Mo’unga magic helps Crusaders set up final clash with the Lions
▶ Fly-half instrumental for Canterbury as South African side overcome early scare to beat Waratahs
Fly-half Richie Mo’unga was instrumental as Canterbury Crusaders side overwhelmed Wellington Hurricanes 30-12 in an all-New Zealand Super Rugby semi-final in Christchurch yesterday.
Mo’unga, who made his All Blacks test debut against France last month, scored a try, slotted 10 points with the boot and kept his side going forward with superb game management to ensure the Crusaders would host their first final in 10 years.
They will take on the Lions in the final next Saturday in Christchurch after the South African side defeated New South Wales Waratahs in the other semi-final 44-26.
It will be a repeat of the 2017 title decider, which went the way of the Crusaders when they triumphed in Johannesburg.
Outside backs George Bridge, David Havili and Braydon Ennor also scored tries for the home side, who were impressive in defence, restricting the Hurricanes to tries from wingers Julian Savea and Ben Lam.
“The boys stepped up and that’s the way it has been the whole year. Guys have stepped up when we needed them to,” Sam Whitelock, the Crusaders captain, said. “We knew it was going to take a whole 80 minute performance and we were spot on.”
The Crusaders will go into the final on the back of a 14-game winning streak, having not tasted defeat since successive losses to the Hurricanes and Otago Highlanders in March.
The defending champions have simply smothered their opponents during that run courtesy of their ability to control the ball via their All Blacks-laden pack.
On Saturday, they started with eight All Blacks forwards on the pitch as well as two more on the bench and there was no mercy for their compatriots from the north island.
While Mo’unga’s 15th-minute try was reward for their early dominance, the rest of the home side’s first-half points came from their ability to punish errors.
Winger Bridge’s try was the result of Hurricanes centre Ngani Laumape having a kick charged down and conceding a penalty, while Mo’unga added two penalties within three minutes, again from Hurricanes mistakes.
The Crusaders held an 18-7 lead at the break and fullback Havili extended that four minutes into the second half following another Hurricanes error, when Nehe Milner-Skudder sliced a kick on halfway that gave away possession and field position.
Replacement winger Ennor’s try from Mo’unga’s cross kick with just over 10 minutes left on the clock all but secured the victory.
“We were pretty disappointed to finish like that and it shows the quality of the side they put out,” said Brad Shields, the Hurricanes captain.
“You have to build phases down the right end of the field and a couple of times we let them off the hook pretty easy and they turned it around.”
The Lions, meanwhile, were given an early scare by the Waratahs in their semi-final.
The Waratahs scored two tries inside the opening eight minutes at Ellis Park to threaten an upset away win.
But the Lions hit back as Malcolm Marx and Kwagga Smith grabbed two tries each and winger Aphiwe Dyantyi scored a superb solo effort.
Courtnall Skosan scored the Lions’ other try with Ned Hanigan, Israel Folau, Tom Robertson and Jake Gordon going over for the Waratahs, who were level 19-19 at halftime but only managed to add to their points’ tally with five minutes left and the game already lost.