Creaky Crusaders outclass Sunwolves
The Crusaders overcame a red card to hooker Hugh Roach to dispatch the Sunwolves in Brisbane and record their fifth win of the Super Rugby season.
But whether the reigning champions get a chance to move on from their 49-14 win and launch a tilt at another title is very much up in air.
The 2020 season is under a dark Covid-19 cloud after Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s stringent new travel restrictions announced yesterday because of the coronavirus outbreak.
Sanzaar officials are reviewing the competition and a decision could be made today.
The Crusaders will be keen to get home promptly this morning so the don’t need to isolate themselves for 14 days, as is the case for those who arrive after midnight tonight.
Having outscored the Sunwolves seven tries to two, they will return to Christchurch on top of the New Zealand conference with 23 points, one more than the Blues, who have played an extra match.
The Crusaders were far from vintage in improving to 5-1, but did have to play part of the match with 13 players, after Roach was sent off in the 66th minute for elbowing Hencus van Wyk in the head. There was also a yellow card to wing Sevu Reece a couple of minutes later, when Brendon Pickerill gave him a spell, despite footage showing Reece was committed to the tackle.
Thirteen players, no problem. The Crusaders held firm and added to their tally through Braydon Ennor, who finished off an excellent try which featured some fine offloading.
But you’d be mistaken if you thought a match against the lowly Sunwolves was the potion the Crusaders needed to entirely put their error-riddled ways behind them.
They had no issue creating opportunities and spent an eternity with the ball in the right areas. However, in a recurring theme, the execution simply went missing all too often, particularly in the first half.
This was a vastly different looking Crusaders team. All Blacks Richie Mo’unga, Joe Moody, Codie Taylor, Jack Goodhue and Scott Barrett were given the week off and there was always going to be some teething problems. Despite dry conditions, they coughed the ball up three times in the first five minutes, including two from lock Luke Romano.
It would be wrong not to give the Sunwolves credit, though.
They were plucky defensively and deserved all the pats on the back they gave each other when they rebuffed an early raid by holding Crusaders No 8 Cullen Grace up in a tackle under their own sticks.
It took 19 minutes for the Crusaders to finally crack them, when flanker Tom Christie strolled in after some tidy work by George Bridge and Ennor down the short side.
But just when the red and blacks were threatening to score again, the Sunwolves came up big defensively and found themselves hot on attack after a wayward Crusaders lineout inside their own 22.
Lock Ben Hyne promptly