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Watch: Rieko Ioane's unbelievable try-saving, game-saving tackle

By Sam Smith
Rieko Ioane. (Photo by Sky Sport)

The Blues’ defeat of the Crusaders will go down in the history books as their first in Christchurch since 2004 but despite leading by 14 points shortly after halftime, the victory was almost snatched away in the dying moments of the game.

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Some well-taken opportunities in the second half – including a controversial try to winger Sevu Reece – allowed the Crusaders to well and truly work themselves back into the match and brought themselves within four points of their Auckland opposition.

With just over two minutes remaining on the clock and all the momentum in their favour, the Crusaders were hot on attack just metres out from the Blues line. After 10 phases of hit-ups from the forwards, Crusaders playmaker Richie Mo’unga pulled the trigger and swung the ball wide to unmarked replacement lock Dominic Gardiner 15 metres out from the line.

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Gardiner, in just his third appearance for the Crusaders, was clattering towards the corner flag, en route to score the match-winning try – but Blues centre Rieko Ioane had other ideas.

Ioane, who was almost in line with the goal posts when Gardiner caught the ball, sprinted towards the sideline and was able to wrap his arms around the big second-rower as he surged for the tryline. Blues captain Dalton Papalii wasn’t far behind Ioane and also threw his weight into the tackle. With their might combined, the two Blues defenders were able to wrestle Gardiner into touch, despite a try looking all but certain when the Crusader caught the ball.

It was, by all accounts, an epic defensive effort from both Ioane and Papalii and while the Crusaders had one more possession before the final whistle, they weren’t able to get themselves over the line.

Ioane, who only made the permanent move into the midfield from the wing last season, has at times been criticised for his positioning on defence. The 25-year-old has more often than not made up for that with his blistering pace, however, and while he had no business preventing Gardiner from scoring on Friday night, he somehow still managed to prevent the Crusaders stealing the game at the death.

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Unsurprisingly, social media was awash with fans praising Ioane – and Papalii – for the incredible try-saver.

https://twitter.com/Murray_Kinsella/status/1514889223228248068

Ioane was used by the All Blacks at centre and on the left wing last year but with Anton Lienert-Brown out with a long-term injury, head coach Ian Foster may have no choice but to hand Ioane the No 13 jersey that he covets so dearly – but given Ioane’s performances in that role for the Blues this year, that may have been the best option for Foster regardless.

Next weekend, the Blues will take on the Fijian Drua in Melbourne in what will be Super Rugby Pacific’s first-ever Super Round.

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J
Jon 8 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

This is the problem with conservative mindsets and phycology, and homogenous sports, everybody wants to be the same, use the i-win template. Athlete wise everyone has to have muscles and work at the gym to make themselves more likely to hold on that one tackle. Do those players even wonder if they are now more likely to be tackled by that player as a result of there “work”? Really though, too many questions, Jake. Is it better Jake? Yes, because you still have that rugby of ole that you talk about. Is it at the highest International level anymore? No, but you go to your club or checkout your representative side and still engage with that ‘beautiful game’. Could you also have a bit of that at the top if coaches encouraged there team to play and incentivized players like Damian McKenzie and Ange Capuozzo? Of course we could. Sadly Rugby doesn’t, or didn’t, really know what direction to go when professionalism came. Things like the state of northern pitches didn’t help. Over the last two or three decades I feel like I’ve been fortunate to have all that Jake wants. There was International quality Super Rugby to adore, then the next level below I could watch club mates, pulling 9 to 5s, take on the countries best in representative rugby. Rugby played with flair and not too much riding on the consequences. It was beautiful. That largely still exists today, but with the world of rugby not quite getting things right, the picture is now being painted in NZ that that level of rugby is not required in the “pathway” to Super Rugby or All Black rugby. You might wonder if NZR is right and the pathway shouldn’t include the ‘amateur’, but let me tell you, even though the NPC might be made up of people still having to pull 9-5s, we know these people still have dreams to get out of that, and aren’t likely to give them. They will be lost. That will put a real strain on the concept of whether “visceral thrill, derring-do and joyful abandon” type rugby will remain under the professional level here in NZ. I think at some point that can be eroded as well. If only wanting the best athlete’s at the top level wasn’t enough to lose that, shutting off the next group, or level, or rugby players from easy access to express and showcase themselves certainly will. That all comes back around to the same question of professionalism in rugby and whether it got things right, and rugby is better now. Maybe the answer is turning into a “no”?

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j
john 11 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

But here in Australia we were told Penney was another gun kiwi coach, for the Tahs…….and yet again it turned out the kiwi coach was completely useless. Another con job on Australian rugby. As was Robbie Deans, as was Dave Rennie. Both coaches dumped from NZ and promoted to Australia as our saviour. And the Tahs lap them up knowing they are second rate and knowing that under pressure when their short comings are exposed in Australia as well, that they will fall in below the largest most powerful province and choose second rate Tah players to save their jobs. As they do and exactly as Joe Schmidt will do. Gauranteed. Schmidt was dumped by NZ too. That’s why he went overseas. That why kiwi coaches take jobs in Australia, to try and prove they are not as bad as NZ thought they were. Then when they get found out they try and ingratiate themselves to NZ again by dragging Australian teams down with ridiculous selections and game plans. NZ rugby’s biggest problem is that it can’t yet transition from MCaw Cheatism. They just don’t know how to try and win on your merits. It is still always a contest to see how much cheating you can get away with. Without a cheating genius like McCaw, they are struggling. This I think is why my wise old mate in NZ thinks Robertson will struggle. The Crusaders are the nursery of McCaw Cheatism. Sean Fitzpatrick was probably the father of it. Robertson doesn’t know anything else but other countries have worked it out.

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