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Heroic Blues score historic victory over Crusaders in Christchurch
The Blues have held firm to record a 27-23 win over the Crusaders in Christchurch – their first at the venue since 2004.
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The Blues had established a 24-10 lead shortly after halftime off the back of tries to Finlay Christie, Dalton Papalii and Kurt Eklund and were playing with a two-man advantage after David Havili had been sin-binned on the stroke of halftime for playing the ball on the ground following a Stephen Perofeta break, and Scott Barrett had seen red for a dangerous tackle on Alex Hodgman.
The Blues came so close to scoring once more, attacking inside the Crusaders 22, but a handling error cost them the opportunity and Havili returned to the field for the ensuing play. From that point on, the momentum started to swing back towards the Crusaders. First five Richie Mo’unga kicked a penalty then Reece scored his second try of the evening following a break from Jordan.
Heading into the final five minutes, the Blues still held a 27-23 lead but it was very much anyone’s game – and the Crusaders looked to be finishing stronger.
A controversial decision with four minutes on the clock handed the Crusaders a five-metre scrum and when the try looked inevitable – with reserve lock Dominic Gardiner clattering down the right sideline – it took an incredible covering tackle from Rieko Ioane (aided by Dalton Papalii) to send the Crusader into touch.
The Crusaders had one final set of possession to nab a victory but the Blues held strong, securing the historic win.
“I don’t really have the words. For me it was quite emotional out there in those last 10 minutes,” captain Dalton Papalii said following the victory.
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“The boys just dug deep and I couldn’t have asked any more of my lads in coming down here and doing the job.
“All week we said it was finals footy and the Crusaders had the platform for too many years. To come down here and get the win was truly special.”
In the contest between All Blacks No 10s, Beauden Barrett for the Blues had the upper hand early over Richie Mo’unga for the Crusaders and created two first-half tries.
Fullback Will Jordan scored the first try of the match for the Crusaders from a dominant scrum, combining with Reece who put him into space.
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But Barrett broke the Crusaders’ defense in the 21st minute to create a try for No 9 Finlay Christie and sparked a short-side movement which led to a try to Papalii in the 31st.
With a two-man advantage, Blues hooker Kurt Eklund scored a try from a lineout drive in the 47th to put his team ahead by 14 points.
Beauden Barrett then was part of a tactical meltdown by the Blues who resorted to a pointless and inaccurate kicking game while still with a one-man advantage in the second half.
The tactic gave the Crusaders endless counter-attacking opportunities and brought Mo’unga into his own.
Mo’unga created a 50/22 in the 54th minute and from the lineout a long pass from Argentina back-rower Pablo Matera sent Reece over for his first try.
In the 71st minute Reece scored again in a movement which appeared to feature both a forward pass and knock-on.
That cut the Blues’ lead to four points and they were under pressure for the remainder of the match but held on to go top of the championship table.
Crusaders 24:
Tries: Will Jordan,Sevu Reece (2)|
Conversions: Richie Mo’unga
Penalties: Mo’unga (2)
Blues 27:
Tries: Finlay Christie, Dalton Papalii, Kurt Eklund
Conversions: Stephen Perofeta (2), Beauden Barrett
Penalties: Perofeta, Barrett
Comments on RugbyPass
Thanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
4 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
4 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
26 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
13 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
26 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
13 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
84 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
4 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
13 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
12 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
13 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
13 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
13 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
13 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
45 Go to comments