The Crusaders farewelled their Christchurch home venue with a crushing win over the Fijian Drua, featuring four tries to hooker Codie Taylor.
The Super Rugby Pacific champions scored 11 tries in a 69-26 romp on Friday night, their final match at the small suburban stadium that became an unlikely home ground after the 2011 earthquake that devastated the city and killed 185 people.
With the storied Lancaster Park rendered unsafe, authorities hastily constructed the 17,000-seat Christchurch Stadium, intended as a stop-gap solution.
Instead the Crusaders stayed put for 14 seasons because of economic and bureaucratic holdups, in that time picking up six full-competition titles, including last year under coach Rob Penney.
Taylor was playing his 150th Crusaders match and said he was intent on leaving the unfashionable ground in style before the team shifts later this month to a newly built central city stadium.
“There was always going to be emotion this week and it was all about channelling that and putting it into a performance that we could be proud of,” the 35-year-old Taylor told journalists.
“We talked about leaving our mark on this stadium and we’ve certainly done that I feel. That was our 100th win here at what was supposed to be a temporary place.
“It’s got so much rich history and memories.”
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All Blacks Test centurion Taylor’s four tries extended his Super Rugby career tally to 53, the most by a forward.
The Crusaders scored five tries in the first 23 minutes to leave the Drua facing a Herculean task.
Wingers Sevu Reece and Chay Fihaki crossed twice each while flyhalf Taha Kemara landed seven conversions as the hosts notched a third straight win to improve to fourth.
The Crusaders face successive matches in Australia against the Queensland Reds and Western Force, before returning to Christchurch for their first match at the new Te Kaha Stadium.
The ninth-placed Drua slumped to a third straight loss and must prepare for matches away to the Force and ACT Brumbies.
Photo: Kai Schwoerer/Getty Images
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