Fijian Drua vs. Crusaders
Saturday, April 5
- 2:05 a.m. ET: Blues vs. Hurricanes
- 4:35 a.m. ET: Force vs. Highlanders
Round 9
Friday, April 11
- 3:05 a.m. ET: Hurricanes vs. Crusaders
- 5:35 a.m. ET: Waratahs vs. Chiefs
- 12:35 a.m. ET: Blues vs. Moana Pasifika
Saturday, April 12
- 3:05 a.m. ET: Highlanders vs. Fijian Drua
- 5:35 a.m. ET: Reds vs. Brumbies
Round 10
Friday, April 18
- 3:05 a.m. ET: Crusaders vs. Blues
- 9:05 p.m. ET: Moana Pasifika vs. Brumbies
- 11:35 p.m. ET: Fijian Drua vs. Waratahs
Saturday, April 19
- 3:05 a.m. ET: Chiefs vs. Highlanders
- 5:35 a.m. ET: Force vs. Hurricanes
Round 11
Friday, April 25
- 3:05 a.m. ET: Chiefs vs. Force
- 5:35 a.m. ET: Reds vs. Blues
- 12:35 a.m. ET: Moana Pasifika vs. Fijian Drua
Saturday, April 26
- 3:05 a.m. ET: Highlanders vs. Crusaders
- 5:35 a.m. ET: Brumbies vs. Hurricanes
Round 12
Friday, May 2
- 3:05 a.m. ET: Blues vs. Force
- 10:05 p.m. ET: Fijian Drua vs. Reds
Saturday, May 3
- 3:05 a.m. ET: Hurricanes vs. Chiefs
- 5:35 a.m. ET: Brumbies vs. Waratahs
- 11:35 p.m. ET: Highlanders vs. Moana Pasifika
Round 13
Friday, May 9
- 3:05 a.m. ET: Fijian Drua vs. Blues
- 5:35 a.m. ET: Waratahs vs. Reds
Saturday, May 10
- 3:05 a.m. ET: Crusaders vs. Chiefs
- 5:35 a.m. ET: Force vs. Brumbies
Round 14
Friday, May 16
- 3:05 a.m. ET: Hurricanes vs. Highlanders
- 5:35 a.m. ET: Waratahs vs. Crusaders
- 11:35 p.m. ET: Fijian Drua vs. Force
Saturday, May 17
- 3:05 a.m ET: Moana Pasifika vs. Blues
- 5:35 a.m. ET: Brumbies vs. Reds
Round 15
Friday, May 23
- 3:05 a.m. ET: Crusaders vs. Highlanders
- 5:35 a.m. ET: Reds vs. Hurricanes
Saturday, May 24
- 3:05 a.m. ET: Chiefs vs. Moana Pasifika
- 5:35 a.m. ET: Force vs. Waratahs
Round 16
Friday, May 30
- 3:05 a.m. ET: Highlanders vs. Chiefs
- 5:35 a.m. ET: Brumbies vs. Crusaders
- 12:35 a.m. ET: Blues vs. Waratahs
Saturday, May 31
- 3:05 a.m. ET: Hurricanes vs. Moana Pasifika
- 5:35 a.m. ET: Reds vs. Fijian Drua
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