Talented trio boosts Crusaders
Richie Mo’unga, David Havili and Jack Goodhue laid on the class to propel the Crusaders to a 25-8 Super Rugby victory over the Blues in Auckland last night.
The backline trio, who served up most of the razzle-dazzle in an otherwise scrappy affair, imprinted their quality all over this second victory of the seasons as the defending champions rebounded from last round’s surprise defeat to the Chiefs.
This was more like it from the Crusaders as they extended their win streak over the Blues to 11 matches and their hosts’ shocking record against their Kiwi rivals continued. The Auckland franchise has now lost 26 of their last 29 matches against fellow New Zealand outfits.
The Crusaders were too clinical around the park, too good at the lineout and had too much attacking flair in the backs for the Blues to handle as Leon MacDonald’s men crashed to their second consecutive home defeat for the season. The more things change, the more they stay the same in this franchise.
The Crusaders were off their best last week, for sure, and got rattled by the Chiefs. But they turned up at Eden Park with their minds focused, their game in order and strangled the life out of the Blues with outstanding defence.
Mo’unga’s return from a week off with groin and knee issues was vital for Scott Robertson’s side. He scored one fabulous try, played a part in a second and looked sharp throughout on a strong night.
Goodhue played a role in all three Crusaders tries, laying on the first for George Bridge, combining with Havili in the break that set up the second and finishing the third himself off his own chip-kick, with a little help from Mo’unga.
Havili, too, was excellent at the back, roving as a sort of second playmaker come strikeforce. He
Crusaders 25 (George Bridge, Richie Mo’unga, Jack Goodhue tries; David Havili 2 pens, 2 cons) Blues 8 (Patrick Tuipulotu try; Harry Plummer pen). HT: 11-5.
looks in prime early-season form, wherever they choose to play him.
Free-flowing rugby was in fairly short supply through a less than glorious opening 40 minutes that ended with a try apiece, but with the visitors taking an 11-5 lead at halftime, courtesy of two Havili penalties.
The Blues struck early via some magic from their little first fiveeighths. Stephen Perofeta may be struggling with his goalkicking but there was no doubting the quality of his general play as he featured twice in the buildup to skipper Patrick Tuipulotu’s opening try in the 6th minute that put the Blues out to an early 5-0 lead.
It took the Crusaders the whole first quarter to generate their response – though Havili had slotted a 17th-minute penalty to get them within two points – but it was a quality finish when it came in the 25th minute, with George Bridge notching his first try of the season in the corner via a nice flick pass from Jack Goodhue.
Havili padded the margin with a second penalty and was not a million miles away with a 61-metre effort on the stroke of halftime.
The Crusaders needed only four minutes of the second spell to double their try tally, with Mo’unga showing a nice turn of speed to jet through a gap from 20 metres out. Answering an early Harry Plummer penalty, it put the visitors out by 10, at 18-8.
Goodhue’s game-clincher came just shy of the three-quarter mark when the in-form second five put in a deft chip-kick, saw Mo’unga gather it at the second attempt and then put Goodhue in for the easiest of scores. At 25-8 it was, for all intents and purposes, game over.