The scorer of arguably the most significant try in Crusaders history, James Kerr began an important Gisborne Boys’ High School association with the franchise which has since been continued by Rico Gear and Craig Clarke. Kerr arrived at the Crusaders having played previously for his hometown Poverty Bay union, and then for Auckland. He thus had the satisfaction of returning victorious to one of his former homes when he pounced first on the bobbling ball, behind the Blues goal-line, just moments before the end of the 1998 Super 12 final at Eden Park. The Kerr try sealed a 20-13 Crusaders win, snapping a winning run at home for the Blues that had run one game short of three full seasons. Theirs was a home winning sequence that has also since been bettered by the Crusaders. Kerr played for three seasons with the Crusaders.