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Stephen Perofeta on the key to the Blues win over the Crusaders
The Blues 26-6 win over the Crusaders was a resounding defensive effort, holding the defending champions try-less for the first time since 2015.
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Winger Caleb Clarke can be thanked in part for that after a miraculous cover tackle on centre Levi Aumua in the second half, dislodging the ball as Aumua dived over to score.
First five-eighth Stephen Perofeta said the key for the Blues beating the Crusaders was “keeping it simple” as they relied on physicality to bulldoze the Crusaders anytime they reached the 22.
“In fairness it is a great outcome, but we just wanted to make it real simple this week,” Perofeta told Sky Sport NZ.
“The Crusaders have dominated that physical battle, the set-piece battle, every year they have been successful.
“They are still that team, it’s still early in the season, but for our boys we are proud that we put on a performance that we talked about the whole week.”
The first half played out with the home side taking a 9-6 half-time lead before a 20 minute period of Blues power rugby overwhelmed the Crusaders to start the second half.
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Prop Ofa Tu’ungafasi scored the first try after a relentless barrage of forward carries, which was followed up by a quick strike to centre AJ Lam to extend the lead to 23-6.
The Blues camped inside the Crusaders’ 22 soon after and continued to pile on the pressure through the big men.
Defence 
83
Tackles Made
202
8
Tackles Missed
44
91%
Tackle Completion %
82%
Perofeta said that there weren’t any special half-time talks to attribute to one of their best periods of rugby this season.
“Nothing new [was said], we just talked about keeping it simple around the way we exit and the way we kicked,” he said.
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“And just our basics, we made a few errors in the first half around handling errors, and we still made them in the second half.
“We just tried to make it simple around trusting our defence, taking care of the pill.”
On whether keeping the Crusaders try-less indicated that something different was brewing this season, Perofeta said so.
“Yes, we are fighting for every moment, Caleb’s a player who will just keep doing that, right to the 80th [minute],” he said of Clarke’s effort.
“It’s round five, we are building nicely against a quality Crusaders time, to keep them tryless is great from our defence.”
Comments on RugbyPass
“Cortez Ratima is light years ahead of anyone on current form, while TJ Perenara has also skyrocketed into contention following the unfortunate injury to the talented Cam Roigard.” At last some sanity. Hitherto so many pundits have been wittering on about Finlay Christie to the point one wondered if they were observing a FC in a parallel universe where the FC they saw wasnt just the mediocre Shayne Philpott project of Fosters hapless AB reign in the real world. Ratima, Perenara and Fakatava are the ONLY logical 9s for Razor now Roigard is crocked.
2 Go to commentsThis game was just as painful as the Hurricanes game. It was real fork-in-the-eye stuff.
2 Go to commentsNow if they could just fire the Crusaders ground PA guy who likes to play his dance music and just loves the sound of his own voice the entire game, even when play is going on. And I thought their brass band thing of a few years ago was bad.
5 Go to commentsUnfortunately when you lose by far the two form players this season in Roigard and Aumua, you're left replacing two game changing Tanks with a couple of pea-shooters. Which is also about the speed of TJs pass.
2 Go to commentsBit rich coming from the guy with zero loyalty to anyone or any team, including happily taking a players place in a league world cup squad because well, SBW wanted to play in it and thus an already named player got told he was no longer going. And airing stuff like this, which may or may not be true, doesn't exactly say you're a stand up guy either SBW. Just looking to keep his name in lights as usual.
37 Go to commentsTamati Tua. …the Taniwha NPC midfielder. Ollie Sapsford, Hawkes Bay NPC midfielder…doing well
2 Go to commentsFiji deserve to be in the rugby championship, fans love seeing the Fijian national team play, the Fijian Drua is a wonderful idea but the players can still be stolen to play for NZ and AUS…
1 Go to commentsThe first concern for this afternoon are wheather forecast…
1 Go to commentsWhy cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
5 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
33 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
4 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
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