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Chiefs make championship statement in Christchurch heavyweight bout
By Ned Lester
The Crusaders hosted the Chiefs in what was the most anticipated game of the Super Rugby Pacific season and the showpiece of round 13.
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Much of the first half was dictated by the hosts, but two late scores by the Chiefs kept them within reach heading into the halftime break. Once play resumed, it was one-way traffic as the Chiefs made a powerful statement of their championship credentials.
A knock-on from Antonio Shalfoon on the kick-off gave the Chiefs a crack at an early attack inside the Crusaders’ half.
The visitors’ attack was lively but not accurate enough to breach the Crusaders’ line, and after some rusty handling from returning All Blacks Damian McKenzie and Wallace Sititi, the Crusaders got their hands on the ball.
With their first attacking chance of the game, Chay Fihaki landed a 50/22 from a slim angle, and moments later, the winger delivered a try assist to Tom Christie, who got the first points of the game in the corner.
Will Jordan left the contest in the 18th minute, nursing a right knee injury he initially tried to play through.
The Crusaders’ lineout was inaccurate and gave the Chiefs some early opportunities, but the Chiefs handed the ball back with more handling woes in a rapidly paced game.
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The hosts were sure to get the ball into space with their kicking game early, and had more success capitalising on the territory they won. With their next crack at the Chiefs’ line, Scott Barrett came firing in and reached out to get the ball on the line.
Halftime neared, and the Chiefs were desperate not to go into the break with a goose egg to show for their efforts. With their next penalty within range, Damian McKenzie stepped up to the tee and slotted the three points.
The Crusaders responded with haste, powering into Chiefs territory and after a monster Sevu Reece carry, Shalfoon provided the finishing shove to get over the line.
Not interested in letting the hosts have the final say of the half, the Chiefs took the metres on offer with another Crusaders penalty, and McKenzie’s boot got them well within striking distance.
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After some strong phase play, the Chiefs finished the half on a high, with Emoni Narawa collecting a loose ball to score. Halftime score: 19-10 to the Crusaders.
The Chiefs started the second period with a bang, scoring two tries in the opening seven minutes.
The first saw Damian McKenzie wrap around the back of a ruck from close range, catching the Crusaders blindside naked. The second was an exhilarating counterattack after Gideon Wrampling snaffled a loose ball and immediately found the speed of Leroy Carter, who shed the defence and ran it in.
The quick strikes handed the Chiefs their first lead of the game, and just as the Crusaders were wrestling back momentum, back-to-back breakdown steals had the Chiefs back on the attack in the Crusaders’ half.
With that field position in their favour, the Chiefs opted for a crack at the posts with their next penalty. McKenzie obliged to extend the lead to six.
All Blacks forwards Samisoni Taukei’aho and Samipeni Finau injected themselves into the game off the bench and kept the tempo high. That pace of attack resulted in another Crusaders penalty, and again McKenzie was up to the task of adding the three points.
Tupou Vaa’i went down clutching his knee in the 65th minute, succumbing to the injury minutes later.
James O’Connor’s introduction into the contest helped reinvigorate the Crusaders, but the accuracy was lacking, so the team’s second-half points tally remained nil.
The Crusaders’ defence wasn’t lacking in accuracy, making 93 per cent of their 235 attempts, but the Chiefs were dominant, getting over the gain line consistently.
Desperate attack closed out the contest, and the Chiefs’ defence wasn’t going to surrender a single point. Fulltime score: 19-35.
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Didn’t particularly care who won, but then realized a final at the Crusaders ground would have everyone having to listen to their awful PA who can’t seem to shut up or play his spotify playlist every moment of the game.
Now he graces us with his ‘singing’ too. He should be going before Penney.
Havilli put in two inept little grubber kicks within a minute, the second resulting in a try. Surely Tupaea and others are better options than Jordie and Havilli?
Jordie is killing it in Europe right now and should be the starting #12 for the AB’s but I feel that Havili’s time in the AB’s squad is coming to an end. Tupaea will provide excellent backup to Jordie.
Bad execution from Havili for sure, but the space was there. Thought the Crusaders backs tried too hard to use what little attacking ball they got. I like Tupaea, but he needs to distribute better if he going to replace Jordie, not to mention I don’t think i’ve ever seen him kick a ball!
“After a monster carry by Sevu Reece” - :) he jinked and danced a bit, then got hammered. Twice in the red zone he interfered with a Chiefs pass - both should have been yellow cards. Generally shown up by Emoni Narawa and Leroy Carter.
As per usual Sevu Reece is peaking at the right time in the Super Rugby season which will no doubt see him get selected for the All Blacks and then get smoked by world class wingers like Kolbe and Bielle-Biarrey.
“he jinked and danced a bit” well, that’s what he does , he got them close to the line which is the point. As for his ‘interference’ i assume you mean when he got into the Chiefs passing lanes , whcih again is his job. The first would have been an interception but for the strength of the pass, two hands used so a clear attempt to catch. The second one which I assume you mean the one before Narawas try was the same, preventing a pass is not illegal, only intentionally knocking on is. Carter looked good, but so did fihaki, with a 50/22 then setting up the first try on carter’s wing. The Chiefs backs had far more ball than their opposites so more chances to shine.
A monumental performance from the Chiefs coming from 19-3 down to keep the Saders scoreless for the rest of the game. The Saders rely heavily on their scrum to earn penalties to get them out of tight situations but when the Chiefs matched them in that area they looked rather ordinary and bereft of ideas.
As the Chiefs began to assert dominance players like Lio-Willie, Taylor and Havili simply disappeared from view.
Sititi and Taukei’aho starred in the forwards and Tupaea had it all over Havili in the backs. I thought he had an outstanding game and must be a strong candidate to feature in the upcoming ABs squad.
I don’t remember the Crusaders winning any scrum penalties. I would have expected them to shade the Chiefs in that area but they didn't. A lot of the early scrums collapsed and BOK played on, although I thought the Chiefs weren't scrumming straight. Crusaders will be most disappointed in their lineout, especially as Lord was on the bench, they lost far too many and a lot of the ball they won was scrappy. Curious why Quinten Strange hasn't been sighted in the team for a while. Not for the first time this season the Crusaders repeatedly failed to exit cleanly when under pressure, their defence is generally good enough to force errors and win back possession, but they immediately give in back to the opposition to start again. The Crusaders didn’t have enough possession in the second half to make anything happen, and the backs panicked forcing errors which the Chiefs took advantage of. Rob Penney and Co need to figure why a forward pack of it’s quality isn’t winning enough possession.
Savage work from the chiefs pack in the second half.
Both sides seemed a bit risk averse though. No one really keen to chance their arm it felt like.
Clinical and surgical performance by the Chiefs in the home of the champion dynasty. What a brilliant game. Crusaders were great in the first half with excellent defence and strategy, and the Chiefs absolutely steamrolled the second half.
Your summary is spot on. Crusaders dominated early, likes of Scott Barrett, Antonio Shalfoon , so good. Cullen Grace also. Wallace Sititi made a big difference to the Chiefs,. Loss of Will Jordan for the Crusaders, bad. Back to his brilliant best and his leadership, been huge this season. Well done to Damien McKenzie, great game. I have to say ,well done Chiefs, deserved win.
Even as a Chiefs fan..that surprised me after last week. The forwards just muscled up big time in the second half and really dominated a whole bunch of ABs.Also I think the Saders were really unnerved losing Jordan. Howd you see it GP?