Read leads Kiwi charge to restore the world order
Although it might be a slight exaggeration to claim that the Crusaders’ Super Rugby triumph at Ellis Park yesterday settled frayed New Zealand nerves, their win over the Lions was certainly a timely return to what the Kiwis would consider normality.
The shock of the British and Irish Lions nearly winning that Test series had only just receded when the all-singing all dancing Hurricanes, packed with All Blacks present and future, flew to South Africa last week and somehow managed to squander a 22-3 half-time lead against the Lions – the South African version – before being routed 44-29.
This was all a tad disconcerting ahead of the Rugby Championship which kicks off later this month and a defeat for the Crusaders yesterday would have only underlined that impression... except that Keiran Read’s men didn’t miss a beat in Johannesburg and churned out an textbook win on the High Veldt.
Quicker out of the blocks, they stifled the life out of the Lions for the first 50 minutes, their brilliant defence allowing their opponents no breathing space while also proving the launching pad for many of their attacks. Their first try from former Seta Tamanivalue came directly from a turnover in their own 22 via a piledriver tackle by Read.
The Lions, after their tardy start against the Hurricanes last week, desperately wanted to get a flyer and with a raucous capacity 63,000 crowd packed in on a perfect rugby evening they also wanted to feed off the energy and build momentum.
The Crusaders, however, ruthlessly took the steam out of the game, silenced the crowd and then – and this was not in the script – saw their opponents reduced to 14 men when Kwagga Smith was sent off for his clumsy challenge on David Havili.
Players have generally responded well to the new edicts on challenging for the high ball but Smith got it all wrong and paid the price although the true cost only really became apparent in the second half when, even when reduced to 14 men, the Lions started to play much wider and better. That is when Smith with his Sevens background would have come fully into play.
So half-time was reached with the Crusader 15-3 up, the crowd mute and the Lions down to 14. Three minutes into the second half Read dived in under the posts and it was game over, a job thoroughly and professionally done. Exactly what you would expect from the Crusaders after a July which might have had some Kiwi rugby fans doubting themselves a little.
The Lions will be spitting though. Yesterday was an opportunity to write their names large and strike a big blow for South African rugby generally which has endured a few lean and worrying years recently.
What an inspirational sight it was to see Ellis Park groaning with fans again and a pre-match fly-past from the South African Air Force. It wasn’t quite as low as the famous jumbo jet at the 1995 World Cup but the subliminal message was strong. There seemed to be magic afoot, yet that was dissipated in the first 12 minutes when the Crusaders scored a point a minute.
After last week’s no show in the first half against the Hurricanes the Lions were clearly anxious to get the scorebox ticking but that was counter productive in that they squandered two priceless bits of possession with ridiculous dropped goal attempts. After that they scarcely saw the ball again for 20 minutes as the Crusaders took control.
They also seemed hesitant at half-back. Elton Jantjies has enjoyed a good season and is the man in possession of the Springbok fly-half jersey but on occasions he fails to convince and this was one of them. Equally Ross Cronjé may have been winning plenty of plaudits at nine but he’s not in the same league as Faff de Klerk in making things happen.
De Klerk is heading to Sale on a three-year contract and, in recent months, seems to have been relegated to the bench on that account. In which case Lions coach Johan Ackermann, who is now heading to Gloucester as head coach was mistaken.
Only when de Klerk came on in the 62nd minute did the Lions roar. He should have started, an ideal sparky high tempo player to take the game to the opposition from the off and ignite the crowd. An opportunity missed and a lesson learned.
“Lions will be spitting. It was a chance to write their names large”