Crusaders pull off record comeback to down Waratahs, Sunwolves claim first win
The Crusaders produced the biggest comeback in Super Rugby history to beat the Waratahs 31-29 and Hayden Parker starred as the Sunwolves claimed their first win of the season with a drubbing of the Reds on Saturday.
Defending champions the Crusaders looked set to be denied a seventh consecutive win when Daryl Gibson’s men opened up a 29-0 lead with just less than half an hour played at AMI Stadium.
Tries from Cam Clark, Taqele Naiyaravoro, Israel Folau and Curtis Rona, along with nine points from the boot of Bernard Foley, had left the holders shell-shocked.
But there was still plenty of time for Scott Robertson’s side to pull off a fightback and they turned the tide in style to claim a historic victory.
Joe Moody, Codie Taylor and Seta Tamanivalu went over to reduce the Waratahs’ lead to 29-19 at the break and the Crusaders completed a stunning turnaround in the second half.
Braydon Ennor went over in the left corner with the Waratahs under immense pressure and referee Ben O’Keeffe awarded a penalty try with 12 minutes to play following a string of scrum infringements from the visitors.
Foley then missed a penalty from 40 metres out with five minutes to play and the Crusaders held on to replace the Hurricanes at the top of the overall standings.
What a finish! That was a very close match and a tough contest from the @NSWWaratahs. We are back at home in two weeks for Friday night footy v @Hurricanesrugby – see you all then. Your support tonight was awesome! #CRUvWAR #wewill #crusadeon ?? pic.twitter.com/nZ33gQI99Y
— Crusaders (@crusadersrugby) May 12, 2018
Parker claimed a Sunwolves-record 36 points and Hosea Saumaki scored a second-half hat-trick in a 63-28 demolition of the Reds.
The Sunwolves scored six tries in their biggest-ever victory, Parker among the try-scorers and also slotting over seven penalties and five conversions to give the Japanese side a first win of the campaign.
Lima Sopoaga scored 19 points as the Highlanders responded their defeat of the Sharks by claiming an 11th straight home win, defeating the Lions 39-27 at Forsyth Barr Stadium.
The Rebels produced a rousing fightback to beat the Brumbies 27-24, Reece Hodge settling it with a last-gasp penalty and Tom English scoring a first-half double as the Melbourne side rallied from 24-10 down going into the final quarter.
Comments on RugbyPass
Men should show strength and be mean, but they should be able to show emotion to those close yo them in certain times, birth of your child, death of family, proud moment. This article is stupid
4 Go to commentsWhat a weak article…absolute drivel and clickbait, well done. Will stick to rugby365 thanks
4 Go to commentsHonest, discipline, humility… Priceless.
2 Go to commentsSo many excuses. No mention of the SA number 2 being taken out illegally in the 2nd minute. That act of foul play had a massive impact on the SA game. Face it, NZ play pretty dirty very regularly, and it’s only since 2016 they’ve been held to higher officiating standards via stricter officiating and TMO reviews. They deserved to have a man down. Sorry. Fix the yellow and red cards and NZ will win more RWCs. Plus, there WAS a knock on invalidating the one try, so it was NOT a try. Period. Here’s a Kleenex…
209 Go to commentsOverheard conversation between NZ and SA rugby fans everywhere: We’re the greatest! No! we’re the greatest! We’re the greatest! No we’re the greatest! Ireland are arrogant! True but they beat you! We’re the greatest! No! we’re the greatest! Etc. etc, etc.
20 Go to commentsTypical crap Aussie weather
11 Go to comments“If they’d have beaten England, I still feel we would have been talking ‘is this the best team ever,’ ‘is this the best team that’s ever played in the Six Nations'” he said. “I still think they’re not quite that good. I actually don’t think they’re that good.” So Trimble is saying he doesn’t think this is the best 6N team of all time. He is silent on if it is the best Irish team of all time. Can’t disagree with him. Just another misrepresentative clickbait headline from the guys at RP.
20 Go to commentsWow, do we really still have to listen to all the excuses and “unfairness” of it all. Even blaming the bounce of an egg shaped ball for the loss. But the article is about context, so what about the Springboks having to play the other 5 teams in the top 6 and still beating a comparatively rested AB team on a very empty tank.
209 Go to comments“Teams would generally have three coaches below their head honcho; attack coach, defence coach, forwards coach” do they? I’m not sure what the NZ set up is tbh, but the other 4 sides top 5 sides all have very different structures to the one outlined in the article! As well as attack, defence, and forwards coaches, SA, Ireland, and France also have specialist scrum coaches. England have a specialist scrum coach too, but arguably don’t have a forwards coach, with that role taken on by Borthwick. SA also have a backs coach in addition to defence and attack, and Ireland and England have fitness coaches, with England also having two skills coaches.
2 Go to commentsWorst article I've read in a while. Trying to disguise a backhand slap as a compliment. The whole article is a bit weird and negative. I think South African men are emotional in general… think Clad le Clos’s father 2012 London Olympics.
4 Go to commentsIreland are going to win the world cup.
20 Go to commentsIt was the strangest result ever. Etzebeth should've been yellow card for his cynical retiring move and a penalty try. Birth second half tries by the Allblacks were fantastic and the TMO operating outside the law to rule out the first try was egregious. Yes, the boks got the win but it was through some bizarre officiating that allowed them to sneak home against 14 men that dominated them. The quieter Bok supporters know and acknowledge the Allblacks were the better and dominant side. Justifying the win because they beat a pre world cup Allblacks selection is silly.
209 Go to commentsA very English thing to do hey Courtney, blerrie kant
4 Go to commentsIt sounds like Andrew is trying to convince himself or has just lost all perspective. The team did look jaded for the last couple of games of the six nations but a few things were wrong there. Italy tackled their hearts out and made Ireland work hard for every try. Outsmarted by Scotland? Huh? Ireland got held up over the line about 4 times. Scotland did nothing on attack the whole game other than one breakaway near the end. A recharge and reset is needed which they hopefully will have had before the SA your.
20 Go to commentsIncluding SA and Argie teams was great for the quality of rugby, but middle of the night games and player travel/ jet lag make that unworkable. I think that SA in Europe and Argie building an American league with USA, Canada etc would be better long term. If Oz can't sustain Rebels then next cab off the rank should be a Japanese team. Keep regional comps to time zones, both club and test rugby. Then existing test windows for test tours plus RWC.
6 Go to commentsMisogynists have feelings too!
4 Go to commentsCrowd sizes of the URC v the Premiership must be a big factor.
1 Go to commentsWell you’ve made a proper tit of yourself, haven’t you! 😂
173 Go to commentsBen it's beyond their comprehension-
209 Go to commentsThanks Sam. Interesting read. Harder or easier for Parling to come into a completely new setup where performance was abysmal last time out? I’d suggest easier to be better but, as you suggest, will be a lot to do with how much latitude he’s granted. Hopefully all he needs. With hybrids like Holloway, Hannigan, Swinton and Leota as options at 6 we have the basics for a strong lineout. BPA returning means we have good options at 2 also with Faessler, Porecki and Uelese, although Jordan is a scrumming beast rather than a dart thrower. I’m typically a pessimist or realist but that’s never applied to the Wallabies
2 Go to comments