Crusaders hold off Sunwolves, Chiefs beat Reds

WELLINGTON: Ryan Crotty scored a brace of tries as the Canterbury Crusaders fended off a feisty Sunwolves team 33-11 in Christchurch yesterday to top the New Zealand conference of Super Rugby.

The home win came with a heavy injury toll for the champions, however, with hooker Ben Funnell limping off early in the first half and a leg injury to eighth man Tom Sanders.

Having leapt out to a 14-0 lead with two tries in the first 10 minutes, the injuries robbed the Crusaders of cohesion and the dogged Sunwolves pulled within three points early in the second half after a hail-storm lashed the ground.

All Blacks centre Crotty’s second try rallied the home side and tries to winger Manasa Mataele and replacement halfback Jack Stratton, who crossed in the last minute, ensured a bonus point in the Crusaders’ sixth win of the season.

The struggling Sunwolves slumped to their eighth loss of a winless season, but will take confidence after matching the powerful New Zealanders for much of the contest.

Back at their home ground after a bye and a successful tour of South Africa and Argentina, the Crusaders came out firing against their Japanese opponents.

A fierce storm then turned the match into a scoreless arm-wrestle as the hosts were restricted to 14-5 at half-time.

Poor discipline allowed the Sunwolves to claw back within three points by the 50-minute mark, with flyhalf Hayden Parker slotting two penalties.

Meanwhile, hooker Samisoni Taukei’aho scored a bonus-point try five minutes after the hooter as the Waikato Chiefs cruised to a 36-12 victory over the Queensland Reds in Brisbane.

Taukei’aho powered over at the back of the maul as the Chiefs got the vital score having set up an attacking line-out for the last play of the game.

The Chiefs scored their other tries through locks Tyler Ardron and Brodie Retallick, fullback Charlie Ngatai and hooker Liam Polwart as they extended the New Zealand team’s 35-match winning run over Australian sides in the competition.

The visitors led 24-0 at half-time as their forwards dominated but faced a more clinical opponent in the second period as the Reds scored two tries through centre Samu Kerevi. – Reuters