Big decider has a familiar look

This time, Crusaders will have home advantage

The Crusaders are back in the Super Rugby final, seeking a recordextending ninth title. The Lions are back too, still searching for a first. The two teams set up a repeat of last year’s decider with convincing semifinal wins at home at the weekend.

The Crusaders overwhelmed the Hurricanes 30-12 in a one-sided all-New Zealand match.

The Johannesburg-based Lions later beat Australia’s Waratahs 44-26, matching the Crusaders’ 18-point winning margin.

A year ago, the Crusaders won the title away in Johannesburg. Super Rugby’s most successful team will have the significant advantage of playing the season finale at home this Saturday.

The Crusaders have already won five more Super Rugby titles than any other team, have reached the final 13 times in the tournament’s 23 seasons — more than twice as many as anyone else — and have a supreme 20-0 record in playoff games at home.

The Lions were relegated from Super Rugby in 2012 before embarking on a stirring revival. They must pull off a titanic surprise next weekend if they are to finally secure their first Super Rugby triumph after losing the last two finals.

“What a challenge,” Lions captain Warren Whiteley said. “We can’t wait.

“We know there’s a lot to work on. It’s going to be a big one. But to give yourself a chance . . . being in a final, that’s what it’s about.”

The Crusaders maintained their seemingly unstoppable progress toward title No 9 by dominating the Hurricanes, the 2016 champions, from the start with 80 per cent possession.

Crusaders winger George Bridge scored his 15th try of the season, briefly equalling the season record, along with tries from first five Richie Mo’unga, fullback David Havili and replacement back Braydon Ennor.

The game was already decided, with the Crusaders up 30-7, when Hurricanes winger Ben Lam reclaimed the season try-scoring record at 16 — an all-time high — with the last move of the game.

The Crusaders opened an 18-7 lead at the break with tries to Bridge and Mo’unga, who also added a conversion and two penalties in the first half.

That made it imperative the Hurricanes scored first in the second half. They had possession but an error, a botched restart from the 22, gave the Crusaders the chance they needed to make the game safe.

Centre Jack Goodhue made a long run back into the Hurricanes’ 22 and linked with All Blacks captain Kieran Read, who drove the ball toward the line. The Crusaders recycled possession, and halfback Bryn Hall found Havili running into the line at pace to score the insurance try for 25-7.

The Crusaders were guided to victory by Mo’unga, who collected 15 points and whose cross-kick created a late try for Ennor.

In Johannesburg, the Lions came back from 14-0 down after the Waratahs raced out of the blocks, spreading the ball wide to create tries for flanker Ned Hanigan and fullback Israel Folau in the first eight minutes.

Hooker Malcolm Marx was at the centre of the Lions’ powerful scrum and rolling maul to score two tries. Flanker Kwagga Smith also had two tries, including the Lions’ first when he burst through two tacklers to begin the comeback midway through the first half.

Winger Aphiwe Dyantyi and his replacement, Courtnall Skosan, also scored

Lions captain Warren Whiteley said.