After a tough three-week road trip, the Crusaders are heading back to Christchurch knowing this weekend's game has some extra weight to it.
Saturday's Super Rugby match against the Brumbies will be the Crusaders' first at home since the terrorist attacks on March 15, in which 50 people were killed in two mosques.
Assistant coach Brad Mooar said the game means a lot to everyone in the city - not just the players and staff.
"It's been another really tough period for our great city," Mooar said.
"[We can] go out and put on a performance and allow people to take a couple of hours out of the stuff that's been happening and put a smile on faces and just have a time enjoying themselves watching us go about our work."
Over 10,000 tickets have already been sold for the match.
"It's uber important for us to play for our community and then to see the community give back to us as well - it just creates a really nice energy that we actually end up being in this together and we're all one team.
"It's been really clear when we've won a trophy over the last couple of years its been a trophy for the people as much as ourselves."
Saturday's game kicks off at the earlier time of 5:15pm.
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