2018 Super Rugby Final
# 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.

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. 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 | 14 | 0 | 2 | +247 | 7 | 63 |
| 2 | Lions | 9 | 0 | 7 | +84 | 10 | 46 |
| 3 | Waratahs | 9 | 1 | 6 | +112 | 6 | 44 |
| Wildcard teams |
| 4 | Hurricanes | 11 | 0 | 5 | +131 | 7 | 51 |
| 5 | Chiefs | 11 | 0 | 5 | +95 | 5 | 49 |
| 6 | Highlanders | 10 | 0 | 6 | −8 | 4 | 44 |
| 7 | Jaguares | 9 | 0 | 7 | −9 | 2 | 38 |
| 8 | Sharks | 7 | 1 | 8 | −5 | 6 | 36 |
| Source: SANZAAR |

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.

| Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | | Final | Final |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 21 July – Christchurch | 21 July – Christchurch | | | |
| Crusaders | 40 | | | |
| Crusaders | 40 | 28 July – Christchurch | 28 July – Christchurch | | |
| Sharks | 10 | 28 July – Christchurch | 28 July – Christchurch | |
| Sharks | 10 | Crusaders | 30 | |
| 20 July – Wellington | 20 July – Wellington | | Crusaders | 30 | |
| 20 July – Wellington | 20 July – Wellington | Hurricanes | 12 | |
| Hurricanes | 32 | Hurricanes | 12 | |
| Hurricanes | 32 | | | | 4 August – Christchurch | 4 August – Christchurch |
| Chiefs | 31 | | | | 4 August – Christchurch | 4 August – Christchurch |
| Chiefs | 31 | | | | Crusaders | 37 |
| 21 July – Johannesburg | 21 July – Johannesburg | | | | | Crusaders | 37 |
| 21 July – Johannesburg | 21 July – Johannesburg | | | | Lions | 18 |
| Lions | 40 | | | | Lions | 18 |
| Lions | 40 | 28 July – Johannesburg | 28 July – Johannesburg | | | |
| Jaguares | 23 | 28 July – Johannesburg | 28 July – Johannesburg | | | |
| Jaguares | 23 | Lions | 44 | | | |
| 21 July – Sydney | 21 July – Sydney | | Lions | 44 | | | |
| 21 July – Sydney | 21 July – Sydney | Waratahs | 26 | |
| Waratahs | 30 | Waratahs | 26 | |
| Highlanders | 23 | | | |

## 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' Cards: Ryan Crotty 67' to 77' | Report Scoreboard | Try: Cyle Brink 53' Malcolm Marx 68' Con: Elton Jantjies 54' Pen: Elton Jantjies 13', 39' |

* Rugby League Park, Christchurch Referee: Angus Gardner (Australia)

| 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 Ala'alatoa | 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
* Assistant Referees:
* Glen Jackson (New Zealand)
* Nic Berry (Australia)
* Television match official:
* Shane McDermott (New Zealand)
