Crusaders roll out heavy hitters in Aussie capital
That distant rumble you could hear last night was the Crusaders firing a barrage of warning shots during their 40-14 win over the Brumbies in Canberra.
This performance at GIO Stadium will have caused all of the relevant teams from the Sanzaar family to peer into their TV sets with a mixture of admiration and consternation, but it was the team from Hamilton, the Chiefs, that the Crusaders wanted to send the strongest message to.
The impressive bonus-point victory in the Aussie capital means the Crusaders have won seven consecutive Super Rugby games this season. And that burning sensation the Chiefs can feel on the back of their necks is that of their rivals charging up the New Zealand conference ladder, where they sit just one point behind them on 32.
You always know what you are going to get when you encounter the Crusaders; the key is to disrupt their pattern, which isn’t easy when they get their offloading game going and when a team like the Brumbies allows their defensive lines to hang back a fraction too long.
Passing in contact is what Crusaders left wing Nemani Nadolo thrives on – when he isn’t rolling opponents into the turf – and the way he attracted three defenders before unloading to a grateful Israel Dagg in the first half reiterated why he is one of the most devastating ball runners on the planet.
A blistering first half, when the Crusaders scored four tries, had the Brumbies stretched but there was much more to this performance than just clever inter-passing and playing with width.
Openside flanker Matt Todd may or may not have heard the news that sevens prospect Ardie Savea wants to flag the Rio Olympics as he tries to be Sam Cane’s deputy for the All Blacks, but he played like a man who wanted to show why he is valued by the Crusaders and is worthy of consideration for the next level.
It was Todd who stole the ball near halfway and sprinted upfield to create Jone Macilai’s try, and the fetcher also worked hard on the ball on the ground and defended frantically for a game-high 10 tackles.
Coach Todd Blackadder dipped into his bench around the 60 minute mark to keep the pace of the game at full noise, pushing Sam Whitelock, Wyatt Crockett and Tim Boys into the pack and replacing Richie Mo’unga (who proved he was over his kicking yips by slotting four of his five conversions) with Marty McKenzie at playmaker.
McKenzie announced his arrival by scoring a try, and converting it, but it was the impressive Fijian wing on the right flank, Macilai, who deserved the applause.
Macilai was brilliant with the ball, using his acceleration to create holes and create nightmares for the defence.
Fullback Dagg didn’t make the same impact as last week, but the signs remain that he can still be a force for the All Blacks; his tackle late in the first half, when he somehow prevented Brumbies flanker Jarrad Butler scoring, summed up his hunger.
It also reflected the Brumbies night. Little went right for them but not all their problems were self-inflicted.
The Crusaders, with their razzle dazzle, didn’t allow them to play for long periods.