Reece scores 20th Super try in crusade
Fijian flyer Sevu Reece opened the scoring in the first minute as the Crusaders flexed their muscle in their opening game of the Super Rugby Aotearoa yesterday.
The All Blacks wing was a regular menace and it was Reece’s 20th Super Rugby try and took him just 21 matches to get there, same as the great Christian Cullen.
Two late tries from Richie Mo’unga and replacement David Havili - three months after undergoing emergency bowel surgery saw the red machine win 39-25 to open their account in style at Sky Stadium.
For the Hurricanes this will hurt more than the 30-20 loss to the Blues a week ago. They were right in it at 25-25 with 15 minutes left, mounted some spirited challenges but crucial dropped balls cost them late at Sky Stadium.
An error from Kobus van Wyk also hurt them, when he flung a ball infield and Mo’unga pounced, breaking the deadlock with 12 minutes left. Then Havili stormed onto a short ball through a yawning gap to finish it.
With five tries to one the Crusaders were worthy winners while Jackson Garden-Bachop booted 20 points for the Canes.
The Crusaders host the winless Chiefs on Sunday while the 0-2 Hurricanes have the bye and a long road now to challenge for this title despite an improved effort.
Referee Brendon Pickerill’s whistle was, again, a big factor with 26 penalties blown and the Crusaders ending up with 14.
The Hurricanes tried to go wide at every opportunity with decoy runners and looked promising at times, but the red wall was hard to crack. The visitors, meanwhile, directed by Mo’unga were clever with switches and blindside snipes, and pierced the line with Taylor and even prop Joe Moody finding themselves in space. Brayden Ennor dived over from a pinpoint Bryn Hall kick through and it looked ominous for the hosts.
But then the penalties started, a flood of them to the Hurricanes as the tough breakdown rulings continued to make things stop-start. The hosts won the first half count 10-4 with Garden-Bachop goaling four from close range, and potting a drop goal from another penalty advantage.
But the Crusaders were scoring the tries, another gem from Jack Goodhue up the middle from a Will Jordan offload ensuring their 19-15 halftime advantage.
AT A GLANCE
Crusaders 39: (Sevu Reece, Brayden Ennor, Jack Goodhue, Richie Mo’unga, David Havili tries; Mo’unga 4 con, 2 pen) Hurricanes 25 (Asafo Aumua try; Jackson Garden-Bachop con, 5 pen, dg). HT: 19-15.