The Waratahs came away from Christchurch empty-handed yet again at the weekend, falling 31-29 to the Crusaders having incredibly led 29-0 after half an hour. Tries to Cam Clark, Taqele Naiyaravoro, Israel Folau and Curtis Rona looked to have put them in the box seat for a first win on Canterbury soil since 2004. But a controversial try from prop Joe Moody got the hosts back in the game, and the reigning champions went on to record the biggest comeback in Super Rugby history to squeeze home.

The Melbourne Rebels have announced that flanker Richard Hardwick has signed a new two-year contract to remain in Victoria until the end of 2020.

It was meant to be the night the ‘hoodoo’ was broken, the night Australia’s highest ranked team dispatched New Zealand’s lowest to restore some much-needed pride on this side of the ditch. But clearly nobody told the Blues the script, as they defended manfully and took the chances on offer to run out 24-21 winners over a misfiring Waratahs at Brookvale Oval on Saturday night.