McNicholl helps dismantle Chiefs
Upset wins during Easter weekend shook up the DHL Super Rugby Pacific points table, leaving the Hurricanes, the leaders, with a fivepoint buffer at the top.
The Crusaders beat the Gallagher Chiefs to achieve their first win in six games. That loss allowed the Blues and Brumbies to jump into a share of second place while dropping the Chiefs to fourth.
The Reds’ one-point loss to the Brumbies was their second consecutive loss, dropping them to fifth.
But the big movers were the Rebels, who moved to sixth after their win over the Waratahs in Sydney.
Livewire halfback and Hamilton Boys’ High School alumnus Noah Hotham showed no nerves against the Chiefs when intended Crusaders captain Mitch Drummond fell ill on game day.
His speed from the base of the ruck ignited the dormant Crusaders fires and set up their first try after five minutes, courtesy of a blindside break and kick ahead, which had fullback Chay Fihaki win the race to touchdown. Six minutes later, quick ball from a goal-line ruck had Hotham flick the ball to returning former Wales left-wing Johnny McNicholl to score.
Chiefs wing Emoni Narawa topped off his team’s response by scoring after a long pass from fullback Shaun
Stevenson.
Another former Hamilton Boys’ High School rep, wing Sevu Reece, cleared a ruck to move the ball across the field for McNicholl to feed No 8 Cullen Grace in the corner.
Clever running, again, by Chiefs’ first five-eighth Josh Jacomb, had him link with wing Etene Nanai-Seturo and prop George Dyer, who scored to lead 22-12 at halftime. But two key tries stymied the Chiefs’ hopes.
The first was an impressive 45m angled run by hooker George Bell, and the second was a heartbreaker intercept by McNicholl after centre Anton Lienert-Brown had scored to close the gap.
Replacement halfback Cortez Ratima capped a good move to score, but it was too late for the Chiefs.
The statistics revealed how hard the Crusaders needed to fight. They were required to make 191 tackles to 112 and missed 28.
The Chiefs won eight turnovers to four. The Chiefs also made 164 carries to 118 and 237 passes to 16 while winning 119 rucks to 69.
Bell made an impressive 82m, well ahead of any other forward, and for good measure, he threw in 21 tackles to top the individual defensive effort.
First five-eighth Riley Hohepa had played pre-season for the Chiefs before slotting in down south due to injuries.
He steered the Crusaders ship well, as did his replacement, former Chief Rivez Reihana.
■ Crusaders 37 (Tries: Chay Fihaki, Johnny McNicholl 2, Cullen Grace, George Bell. Conversions: Riley Hohepa 2, Rivez Reihana. Penalties: Hohepa, Reihana)
Chiefs 26 (Tries Emoni Narawa, George Dyer, Anton Lienert-Brown, Cortez Ratima. Conversions: Josh Jacomb, Josh Ioane 2)
HT: 22-12