The Hurricanes have reached the Investec Super Rugby playoffs for the first time since 2009 and tonight they will be playing to clinch a home semi-final in Wellington.
The Hurricanes require just three competition points from their remaining three round-robin matches to qualify for a home semi-final. Those matches include tonight against the Crusaders, and on the following two Saturdays against the Highlanders in Napier and the Chiefs in New Plymouth.
In contrast, the Crusaders are battling to stay afloat and will miss the playoff series for the first time since 2001 if they lose to the Hurricanes. They need to win their last three games and hope other results go their way.
So with the Hurricanes hungry and the home side desperate, this promises to be another exciting game in the highly competitive New Zealand Conference.
The Hurricanes were clinical last Saturday night in beating the Blues 29-5. In persistent rain, they shook of a dogged Blues side to score twin tries late in the first half, and another two midway through the second spell.
The Hurricanes were industrious in the forwards and composed and confident at first five-eighth and out wide, with Otere Black making a strong run-on debut, while centre Rey Lee-Lo and right wing Nehe Milner-Scudder combined to score a magical try in the corner in the second half.
The Crusaders were fast out of the blocks in Saturday's 2014 final rematch against the Waratahs. But they then conceded a 25-8 deficit which proved insurmountable in their eventual 22-32 loss. The Crusaders were out-muscled by the physical Waratahs pack and beaten to the punch in the game's key moments.
The Hurricanes, whose only loss so far this season has been to the Waratahs in April, have scored 363 points and conceded 220. The Crusaders, who have won six and lost seven, have scored 375 points and let in 285.
The Hurricanes go into this match as the competition's leading try scoring team with 45 tries, while the Crusaders are second with 44. The Crusaders lead the competition statistics with 147 clean breaks, ahead of the Hurricanes' 140, and the Hurricanes have made the most metres of any team with 6922 metres gained, ahead of the Crusaders' 6761. That said, entertainment shouldn't be lacking in Nelson.
Canes wing Julian Savea (6 tries this season) and his Crusaders counterpart Nemani Nadolo (5) will need no introductions tonight. The same applies for Ma'a Nonu, who is set to play a record breaking 123rd match for the Hurricanes, and Dan Carter who is on the cusp of 3500 first-class points.
As always between these two teams, it'll be the engine room exchanges where the match will likely be won and lost. Victor Vito was a pillar of strength for the Hurricanes in the lineouts and around the field against the Blues, while the Crusaders' Jordan Taufua has played every match for them this season.
The Hurricanes held on to beat the Crusaders 29-23 in Wellington in their previous meeting this season, which was their third straight win over the Crusaders and fifth of their previous six encounters.
Tonight marks the 26th time these two sides meet in the history of Super Rugby, including meetings in three semi-finals and one final (2006).