Hurricanes' 34 points end Crusaders' 36-match unbeaten streak at home
They were the last Super Rugby side to defeat the Crusaders in Christchurch four long years ago. Tonight the Hurricanes repeated the dose with a supremely patient and disciplined display to stun the defending champions 34-32 and end their stretch of 36 unbeaten games at home.
TJ Perenara and Ardie Savea were involved in that 2016 victory and they will again savour the night the Hurricanes proved the Crusaders are, indeed, beatable.
The Hurricanes did so with a commitment to the collisions and an undaunted attitude.
Perhaps the Crusaders are starting to feel the pinch of an injury toll that now includes Braydon Ennor, David Havili, Scott Barrett, Cullen Grace and Ethan Blackadder.
Still, a side that has claimed the last three Super Rugby titles does not reach for excuses. They were beaten by a better side on their home patch to throw Super Rugby Aotearoa wide open.
Nothing should detract from the manner in which the Hurricanes stormed Christchurch.
With Beauden Barrett shifting north this season, the Hurricanes have largely flown under the radar. They were supposed to be fighting for best of the rest after losing their first two games of the New Zealand derby season. Since then, though, the unheralded Wellington outfit has found a groove – winning four straight to revive a once flatlining campaign.
This victory will be sweeter than any other this season.
As he does every week, All Blacks playmaker Richie Mo’unga did his best to spark a Crusaders comeback in the second half. The Hurricanes led 21-17 at halftime, and 31-20 midway through the second half, but when Mo’unga has the ball in his hands, anything is possible.
Two pieces of Mo’unga magic almost turned the result. First he produced a solo chip and chase after plucking ball from the air to help set up Quinten Strange’s 69th-minute try that reduced the margin to four points. Mo’unga then made a break and put Sevu Reece in at the corner to give himself a chance to tie the match with a sideline conversion.
That strike proved a step too far, though, and the Hurricanes held on for the final two minutes for a memorable upset.
Jordie Barrett kicked 17 points and dynamic hooker Asafo Aumua produced another impressive performance starting in Dane Coles’ absence.
This was a hugely attritional match that featured seven tries and claimed the in-form Ngani Laumape, who injured his forearm attempting to tackle Joe Moody in the 48th minute and then left the field in a dejected mood after attempting to play on.
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Peter Umaga-Jensen, one of the standout figures from centre for the Hurricanes, also departed after scoring in the 62th minute and taking a head knock in the process.
The Hurricanes arrived with intent to get in the face and rattle the Crusaders. On defence the visitors brought relentless linespeed aggression and while they didn’t always get this right, the Crusaders knew they were in a battle from the outset.
Barrett won the fullback duel with his spiral bombs giving opposing fullback Will Jordan a challenging evening.
On attack, the Hurricanes used the width well with forwards and backs linking to create space on the edges where Wes Goosen twice finished sweeping movements. Inside Goosen, Umaga-Jensen picked up where he left off last week by showcasing his strength in contact with brilliantly timed angled bursts from centre.
The Crusaders’ main area of dominance came from their scrum where they took advantage after the Hurricanes lost prop Tyrel Lomax and locks Isaia Walker-Leawere and Vaea Fifita prior to kickoff. Sixteen minutes into the contest fellow Hurricanes prop Fraser Armstrong then departed with shoulder injury.
Mo’unga scored the Crusaders’ first try after a nice tip on pass from Jack Goodhue at first receiver. George Bridge claimed their second following a Reece bust, the All Blacks wing kicking ahead a wide pass and somehow getting to the ball first after the bouncing ball wrong-footed Barrett in-goal.
Other than those two passages, though, the Hurricanes dominated territory and possession and therefore deserved their half time advantage after four lead changes.
The Crusaders started the second spell with a plan to keep the ball in hand. Mo’unga challenged the line much more, attempting to ignite his team, and the Crusaders increased their offloading game.
Opting not to kick the ball away the Crusaders denied the Hurricanes possession for large periods to close within two points.
But unlike so many occasions before, this time it was the visitors who held their composure in Christchurch.
Hurricanes 34 (Wes Goosen 2, Peter Umaga-Jensen tries; Jordie Barrett 2 cons, 5 pens)
Crusaders 32 (Richie Mo’unga, George Bridge, Quinten Strange, Sevu Reece tries; Mo’unga 3 cons, 2 pens)
HT: 21-17
Comments on RugbyPass
The shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to commentsBold headline considering the Canes and Blues are 1 and 2 and the Brumbies were soundly beaten by the Chiefs and Blues. Biggest surprise is Rebels 4 Crusaders 12 - no one saw that coming. If Aus are improving that’s great 👍
1 Go to commentsAnna, You are right, we need to have patience whilst the others catch up to England and France. Also it is the PWR that has been the game changer for England. the RFU put money into that initially at the expense of the Red Roses. I was sceptical at first but it has paid off in spades.
1 Go to commentsI think Matt Proctor became a 1 test AB in the same fixture. Cameron is quality and has been great this season, can’t believe’s he only 27. Realistically how would he not be selected for ABs squad this year. Only Dmac is ahead of him as a specialist 10. With Jordan out, it will come down to where and when Beauden Barrett slots back in, and where they want to play Ruben Love. Cameron seems an absolute lock in for the wider squad though. Added benefit of TJ-Cameron-Jordie combination at 9, 10, 11 too.
1 Go to commentsFarcical, to what end would someone want to pay to keep this thing going.
1 Go to commentsHavili, our best 12 by a mile, will be in the squad, if he stays fit. JB is the most overrated AB in the last 50 years.
61 Go to commentsWe had during the week twilight footy, twilight cricket, tw golf plus there was the athletics club. Then the weekend was rugby 15s plus the net ball, really busy club scene back then but so much has changed and rugby has suffered. And it was all about changing lifestyles.
6 Go to commentsIn the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getting to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
6 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
8 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
6 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
56 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
8 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
61 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.
11 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 comments