Crusaders hold on against Brumbies
SAM Whitelock’s men turned over a new page in Crusaders history with a 17-13 win over the Brumbies, but at times it was so ugly you didn’t know where to look in Christchurch last night.
The anxiety levels among the 13,000 spectators at AMI Stadium, and in the Crusaders’ coaching box were immense as and the home side, having led 12-3 at halftime, lost their way in the second half as their under-cooked All Blacks’ legs began to tire, the inevitable substitutions resulted in combinations being chopped and the Brumbies, led by the indefatigable loose forward Scott Fardy, launched raid after raid.
New coach Scott Robertson and fresh skipper Whitelock may have shared a quiet post-match thirst quencher in the knowledge they were fortunate to escape with a victory, and also be quick to remind their boys they can expect a hell of a fight when they meet the Highlanders in Dunedin next weekend.
Given they hadn’t won a firstround game in Christchurch since 2010, the relief would be immense; the Crusaders errorcount skyrocketed in the final 40 minutes, Richie Mo’unga missed a sitter of a penalty that would have given his side a seven-point buffer inside the final 10 minutes and tactical kicking seemed a skill too difficult to master.
Given the massacre we witnessed in the earlier game played in Tokyo, where an understrength Hurricanes side ragdolled the Sunwolves with ridiculous ease, you could say Sanzaar needed a decent Super Rugby game to return a shred of credibility to their competition.
At least this one was close. This effort in the Garden City was miles away from the Canes’ jaunt in Japan, and the Brumbies really played their part with their suffocating defence despite being swamped in terms of possession and territory in the first spell.
The Crusaders, watched by former coach Robbie Deans stationed in the stand, experi- enced a bumpy start even before the game began with All Blacks openside flanker Matt Todd scratched because of a nasty infection in his leg and replaced by Pete Samu.
There were heaps of turbulent moments during the game, too; although the Crusaders scored the only two tries in the first half, to Seta Tamanivalu – who exited the park early in the second half with a tight hamstring muscle – and Douglas, they were guilty sleepwalking out of the sheds and the Brumbies lashed them with a well-constructed try to lock Rory Arnold.
Suddenly the Crusaders, who seemed so calm when ahead 12-3, looked to be in a state with a slender two-point lead. The Brumbies launched from their set-pieces, attacked the left-hand side of the park and appeared to be benefiting from the analysis of coach Stephen Larkham until a pushover try resulted in a try to Samu.
Earlier the Brumbies would have felt aggrieved at losing midfielder James Dargaville with a yellow card, referee Glen Jackson stating he shouldn’t have taken Crusaders fullback Israel Dagg – who was in tremendous form in the first spell – out in the air.
‘‘You have to look after the guy in the air,’’ was the message given to Dargaville by the whistler, but, really, what was he to do? His eyes were locked on to the ball as he launched skywards and there was no suggestion of foul play. It cost the Brumbies, too, with Douglas scoring a try against the 14-man side.