Crusaders survive Hurricanes onslaught in thrilling Super Rugby Pacific contest
The Crusaders have survived a barrage of pressure from the Hurricanes to clinch a dramatic 24-21 Super Rugby Pacific victory at Sky Stadium in Wellington.
It was a classic contest in every sense of the word, with numerous players starring in a tense and tight affair that produced an array of talking points that will be discussed throughout the coming week.
Chief among those discussions will be the controversial ending to the enthralling contest, with the Hurricanes turning down a shot at goal to take the match to extra-time, only to have their try-scoring opportunity squandered by a Scott Barrett lineout steal.
Had they taken full advantage of their promising field position at the set piece, it would have been good reward for the Hurricanes, who showed glimpses of what they are capable of throughout the encounter.
Taking an early lead through the boot of Jordie Barrett, the Hurricanes impressed with their strong defence against the Crusaders.
However, despite looking threatening in the wake of their somewhat surprising lead, the Hurricanes weren’t able to add to their lead thanks to some stunning defensive work by Tom Christie, a late call-up for the Crusaders in place of Pablo Matera.
That instigated a a well-executed attack in which Hurricanes halfback Jamie Booth, a late call-up for TJ Perenara, was unable to stop David Havili from bursting through to eventually set Will Jordan away for the first Crusaders try.
Almost immediately, though, some brilliance by Hurricanes fullback Josh Moorby to dance through a couple of Crusaders defenders and pop an offload away for Du’Plessis Kirifi to score from edged the hosts back into the lead.
Kirifi’s try, and Moorby’s impressive attacking play, came on the back of some powerful ball-running around the fringes of the breakdown by industrious Hurricanes captain Ardie Savea.
The exact same could be said of the home side’s next try – which, again, came just moments after the Crusaders retook the lead via Quinten Strange.
Some charging, destructive attack by Savea from a quick tap was enough get the Hurricanes within centimetres of the opposition tryline, and a penalty advantage enabled Jason Holland’s side to spread the ball wide.
In doing so, they got Moorby in possession of the ball, and his long levers and good footwork got him over the line in the face of a couple of Hurricanes defenders.
Both of those involvements should answer the questions raised by media and the public of Holland’s decision to start Moorby, playing in just his second-ever Super Rugby Pacific match, ahead of prodigious youngster Ruben Love at No 15.
If it weren’t for Moorby, or Savea, the Hurricanes probably wouldn’t have taken a 18-17 lead into the half-time break, a one-point buffer that came after Jordie Barrett’s penalty cancelled out the try scored by George Bridge shortly after Moorby’s five-pointer.
Another penalty by Barrett early in the second half was good reward for the damaging ball-running of Julian Savea well inside Crusaders territory.
However, poor discipline and equally good attack by Ethan Blackadder pushed the Crusaders back in front moments later, a lead of which they continued to hold despite a barrage of pressure from the Hurricanes.
A beautiful sniping run by Booth around the fringes of the ruck put the Crusaders on the back foot, but his failure to link with hooker James O’Reilly, who was lurking out on the wing, cost the Hurricanes a prime try-scoring opportunity.
Two other scoring chances also went begging, the first of which came when a Wes Goosen line break came to an abrupt end after Leicester Fainga’anuku snaffled a breakdown turnover from a tackle on Jackson Garden-Bachop.
The second came when Kirifi coughed the ball up poorly just as the Hurricanes were knocking on the door of the Crusaders’ tryline following some stunning work by Julian Savea, who kicked a superb 50/22 to peg the visitors well inside their own half.
That kick was one of two 50/22s executed by the Hurricanes, the other achieved by Barrett, but none of that yielded points on the scoreboard.
The Crusaders themselves could have extended their three-point lead when some charges upfield by Jordan and Sevu Reece looked to have put Codie Taylor in for a try, only for that score to be rubbed out by a Christie knock on.
Christie went on to cross in the left-hand corner in what would have been the decisive try six minutes from full-time, but the TMO to rule it out due to a Scott Barrett spillage at a breakdown a phase or two beforehand.
That set up a grand stand finish as both teams threw the kitchen sink at each other in a bid to close out the match, with both sets of players opting to run from deep and take on defenders at will.
A crescendo was reached when the Hurricanes had the chance to take a penalty shot at goal two minutes past the full-time siren in an act that would have sent the match into extra-time.
That’s not what they did, though, as assistant coach Cory Jane barked orders at Barrett and Ardie Savea to instead kick for the sideline on the advice of the other Hurricanes coaches.
Scott Robertson’s bravely chose to compete at the lineout while only five metres from their own tryline, and it proved to be a masterstroke decision as they disrupted and killed the Hurricanes’ ball, making it unplayable for the hosts.
Referee Brendon Pickerill subsequently brought the match to a close, with Ardie Savea and Jordie Barrett both expressing their dismay at the officials’, with the former claiming that he was dragged down at the set piece by Scott Barrett.
Questions must be asked why the option to take the match to golden point was turned down, though, as that decision effectively condemned the Hurricanes to three straight defeats heading into Tuesday’s home clash with Moana Pasifika.
The Crusaders, by contrast, move to the top of the Super Rugby Pacific table, although they could yet be overtaken by the Brumbies, who play the Fijian Drua later on Saturday.
Crusaders 24 (Tries to Will Jordan, Quinten Strange, George Bridge and Ethan Blackadder; 2 conversions to Richie Mo’unga)
Hurricanes 21 (Tries to Du’Plessis Kirifi and Josh Moorby; conversion and 3 penalties to Jordie Barrett)
Comments on RugbyPass
smith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
36 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
9 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
36 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
36 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
36 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
36 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
36 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
36 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
36 Go to comments