The battle for Super Rugby power - The Crusaders just taught the Hurricanes a lesson in wet weather rugby
In a battle for Super Rugby power, the Crusaders delivered a crushing blow to the Hurricanes, claiming a 24-13 win and denting their opponents’ title hopes with it.
Injuries to several high profile Crusaders were supposed to rob the match of its competitiveness. The Hurricanes, riding a 10-game winning streak, were supposed to roll through Christchurch and take pole position on the Super Rugby ladder. Instead, the under-siege Crusaders fought for one of their most valuable wins in recent history.
“In the context of it, yeah probably, it was right up there,” head coach Scott Robertson said after the win.
“Because you would say with the changes and experience we lost it would probably be stacked against us, but I love it. I love this sort of week. You just have got to get the boys ready, clear their heads. You have one training and then you play. It is quite old school.
Going into the sheds 7-6 at halftime showed there was not much between the two sides, but there were signs the Crusaders were on top. The conditions were a great leveler and put the basics under the spotlight while taking away the athletic advantages of the Hurricanes backs.
The Hurricanes phase play looked shoddy in the wet conditions. The carry-clean game they rely on heavily to generate momentum was going backward. The slippery surface made footwork difficult and the Crusaders line speed hammered predictable forward targets.
The depth of the first receiver in the Hurricanes system contributed to the gain line woes, they didn’t flatten up and paid for it. They tried to play width from the deep second level a number of times and were shut down by the suffocating Crusaders defence. The Crusaders – who play much flatter anyway – didn’t have the same issues.
TJ Perenara and Beauden Barrett’s passing skills were found out in the wet. They put the side under pressure at times with lame-duck, off-target passing. Balls were hitting the deck or going behind the player and they kept losing enormous chunks of real estate before having to hoist the ball into the air.
Ill-discipline really cost the Hurricanes. Jordie Barrett gave the Crusaders 100 metres of territory with two back-to-back penalties – a late shot on the exit kicker and a choking tackle around the neck. His brother, Crusaders lock Scott Barrett, scored from the ensuing 5-metre lineout.
The Crusaders weren’t perfect either – contributing a number of errors and showing ill-discipline of their own in the first half. They continued to play for a damaging knockout punch, opting to kick for the corner three times in the last minute of the first stanza, turning down three points. Their failed lineout maul kept the game close.
The second half was a lesson in wet weather rugby.
Every time they made it into the opposition 22, the Crusaders went tight with forward-dominant play to break the Hurricanes down. They almost cracked them out wide through David Havili, but only after earning advantage and a guaranteed three points by drawing them offside in tight.
They repeated the formula five minutes later and Michael Alaalatoa crashed over from close range stretching the scoreline to 17-6 11 minutes into the second half.
The Hurricanes continued to try and play their pattern from the middle of the field, instead of driving the Crusaders deep into their own half with a good kicking game. Once that went nowhere, they put up bombs that were defused and returned.
When Mo’unga put the Hurricanes down into their own five, it spelled their end. Mo’unga drove a pinpoint kick long directly off a midfield scrum, which led to a poor exit by Ihaia West. Heiden Bedwell-Curtis put the nail in the coffin by scoring from the back of the scrum to take the lead to 24-6.
The Crusaders came with a better plan and far better execution in the conditions and now sit in the box seat, five points clear of the Hurricanes on the competition ladder. The Crusaders pack stood up and taught their opponents a lesson in playing to the conditions, while Bryn Hall and Richie Mo’unga completely outplayed Perenara and Barrett.
The Hurricanes still have a chance to secure home field advantage if results fall their way, but if they have to go back to Christchurch in the playoffs and play in bad conditions the Crusaders will be licking their lips.
In other news:
Comments on RugbyPass
Lets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
10 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
9 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
10 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
9 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
35 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
35 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
5 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
6 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to comments