All-conquering: Crusaders clinch record 17 straight victories
Defending champs in record-breaking form, reports Rob van Royen.
Yes, that was a New Zealand derby. Not that the scoreline reflected it.
The Crusaders tonked the Hurricanes 38-22 at Christchurch Stadium last night to improve to 2-0 on the new Super Rugby season.
While coach Scott Robertson will be filthy a late try by Hurricanes halfback TJ Perenara denied them a bonus point, the reigning champions set a competition record for most consecutive wins (17), one more than the red and blacks of 2005-2006 managed.
This was not a classic, gritty and tight New Zealand derby. To be blunt, the Hurricanes’ first-half performance was the stuff nightmares are made of, and they could quite easily have trailed by more than 24-0.
Sure, they were missing key players such as Beauden Barrett, Ardie Savea and Vaea Fifita, but it’s not as if Codie Taylor, Sam Whitelock and Kieran Read fronted for their opposition.
There was simply no excuse for the plethora of handling errors that hindered them. And the Crusaders, for the most part, made them pay.
The hosts repeatedly knifed them open as they mounted 355 metres to the Hurricanes’ 52 in the first half alone.
It was no wonder, then, that the few Hurricanes fans who could be heard bellowing in the south stand before the match kicked off, were not heard from again.
Crusaders first five-eighth Richie Mo’unga had a double inside the first half, although it took him until his third conversion attempt of the match to land his first kick off the tee this season.
Mo’unga’s first try was probably the pick of the bunch, courtesy of wing Manasa Mataele’s ability to somehow stay in touch and flick a speculator to his pivot to run in.
Unfortunately for the Fijian-born flyer and his side, they might not see any more moments like it for a while, given he was helped off the field late in the second half with a leg injury.
If there was any doubt the game was over at the half, it was rammed home when lock Scott Barrett powered over for his second fivepointer three minutes after play resumed to blow the score out to 31-0.
The Hurricanes finally got on the board in the 47th minute, when last year’s leading try scorer, Ben Lam, gassed a couple of Crusaders.
However, the damage was done. The 24 missed tackles, and lineout woes, in the first half made sure of it.
Robertson had the luxury of going to his bench early and often, ensuring he ticked off some All Blacks rest, as demanded by New Zealand Rugby.
The game promptly lost its shape, before the Hurricanes grabbed consolation tries to wing Wes Goosen, Lam and Perenara.