Kyle Preston: Crusaders halfback on scoring three tries in his debut against the Crusaders

The Crusaders got off to a winning start. 

The began the 2025 Super Rugby season with a 33-25 win over the Hurricanes, spurred on by reserve halfback Kyle Preston. 

Preston was brought on early in the game, replacing the injured Noah Hotham, and proceeding to score three tries. 

Preston told Elliott Smith he wasn’t expecting the hat trick.  

“I was hoping for one at least on debut, and to get three was, yeah, pretty special.” 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from News Talks edb Well.

Speaker 2 (00:13):
Quite incredible. Last night, the Crusaders opened their Super Rugby
campaign with a win over the Hurricanes. It was a
back and forth game between the two sides, the Hurricanes
getting out to a fourteen they will lead, the Crusaders
getting back to fourteen all, and then the Hurricanes get
out to twenty two to fourteen. The momentum swings their way,
then back to the Crusaders in the second half. I

(00:34):
think the Hurricanes only got three points in the second spell.
But in all of that, the story of the game,
apart from the Crusaders winning, has to be replacement half
back Kyle Preston scoring not once, not twice, but thrice.

Speaker 3 (00:49):
Crusaders go short side right, little webside play Shelford Jordan
edits Kyle Preston under the posts. The Crusaders head back
numbers hitt of the left, Harvely little chip or chase
over for Jordan sits up beautifully. He gets up, passed
away to several race He's talking at owt of the
walks of twenty two.

Speaker 2 (01:10):
He checks her backet down.

Speaker 3 (01:15):
Christin Crusades plays down with Preston.

Speaker 2 (01:19):
He lets her guys, Kyle Christon.

Speaker 3 (01:23):
Hats for God, Tapo Toper checks for the Capitol.

Speaker 2 (01:28):
Unbelievable stuff, and Kyle Preston has been nice enough to
join us this afternoon on Week in Sport the hat
trick hero from last night. Kyle, thanks so much for
your time with us here on news Talks. Heb not
a problem to be here. Well, last night couldn't have
gone much better, could it? For both yourself and the Crusaders.

Speaker 4 (01:47):
No, definitely not currently asked for anything more to be
feared than expect anything like that, but super greatful. Kind
of feels like a bit of a dream.

Speaker 2 (01:58):
But Kyle, what were you thinking is? I guess came
on to the Parker you probably weren't expecting what seventy
eight minutes of game time.

Speaker 4 (02:06):
Yeah, I definitely didn't expect cevy odd minutes on the field,
But yeah I kind of saw no go down and
yeah I had to step up pretty quickly because yeah,
there's no other way.

Speaker 2 (02:21):
Fourteen nail down. I guess that wasn't the best to
start for the Crusaders, but you managed to work the
way work your way back into the contest. How did
you as a side respond to that early couple of
tries you conceded?

Speaker 4 (02:34):
Yeah, I think obviously getting two drives down early and
then a younger card was pretty tough, but the boys
responded pretty well, keep grinding when you it would be
a battle and it would take take all of us
to do it. So the boys put them a big
shift and.

Speaker 2 (02:50):
Yeah, I guess a confidence boost for it for the
team as a whole, Kyle, to come from fourteen nil
down at home get that victory to start the season.

Speaker 4 (02:59):
Yeah, for sure. We spoke about this year Apollo Project
being our home and pretecting it with all we got
and it's going to take all of us to do it.
And yeah, super super stoked we were able to start
the season off with a good win.

Speaker 2 (03:13):
So yeah, I mean, Kyle, what were you thinking? One try,
then two, then three on debut? That's a remarkable stat
line for anyone to have in a single game, to
get a hat trick, but you're on debut and super rugby,
what were you thinking?

Speaker 4 (03:27):
Yeah, obviously didn't expect that. I was. I was hoping
for one at least on debut, and to get through
was pretty special and definitely didn't think that was going
to happen, but pretty stoked.

Speaker 2 (03:38):
What are the skills that you pride yourself on as
a half back cap.

Speaker 4 (03:44):
Probably the basics of just catch pass, obviously passing through
the main one and kicking game, but also I like
to think that I've got a good running support line
game and I'm always there to finish off finish off
tries with the boys doing all the hard work and
me just running over the life.

Speaker 2 (04:01):
What was it like playing a lot of your old
you know, Wellington teammates last It was a perfect scrip,
wasn't it.

Speaker 4 (04:09):
Yeah, it was. It was I think, I think on
the cake to be able to have a debut, but
do it against those guys. It was pretty special. And
yeah there was a bit of a niggle and holding back
in the rucks and a bit of trash talk throughout
the game, but it's all what it's about, so it
was cool.

Speaker 2 (04:26):
What were you seeing out there at halfback? I guess
in terms of the way the game was panning out,
it felt like the Hurricanes had you at the edges
in the first half, but maybe you tightened that up
in the second. What were you seeing from your vantage point?

Speaker 4 (04:38):
I think, yeah, they did a really good job at
getting around the corner and beating up on the edges,
like you said, and I think we spoke about it
at halftime that that was a work one for us
through the second half and the boys did really well
to adjust to that. And yeah, it done well.

Speaker 2 (04:54):
I guess last year you weren't there. But has that
been spoken about? I guess the tough times this team
went through in twenty twenty four, is you embark on
a new season?

Speaker 4 (05:04):
Yeah, for sure. There's been a bit of a chat
obviously how last year was and not letting it be
in a downfall but a growth point for the group.
And I think, yeah, starting this is enough for a
good win and good Moreau in the group was positive.

Speaker 2 (05:22):
Can let's be somewhere I guess where you add something
because you weren't there, you don't have that baggage of
last year. You can just come in and sort of
add what you want to this group.

Speaker 4 (05:31):
Yeah. I think, well, for me, it's just coming into
the environment being like really welcomed in by the group
and the coaches and management, and then just just moving
myself and hitting what I can And I'm hoping that
it's been a help.

Speaker 2 (05:46):
I know, the Hurricanes we're trying to get you on
board as well. What tipped you to go to the
Crusaders in the first place.

Speaker 4 (05:54):
Yeah, there's pros and cons for everything, for both choices really,
and I think for me it was I've been a
Willington my whole life and to get out of the
region and have kind of a fresh start, just a
bit of growth aspect, not just for on the field,
but personally I thought there was going to be a
big part of it. So yeah, I think making the

(06:16):
move down here was it was good for me just
off the field as well.

Speaker 2 (06:21):
Yeah, and obviously you've been a rufer by trades in
recent times. How most how recent were you doing routhing
and have you had to obviously park that for it
for a week while with a super rugby come a
track contract coming your way.

Speaker 4 (06:35):
Yeah. So I actually luckily just finished my roofing apprenticeship
at the end of the start of last year before
the NPC season started, So I think maybe March was
when I fully qualified, which I was pretty stoked to
get that in and then to have a good MPC
season and kind of be full time by the end

(06:55):
of the year, so kind of worked that out pretty
perfect for me.

Speaker 2 (06:59):
Do nights like last night sort of give you that
belief that you're on, you know, the right track as
a professional rugby play, Yeah, for sure.

Speaker 4 (07:06):
I think obviously, like I said, deboos pretty special and
to be able to have a do some performance on
a game like there is, yeah, something I can take
a bit of confidence from.

Speaker 2 (07:21):
And obviously it looks like Noah might be out for
a week while so more opportunities might be coming your way.
Just have to grab both of those with both hands.

Speaker 4 (07:29):
Yeah, exactly. Just continue to do what I do and
keep working hard every day to be better and one
for myself obviously, and then two to help the team
do as this as we can and hopefully hopefully knows
back as soon as you can. And it's not too bad.

Speaker 2 (07:45):
And the Chiefs next week and Hamilton always a tricky trip.
What are you expecting out of that? Obviously their first
game coming up per tonight.

Speaker 4 (07:53):
Yeah, well we'll have a watch of the game tonight
and see how they go. But yeah, they're always a tough,
tough game. Haven't played them personally yet, but I know
the fight they give, so it will be Yeah, it'll
be a big better when we can't, we can't leave
that at all.

Speaker 2 (08:10):
Well, it was a great start last night. Kyle loved
watching you play and look forward to seeing you over
the rest of the season. Beast to Luck for the campaign.

Speaker 4 (08:16):
Thanks for joining us awesome, Thank you very much.

Speaker 2 (08:19):
Cheers gus appreciate yours. I'm Kyle Preston. One of the
stories of the round is going to take something pretty
special to knock that off. The purchase is a story
of the Round and Super Rugby.

Speaker 1 (08:28):
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