Clinical Crusaders rain on Hurricanes’ parade
After this 24-13 win, the Crusaders forwards must have felt they had spent 80 minutes being clouted with lead mallets.
But you can bet the sweet nectar of success would have eased the pain from the multiple nicks and bruises sustained during this brutal Super Rugby encounter against the Hurricanes at a soggy AMI Stadium in Christchurch last night, because the spoils of victory were significant.
The injury-ravaged Crusaders remain at the head of the competition log, just reward for an impressive second-half shut-out of the Hurricanes and their ability to negate the influence of their star playmaker Beauden Barrett and power runners Ben Lam, Julian Savea and Ngani Laumape.
Crusaders second five-eighth Tim Bateman limped off in the 19th minute which forced Seta Tamanivalu to relocate and allow rookie Braydon Ennor to roam on the wing. Two minutes before halftime blindside flanker Pete Samu retired because of concussion, and Ennor suffered a nasty lower leg injury in the third quarter.
Yet the Crusaders prevailed, testament to their mental toughness. By the time No 8 Heiden BedwellCurtis scored in the 65th minute, after an easy run down the shortside of a scrum, this was all over.
You could almost hear the Crusaders cackle with delight as the southerly wind pushed rain into the stadium because it meant the Hurricanes’ vaunted backline had to enter this contest with wet gunpowder.
Given the history between the two sides, and the high stakes, you would have thought the forwards would be the ones causing the mischief early doors.
Instead it was Hurricanes centre Jordie Barrett who gave away consecutive penalties for high shots. It was daft stuff, too. He flattened David Havili with a late charge and about a minute later grabbed George Bridge around the head.
From the inevitable lineout drive the Crusaders scored, Scott Barrett banking the five points.
Another Barrett, Beauden, could have been involved in the commentary three minutes later when the Crusaders were penalised, but when the range is 50m you only turn to one bloke in the Hurricanes to have a crack. Jordie Barrett didn’t miss.
Eight minutes later Beauden Barrett kicked a penalty to make it 7-6 to the Crusaders at the break.
It would be silly to say the 16,000 fans who braved the cold got value for their bucks, because it wasn’t a night for entertainment: midfield bombs, short passes to big forwards around the rucks and mighty collisions in defence was on the menu.
There was also some mindless officiating. The Crusaders’ Mike Alaalatoa got done for a high shot that wasn’t, and the Hurricanes’ Laumape was also wrongly convicted on a similar charge. Both penalties should never have been issued by ref Angus Gardner.