Crusaders Hunt down Highlanders
‘‘DO something with it!’’ yelled Wyatt Crockett to Crusaders’ drop-goal hero Mitchell Hunt.
That command from loosehead prop Crockett encouraged Hunt to swing his golden boot and send the ball flying 43 metres to split the goal posts, giving the Crusaders a dramatic 25-22 victory over the Highlanders in Christchurch yesterday.
‘‘Jeez, I don’t know where to start,’’ an almost bewildered Hunt said afterwards.
‘‘I was harping on at the boys, trying to get into them to keep going and Wyatt Crockett turns around and says ‘do something with it’.
‘‘So I probably wasn’t going to argue with Crockie. I said to Bryn (Hall) two more (rucks), and thought I had better chuck something in and kick it.’’
Finishes to Super Rugby games don’t come much better than this.
The Crusaders, trailing by three points with four minutes left, drew level when Hunt, who replaced first five-eighth Richie Mo’unga midway through the first half, kicked a penalty.
Hunt then missed another penalty attempt in the 79th minute before the big moment arrived; just as he did in the third-round match against the Reds in Brisbane in early March, when he kicked the winning penalty on the fulltime bell, he proved as steady as a scalpel-wielding brain surgeon.
‘‘Ideally you want a penalty out of that situation, rather than going to the drop kick,’’ he said. ‘‘But, again, just the calls – it was what happened in the moment.’’
It was the first time Hunt had successfully nailed a drop goal from such a long distance: ‘‘I can’t say I have. I think I have done at high school from 22m.’’
The victory over the Highlanders, who trailed 19-10 at halftime and used their robust defence and spot tacklers to keep the Crusaders tryless in the sec- PHOTOSPORT ond half in front of 21,000 fans at AMI Stadium, ensures the team from Christchurch extended their winning run to 14 straight victories.
The Crusaders now sit on 63 points and will surely finish at the top of the New Zealand conference.
Crusaders coach Scott Robertson likened Hunt’s ability to slot the pressure kicks to that of Golden State Warriors basketball player Steph Curry.
‘‘It was probably the most unlikely timing for when we planned to (take a drop kick),’’ a relieved Robertson said.
‘‘He was unbalanced, on the angle.
‘‘We had practised him being straight in front. He did everything he probably shouldn’t have and nailed it.
‘‘So that is the sign of a guy with a clear mind.’’
This loss will hurt the Highlanders, who now rest on 46 points with one regular season game to play.
Errors at crucial moments ended up killing their dream of a 10th straight win. selectors favour Julian Savea, Israel Dagg, Waisake Naholo and Ben Smith as their outside back options. Jordie Barrett may also sneak in.
Milner-Skudder’s likely presence in the Maori squad will only strengthen a group that could also feature the likes of Damian McKenzie, Elliot Dixon, Akira Ioane, James Lowe, Liam Messam and Matt Proctor, the classy Hurricanes centre who makes his return for the development team against Wanganui tomorrow.
Depending on his recovery from concussion, Chiefs midfielder Charlie Ngatai is another possibility.
The All Blacks will also release some players from their 33-man squad not involved in their hit-out against Samoa for the Maori team.
That could see the likes of Chiefs halfback Tawera KerrBarlow and potentially Rieko Ioane take the field under Cooper in Rotorua.
The Maori play the Lions on June 17, one day after the All Blacks host Samoa in Albany.