2018 Super Rugby Final

The 2018 Super Rugby Final was played between the Crusaders of New Zealand and the Lions of South Africa. The match, held at Rugby League Park in Christchurch, was the 23rd final in the Super Rugby competition's history.

2018 Super Rugby Final
Event2018 Super Rugby season
Crusaders Lions
37 18
Date4 August 2018
VenueRugby League Park, Christchurch
RefereeAngus Gardner (Australia)
Attendancec. 20,000 [1]

Both finalists won their respective conferences during the regular season and both had hosted quarterfinal and semifinal matches in the playoff series. The final was hosted by the Crusaders as the higher placed team from the regular season standings.

The Crusaders won the match by a margin of 19 points. The Lions started the final well, however the combination of travel, jet-lag and the sheer dominance of the Crusaders was instrumental in securing the result.[2] The Crusaders extended their record number of Super Rugby title wins to nine and became the first team to win back-to-back titles since the Chiefs in 2013.

Road to the final
Finals Series qualifying teams
Conference leaders
Pos Team W D L PD BP Pts
1 Crusaders 1402+247763
2 Lions 907+841046
3 Waratahs 916+112644
Wildcard teams
4 Hurricanes 1105+131751
5 Chiefs 1105+95549
6 Highlanders 1006−8444
7 Jaguares 907−9238
8 Sharks 718−5636
Source: SANZAAR
Main article: 2018 Super Rugby season

After two seasons in which 18 teams participated, the 2018 season reverted to a 15-team competition, consisting of three geographical conferences.

Each conference leader at the end of the regular season, the Crusaders from New Zealand, Lions from South Africa and Waratahs from Australia gained home berths in the quarterfinals, as did the top-ranked wildcard team, the Hurricanes from New Zealand's conference. Their four wildcard opponents in the quarterfinals were the next best teams as ranked at the end of the regular season.

All four home teams won their quarterfinal matches to set up an all-New Zealand clash between the Crusaders and Hurricanes for the first semifinal in Christchurch, while the Lions hosted the Waratahs for the second semifinal in Johannesburg.

Both home teams won their semifinal matches with comfortable margins. The Lions then travelled away to Christchurch to play the Crusaders in the 2018 Super Rugby final.

 
QuarterfinalsSemifinalsFinal
 
          
 
21 July – Christchurch
 
 
Crusaders40
 
28 July – Christchurch
 
Sharks10
 
Crusaders30
 
20 July – Wellington
 
Hurricanes12
 
Hurricanes32
 
4 August – Christchurch
 
Chiefs31
 
Crusaders37
 
21 July – Johannesburg
 
Lions18
 
Lions40
 
28 July – Johannesburg
 
Jaguares23
 
Lions44
 
21 July – Sydney
 
Waratahs26
 
Waratahs30
 
 
Highlanders23
 

Quarter-finals

Semi-finals

Match

Details
4 August 2018
19:35
Crusaders 37–18 Lions
Try: Seta Tamanivalu  19'
David Havili  34'
Mitchell Drummond  62'
Scott Barrett  70'
Con: Richie Mo'unga  20', 36', 63', 71'
Pen: Richie Mo'unga  16', 33', 43'
 Report[17]
Scoreboard[18]		 Try: Cyle Brink  53'
Malcolm Marx  68'
Con: Elton Jantjies  54'
Pen: Elton Jantjies  13', 39'
Crusaders
Lions
Crusaders:
FB 15 David Havili
RW 14 Seta Tamanivalu
OC 13 Jack Goodhue
IC 12 Ryan Crotty  67'
LW 11 George Bridge 77'
FH 10 Richie Mo'unga 77'
SH 9 Bryn Hall 54'
N8 8 Kieran Read
OF 7 Matt Todd
BF 6 Heiden Bedwell-Curtis 56'
LL 5 Sam Whitelock (c)
RL 4 Scott Barrett 72'
TP 3 Owen Franks 60'
HK 2 Codie Taylor 69'
LP 1 Joe Moody 47'
Substitutes:
HK 16 Andrew Makalio 69'
PR 17 Tim Perry 47'
PR 18 Michael Alaalatoa 60'
LK 19 Luke Romano 72'
FL 20 Pete Samu 56'
SH 21 Mitchell Drummond 54'
IC 22 Mitchell Hunt 77'
FB 23 Braydon Ennor 77'
Coach:
Scott Robertson
Lions:
FB 15 Andries Coetzee
RW 14 Ruan Combrinck
OC 13 Lionel Mapoe
IC 12 Harold Vorster 76'
LW 11 Courtnall Skosan
FH 10 Elton Jantjies 54'
SH 9 Ross Cronjé 69'
N8 8 Warren Whiteley (c)
BF 7 Cyle Brink 63'
OF 6 Kwagga Smith
LL 5 Franco Mostert
RL 4 Marvin Orie 54'
TP 3 Ruan Dreyer 69'
HK 2 Malcolm Marx 76'
LP 1 Jacques van Rooyen 47'
Substitutes:
HK 16 Corné Fourie 76'
PR 17 Dylan Smith 47'
PR 18 Johannes Jonker 69'
LK 19 Lourens Erasmus 54'
FL 20 Marnus Schoeman 63'
SH 21 Dillon Smit 69'
FH 22 Aphiwe Dyantyi 54'
WG 23 Howard Mnisi 76'
Coach:
Johan Ackermann

Man of the Match:
Richie Mo'unga [19]

Assistant Referees:
Glen Jackson (New Zealand)
Nic Berry (Australia)
Television match official:
Shane McDermott (New Zealand)

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References
  1. "Parade to celebrate Crusaders latest Super Rugby title". Radio New Zealand. 6 August 2018.
  2. Geekie, Kaylan (2018-08-04). "Super Rugby Final: Crusaders crowned kings again". Super Rugby | Super 15 Rugby and Rugby Championship News,Results and Fixtures from Super XV Rugby. Retrieved 2020-04-15.
  3. "Hurricanes beat Chiefs to secure Semi Final spot". SANZAAR. 20 July 2018. Archived from the original on 4 August 2018. Retrieved 4 August 2018.
  4. "Hurricanes 32-31 Chiefs". SANZAAR. 20 July 2018. Retrieved 20 July 2018.
  5. https://www.westpacstadium.co.nz/fileadmin/Documents/Annual_Reports/WRST_AR19.pdf
  6. "Clinical Crusaders cruise past Sharks". SANZAAR. 21 July 2018. Archived from the original on 4 August 2018. Retrieved 4 August 2018.
  7. "Crusaders 40-10 Sharks". SANZAAR. 21 July 2018. Retrieved 21 July 2018.
  8. "Waratahs Storm Back to Stun Highlanders". SANZAAR. 21 July 2018. Archived from the original on 4 August 2018. Retrieved 4 August 2018.
  9. "Waratahs 30-23 Highlanders". SANZAAR. 21 July 2018. Retrieved 21 July 2018.
  10. https://www.rugby.com.au/news/2018/07/22/waratahs-highlanders-reax
  11. "Lions overcome Jaguares to reach semi-final". SANZAAR. 22 July 2018. Archived from the original on 4 August 2018. Retrieved 4 August 2018.
  12. "Lions 40-23 Jaguares". SANZAAR. 21 July 2018. Retrieved 21 July 2018.
  13. "Crusaders Beat 'Canes Book Home Final". SANZAAR. 28 July 2018. Archived from the original on 4 August 2018. Retrieved 4 August 2018.
  14. "Crusaders 30-12 Hurricanes". SANZAAR. 28 July 2018. Retrieved 28 July 2018.
  15. "Lions overcome Waratahs to reach Super Rugby final". SANZAAR. 29 July 2018. Archived from the original on 4 August 2018. Retrieved 4 August 2018.
  16. "Lions 44-26 Waratahs". SANZAAR. 28 July 2018. Retrieved 28 July 2018.
  17. "Outstanding Crusaders claim ninth Super Rugby title". SANZAAR. 4 August 2018. Archived from the original on 4 August 2018. Retrieved 4 August 2018.
  18. "Crusaders 37-18 Lions". SANZAAR. 4 August 2018. Retrieved 4 August 2018.
  19. "Crusaders win title number nine after proving too strong for Lions in Super Rugby final". The Telegraph. London. 4 August 2018.
Preceded by
2017 Super Rugby Final		 Super Rugby Final
2018		 Succeeded by
2019 Super Rugby Final
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