Crusaders storm to another Super win
THE Crusaders won a record-extending eighth Super Rugby title yesterday, beating the Lions 25-17 in another supremely efficient performance by the southern hemisphere’s most successful club team.
The Crusaders were helped significantly by a firsthalf red card to Lions flanker Kwagga Smith for a mid-air tackle on Crusaders fullback David Havili, who was flipped over by the collision and landed dangerously on his neck and shoulder area.
South African referee Jaco Pyper had no option under World Rugby’s new safety
guidelines but to issue a red.
But even before the 39thminute sending off, the Crusaders led 12-3 through early tries by wing Seta Tamanivalu and centre Jack Goodhue.
No. 8 Kieran Read scored their third three minutes into the second half and the Crusaders were smart enough, and had enough energy left in the tank, to hold out against a late surge by the Lions.
The Crusaders not only beat the playoff top seeds, on a 14-game winning streak, but also Johannesburg’s energysapping high altitude.
Although it was the Crusaders’ 12th appearance in a final, it was their first title for nearly a decade, having seen some of their New Zealand rivals win Super Rugby ahead of them in recent seasons.
“No one had us picked
from the word go,” said Crusaders captain Sam Whitelock. “It was awesome. We believed in ourselves, started (the season) really well, the energy was amazing, and it’s just been an amazing year.”
The Crusaders had a 25-3 advantage with just over 15 minutes to go at Ellis Park, but that was cut to eight points after a brave comeback attempt by the Lions with late tries from front-rowers Malcolm Marx and Corne Fourie.
But, when it really mattered in the last five minutes, the Crusaders’ vaunted defence held under pressure.
“It’s a team thing. Defence is about caring,” said Crusaders coach Scott Robertson.
“It’s one area where we’ve been exceptional this year. You win championships in defence and we did that.”
Robertson, who won four titles with the Crusaders as a player, celebrated triumph in his debut season as the team’s coach with some breakdancing in the middle of a huddle of his players on the field.