Hurricanes outmuscled by clinical Crusaders
THE Crusaders took a major step towards defending their Super Rugby title with a table-topping 24-13 win over the Hurricanes in Christchurch.
A clinical performance in the wet weather pushed the home side five points clear on top of the New Zealand Conference and the overall standings.
If they can beat the Chiefs in Hamilton next weekend they will go into the Test window locked in pole position.
Coach Scott Robertson said: “I was pleased with the self belief to just go out there and play. We had a really good mindset for the week. These battle against the Hurricanes are epic. It is a great rivalry.”
The outmuscled Hurricanes could not match the ruthless, mistake-free rugby of the understrength Crusaders, who were missing six of the ten players named in the All Blacks squad to face France.
All three of their tries were close-range efforts to extend their winning run to nine matches and snaps the Hurricanes’ ten-match winning streak.
A late solo try from Hurricanes flanker Reed Prinsep robbed the Crusaders of a bonus point which could yet prove crucial as the Hurricanes have a game in hand.
The Barrett family dominated the first half, with Crusaders lock Scott Barrett scoring the only try while siblings Jordie and Beauden slotted penalties for the Hurricanes.
Up 7-6 at the break, the Crusaders took control of possession, and tries from prop Michael Ala'alatoa and No.8 Heiden BedwellCurtis opened up a gap.
Fly-half Richie Mo’unga kept the Crusaders on the front foot with a slick kicking game, winning his tactical duel with All Blacks star Beauden Barover rett before Prinsep crossed late for the Hurricanes.
Lima Sopoaga’s penalty with two minutes remaining earned the
Highlanders a hard-fought 18-15 success at the Reds.
Sopoaga started and finished the scoring at Suncorp , slotting an early penalty to give the visitors the lead, which was cancelled out by Jono Lance midway through the half.
Tevita Li claimed the opening try, receiving the ball from the base of the scrum and sprinting over in the corner.
Brandon Paenga-Amosa went over for the Reds and with Lance’s conversion led 10-8 at the break – an advantage that was extended by Hamish Stewart’s score within five minutes of the resumption.
But Liam Squire barged with just under an hour played and the score was converted by Sopoaga, who then kept his cool in the closing moments.
Jaguares recorded their sixth straight win as they defeated Sharks 29-13 at Estadio Jose Amalfitani.
Nicolas Sanchez kicked a penalty to begin the proceedings and converted two smart tries from Ramiro Moyano Joya for 17-0.
Ruan Botha crossed to get the visitors off the mark and three Robert du Preez penalties brought the Sharks right back into it.
But after Botha was redcarded for shoulder contact with the head of a player at a ruck, Moyano Joya completed his hat-trick and Bautista Delguy crossed to complete a 29-13 victory.
The Chiefs claimed their eighth successive win over Australian opposition with a 39-27 victory over the Waratahs.
Tries from Brodie Retallick, Nathan Harris, and two apiece from Damian McKenzie and Toni Pulu proved too much for the Waratahs who scored through Cam Clark, Curtis Rona and Kurtley Beale.
At the top of the Australian Conference, the ‘Tahs remain ahead of the
Rebels who closed the gap to just one point with a 40-13 victory over the Sunwolves.
The Sunwolves had a promising start when Lomano Lemeki crossed and Hayden Parker converted to make it 7-0. But Rebels hit back immediately through Marika Koroibete and the home side dominated the remainder of the first half with back to back tries from Jack Maddocks and Amanaki Mafi.
Parker kicked two penalties to reduce the gap to 21-13 but Maddocks helped Rebels up the ante further with his second and Koroibete scored two more tries to seal a 40-13 victory.
The Brumbies pulled off a spectacular comefrom-behind victory with only 14 men to defeat the Bulls 38-28 in Pretoria and break a five-game losing streak. Despite hooker Folau Fainga’a seeing red in the 63rd minute for a headbutt on Bulls debutant Matthys Basson, full-back Tom Banks scored a superb individual try in the 72nd minute.
Winger Andrew Muirhead sealed the deal four minutes later by giving the Brumbies a match-winning ten-point advantage. Kyle Godwin, Lachlan McCaffrey and Fainga’a all crossed for tries.
For the Bulls, Pollard, Roelof Smit and Johnny Kotze nabbed five-pointers in a performance that sees them at the bottom of the South African Conference.
The Lions consolidated their position at the top of the SA Conference with a 26-23 win over the Stormers, who had Raymond Rhule sent off for taking out Ruan Combrinck in an aerial duel.
Lions scored four tries through Nic Groom, Corne Fourie (2) and Madosh Tambwe, with Dewaldt Duvenhage and Rhule crossing for the Stormers.