Four in a row: Crusaders survive almighty scare from Highlanders to clinch Super Rugby Aotearoa title
The Crusaders have survived an almighty scare from the Highlanders to clinch the Super Rugby Aotearoa title with a 32-22 victory in Christchurch.
It took a pair of tries from George Bridge in as many minutes and a yellow card to Sio Tomkinson at the turn of the hour mark for the Crusaders to shift the momentum of the game and swing it in the hosts’ favour.
Prior to that, it had been an unexpected onslaught from the Highlanders, who surprised many to take the lead into half-time and scupper numerous Crusaders attacks throughout the opening 60 minutes.
Despite being unable to finish any higher or lower than fourth place, the unfancied Dunedin club made their intentions clear in the opening minute of the match by bashing their way through the opposition forward pack from the kick-off.
Just as the clock ticked over the minute mark, All Blacks loose forward Shanon Frizell had powered his way over the chalk with Richie Mo’unga trailing helplessly behind him.
It was an emphatic start to the match that illustrated how the Highlanders weren’t going to lie down and let the reigning Super Rugby champions run them over.
However, it was Mo’unga who struck next, finishing off a sweeping counter-attack instigated by Bryn Hall and Sevu Reece from well inside their own half.
That set the tone for the fixture, with both sides flexing their attacking prowess in the early stages, but the Highlanders showed their counter-attacking quality through the speed of Jona Nareki.
The electric left wing picked off a Crusaders pass with precision and burned the chasing Reece down the sideline in a 72 metre foot race to push the away side out to a 10-point lead.
Two penalties Mo’unga cut the lead down by six points at half-time, but the Crusaders could have taken the lead early in the second half were it not for some defensive magic by Josh McKay.
Having splintered the Highlanders’ defence, the Crusaders looked certain to score when Will Jordan set free Hall with nothing but pasture between him and the tryline.
Using his blistering pace, though, McKay chased the halfback down and swatted the ball free from his grasp as he dived for the line, somehow preventing the home side from taking the lead.
Amazing piece of defence from Highlanders' wing Josh McKay. #CRUvHIG #SuperRugbyAotearoa https://t.co/II760cnOiG
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) August 9, 2020
That might have been costly for Scott Robertson’s men when Michael Collins capitalised on some solid build-up play to crash over from short range, extending the Highlanders’ buffer by nine points.
Then came the moment of madness from Tomkinson, who had impressed all match long with his physicality on defence.
He let it spill over the top when he blindsided Oli Jager with a shoulder charge in the lead-up to a George Bridge try scored from inside his own territory.
It was a brutal hit that forced Jager to leave on a stretcher and earned Tomkinson a yellow card, which put the Highlanders in a precarious position with their lead dented to just two points with 14 men on the park.
The Crusaders didn’t need a second invitation to exploit that numerical mismatch, as Bridge soared over for his second following some good continuity shown between the likes of Mo’unga, Jordan and Luke Romano.
With all the momentum in the Crusaders’ favour, the Highlanders’ task of re-claiming the lead grew tougher and tougher, no matter how hard they tried to score.
Whether it was Frizell’s ruthless carries or Aaron Smith’s energetic presence, nothing could pierce the Crusaders’ defensive line,
It all proved too much by the last 10 minutes, which was when the final blow was handed to Aaron Mauger’s side as Braydon Ennor flew over for an easy try off the back of a lineout drive.
The result puts the Crusaders out of reach of the Blues and Hurricanes on the overall standings, but there will be no shortage of anticipation for the blockbuster season finale between the former two sides at Eden Park next week.
As for the Highlanders, they will look to cap off their season with a strong showing against the Hurricanes in Dunedin in six days’ time.
Crusaders 32 (Tries to George Bridge (2), Richie Mo’unga, Braydon Ennor; 3 conversions, 2 penalties to Mo’unga)
Highlanders 22 (Tries to Shannon Frizell, Jona Nareki, Michael Collins; 2 conversions and penalty to Josh Ioane; yellow card to Sio Tomkinson)
Comments on RugbyPass
The best outside centre in the world at one point. He will be greatly missed.
2 Go to commentsYip his great for the big moments when needed as a safa really enjoy watching him
4 Go to commentsOne that will start to come up from now on is penalties for back pushes during kick chase scrambles. Very difficult to detect. In Croke Park if you replay the Hendy NH try, you will see Furbank push Porter in the back, who collides with Larmour knocking the ball across into Hendy’s path to dot down. A more significant example was in the RWC QTR final where Arendse pushes Fickou into two other French players for the ball to spill into Arendse’s path for him to gather and run in to score SAs first try. Not cheating if you are not caught and very difficult to spot but with kicking becoming so critical I feel its an area that will referreeed/TMO-ed more.
3 Go to commentsWhat a pathetic little twit Andy Goode is, as if we care what he thinks…..😂
114 Go to commentsFoxy has been a wonderful player for the Scarlets and Wales.
2 Go to commentsNika the Georgian is the best referee in the world at the moment. Luckily we will be spared the shite SH refs and Barnes will hopefully remain retired given how shite and embarrassing he was at the RWC.
3 Go to commentsThis is the most exciting game of the summer imo, as we really won’t know in advance how both teams are going to play. - Will Robertson just reproduce his Crusaders tactics from last year, or will there be a conscious effort to borrow from the Hurricanes and Blues, and from the aspects of the ABs world cup strategy that worked well? - England under Borthwick have put in some good performances playing attacking rugby, and some good performances playing kick-oriented defensive rugby. Will Borthwick try to merge them together into a single all-court game, or will he continue switching between different approaches depending on the strengths and weaknesses of the opposition?
1 Go to commentsI’m predicting an aggregate points difference of no more than +/-10pts across both matches this series.
1 Go to commentsI’m predicting an aggregate points difference of no more than +/-10pts across both matches this series.
9 Go to commentsFinals are always tense affairs for the players so I do not expect this to be a spectacle of running rugby unfortunately.
3 Go to commentsBulls***': Ex-England international calls out Eben Etzebeth… Not to his face but from very far away… after he’d left. Checked to make sure he wasn’t in the building.
114 Go to commentsHopefully this will mean a new Auckland league team to support in the west. Big Warriors fan but it’s very, very stale on that front and I’d like the option of another team if it was to watch league again. League needs to step up BIG time if its to get anywhere, another AK team and something from the capitol or south is a must for the game.
3 Go to commentsGood, deep interview, nice job Frankie!
1 Go to commentsNRL players don’t have anywhere near the number of Tests. Some people would be happy having Rest Homes full if 40 yo ex-players walking, or hobbling more like it, into walls. It’s just a game!
4 Go to commentsNOW Razor is worried about ABs getting injured or overplayed! Didn’t bother him last year. He happily played his AB Crusaders.
4 Go to commentsWhat is the World Rugby U20 players born year.
2 Go to commentsMuch like the Chiefs finally gave up waiting for Atu Moli to ever not be injured, you have to wonder if the Chiefs and Crusaders will let Josh Lord and Ethan Blackadder go next season. They’re being well paid to sit in the injury ward every year. Better off putting those funds towards someone who might actually play.
7 Go to commentsShowed better basic skills than some nz Super sides, who probably would have botched some of those backline moves. This tournament really is too short though. Needs more teams, or have them play two rounds to properly prepare them for the near full-time NH U20 sides.
4 Go to commentsGood grief it’s only six months. Probably just upset it’s not an established kiwi entering their prime they can “project” into green to join the rest.
3 Go to commentsGood player but far from being best in the world. That's an exaggeration. Perhaps Best in world by Northern Hemisphere standards and biasis but certainly not Southern Hemi standards
4 Go to comments