Crusaders beat Jaguares 19-3 in Super Rugby final

The Christchurch-based Crusaders beat Argentina's Jaguares 19-3 in the Super Rugby final Saturday to win the southern hemisphere tournament for the third year in a row and the 10th time overall.

Scott Robertson, who won three titles with the Crusaders as a player, has now won the championship in each of his three years as head coach. He celebrated in now traditional fashion by break dancing on the field at the Christchurch Stadium as his players stood around decked with winners' medals.

The 18,000-seat stadium, a "temporary" facility developed in the aftermath of the 2011 Christchurch earthquake, was filled to capacity on a bitterly-cold evening, including by many exuberant fans of the Jaguares whose coach Gonzalo Quesada guided them to their first final in his first year in charge.

Crusaders Whetukamokamo Douglas, left, attempts to charge down the kick of Jaguares Joaquin Diaz Bonilla during the Super Rugby final between the Crusaders and the Jaguares in Christchurch, New Zealand, Saturday, July 6, 2019. (AP PhotoMark Baker)

Those fans saw Crusaders flyhalf Richie Mo'unga punctuate the game with four penalties and the conversion of the only try, scored by hooker Codie Taylor.

The Crusaders had 12 All Blacks in their starting 15 and the Jaguares are almost all members of the Argentina national team, bringing a test-match intensity to the final. For the first 10 minutes, the Crusaders camped in Jaguares territory but couldn't break a willing defense.

For the next five minutes the Jaguares attacked and the first points of the game came in the 15th minute when Joacquin Diaz Bonilla goaled from a scrum penalty. By halftime it was the Crusaders who had to make almost twice as many tackles as their opponents.

Jaguares Emiliano Boffelli leaps to catch the ball during the Super Rugby final between the Crusaders and the Jaguares in Christchurch, New Zealand, Saturday, July 6, 2019. (AP PhotoMark Baker)

The Jaguares rushed up in defense and tackled around the legs, putting players on the ground and allowing them to quickly contest at the breakdown. That forced the Crusaders to try and pass out of contact and in frosty conditions they made handling errors, 6-1 in the first quarter.

The first try of the match, in the 25th minute, came from a chance turnover and superb work from the Crusaders tight forwards. Flanker Matt Todd forced a turnover after a high kick. The ball moved quickly to lock Sam Whitelock who dashed down the left touchline, passing inside to Taylor.

Jaguares winger Matias Moroni missed a scoring chance near the end of the first half, losing the ball in two tackles near the goal line. The Crusaders broke out late, won a penalty and went to halftime leading 10-3.

Crusaders Mitchell Dunshea runs at Jaguares Santiago Medrano during the Super Rugby final between the Crusaders and the Jaguares in Christchurch, New Zealand, Saturday, July 6, 2019. (AP PhotoMark Baker)

Moroni had a chance again at the start of the second half when he reclaimed his own kick on the right flank but his pass to Matias Orlando was lost. The Crusaders were forced again to make many tackles and their defense proved equal to the task.

Todd was held up over the line in the 51st minute and, when the Crusaders bulldozed the ensuing scrum, Mo'unga kicked a penalty for a 13-3 lead. As the scales tipped a little in the Crusaders' favor Mo'unga goaled for a 16-3 lead after 59 minutes.

Moroni, again, had a chance from a cross kick in the 68th minute but the bounce beat him across the dead ball line.

Crusaders Samuel Whitelock dives as he attempts to charge down the kick of Jaguares Joaquin Diaz Bonilla during the Super Rugby final between the Crusaders and the Jaguares in Christchurch, New Zealand, Saturday, July 6, 2019. (AP PhotoMark Baker)

That was the last gasp from the Jaguares, who played superbly in their first final. Mo'unga landed a long-range penalty in the 75th minute to put the result beyond doubt.

The Jaguares still rose to the occasion, despite the disadvantages of long-distance travel and the necessity of facing team on a 30-game winning streak at home.

They shook but couldn't break the composure of the Crusaders, who were playing in their 14th final.

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MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Get ready for the 2026 Australian Open with a guide that tells you everything you need to know about how to watch the first Grand Slam tennis tournament of the season on TV, who the defending champions are, what the schedule is and more:

Singles play begins next Sunday at 11 a.m. local time (7 p.m. Saturday EST) around the grounds, with the first match in Rod Laver Arena scheduled to begin at 11:30 a.m. (7:30 p.m. Saturday EST).

— In the U.S.: ESPN and Tennis Channel

— Other countries are listed here

Madison Keys of the United States and Jannick Sinner of Italy won the 2025 singles trophies. Keys beat the No. 1-ranked Aryna Sabalenka 6-3, 2-6, 7-5 for her first Grand Slam trophy. Sinner beat Alexander Zverev 6-3, 7-6 (4), 6-3 to successfully defend his title at Melbourne Park.

Sabalenka will be the top-seeded woman and Carlos Alcaraz the top-seeded man. They currently are ranked No. 1, and the tournament seedings usually follow the WTA and ATP rankings.

The Australian Open is played outdoors on hard courts at Melbourne Park, located along the Yarra River near downtown Melbourne. There are retractable roofs at Rod Laver Arena, Margaret Court Arena and John Cain Arena. Women play best-of-three-set matches with a first-to-10 tiebreaker at 6-all in the third; men play best-of-five with a tiebreaker at 6-all in the fifth. Like at the U.S. Open and French Open, there are night sessions. The tournament is staged each year around the last two weeks of January, during the school summer holidays Down Under.

The Australian Open is introducing “opening week” where the Melbourne Park precinct will be open to the public from the start of the qualifying tournament, and live music will be staged every night at Grand Slam Oval. Fans can watch open practice sesions in Rod Laver Arena to see some of the sport's biggest names preparing for the first major of the year. Organizers are also expanding the so-called 1 Point Slam in opening week, where 22 professional players and 10 amateurs get the chance to play for 1 million Australian dollars in prize money.

First round of qualifying for the men's and women's singles.

— Jan. 18-19-20: First Round (Women and Men)

— Jan. 21-22: Second Round (Women and Men)

— Jan. 23-24: Third Round (Women and Men)

— Jan. 25-26: Fourth Round (Women and Men)

— Jan. 27-28: Quarterfinals (Women and Men)

— Jan. 29: Women’s Semifinals

— Jan. 30: Men’s Semifinals

— Jan. 31: Women’s Final

— Feb. 1: Men’s Final

— Top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka describes the season schedule as “insane.”

— Coco Gauff adds some context on the “worst” fans

— Novak Djokovic is cutting ties with the Professional Tennis Players Association

— Venus Williams gets a wildcard entry for the Australian Open, at age 45

— Carlos Alcaraz ends his 7-year partnership with coach Juan Carlos Ferrero

— The ATP is adding a heat rule like the one the women have had for 30 years

— Nick Kyrgios will do doubles time, but won't play singles at the Australian Open

Australian Open prize money has increased by 16% on last year to a record total in local currency of 111.5 million Australian dollars (US$75 million). That was up from 96.5 million Australian dollars in 2025. The women’s and men’s singles champions will win 4.15 million Australian dollars ($2.8 million), a 19% increase on last year.

AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus waves to the crowd after winning the women's final match against Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine 6-4, 6-3, at the Brisbane International tennis tournament in Brisbane, Australia, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Tertius Pickard)