Crusaders spark into life with late power surge
THE Crusaders started the defence of their Super Rugby title with a 45-23 bonus-point win over the Chiefs.
In August, Crusaders were crowned champions for the first time since 2008 and set about trying to claim back-to-back titles with a success at AMI Stadium.
Scott Robertson’s side outscored their New Zealand rivals by seven tries to two, finishing strongly after Chiefs led 20-19 midway through the second half.
“The boys are blowing pretty hard,” said Crusaders captain Sam Whitelock, whose side were reduced to 14 men twice in the first half.
“It’s pretty tough when you go down to 14 for a period. The best thing is the boys really stuck together.
“We figured out what we had to do and that resolve really got us through.”
The champions led 19-3 following tries from Matt Todd, Richie Mo’unga and Jordan Taufua, but Dave Rennie’s men cut the gap to only two points at half-time via scores from Sam Cane and Solomona Alaimalo.
Damian McKenzie’s second penalty edged Chiefs in front, but Whitelock charged over to put Crusaders back in the lead and they were given breathing space when a penalty try was awarded after Ryan Crotty was taken out by a high tackle.
Intercept tries from George Bridge and Manasa Mataele late on put Crusaders out of sight.
Ned Hanigan scored the decisive try after the hooter as Waratahs beat Stormers 34-27. The sides were locked at 17-17 at the break and there was still nothing to choose between them until Waratahs turned the ball over at a lineout and Hanigan went over.
Bernard Foley converted to stay perfect from the tee and finish with 14 points.
Brumbies got the better of the Sunwolves, but had to come from behind to win 32-25 in Dan McKellar’s first game in charge.
Fly-half Christian Lealiifano slotted the opening penalty for the Brumbies but the Sunwolves quickly took back the lead as Hosea Saumaki and Timothy Lafaele scored converted tries.
Lachlan McCaffrey hit back for Brumbies but Saumaki scored his second. Brumbies narrowed the gap as centre Kyle Godwin crossed the line with Lealiifano nailing the conversion just before half-time.
The Brumbies made a swoop at the beginning of the second half and snatched the lead as centre Tevita Kuridrani scored a try with Lealiifano kicking the conversion.
The Sunwolves fought back as Parker kicked a penalty, but flanker Thomas Banks widened the Brumbies’ lead with a try in the corner.
The Melbourne Rebels got their season off to a record-breaking start with a 45-19 bonus-point demolition of the 14-man Reds.
A red card after 10 minutes for visiting captain Scott Higginbotham left the Reds a man short and the Rebels took advantage, running in seven tries, the most they have managed in Super Rugby, and setting a new mark for points scored by the team in one game.
Wing Sefanaia Naivalu, full-back Dane HaylettPetty and fly-half Jack Debreczeni scored two tries each to go with a score for centre Tom English as the Rebels ran riot.
The Reds managed three tries through centres Duncan Paia’aua and Samu Kerevi, and winger Chris Feauai-Sautis, with two of those converted by scrum-half James Tuttle.
Tei Walden came off the bench to score two secondhalf tries and lift
Highlanders to a 41-34 win over the Blues.
Walden touched down twice while the Blues were reduced to 14 men by the sin-binning of replacement Antonio Kiri Kiri. That pushed the Highlanders ahead for the last time in a match which featured nine tries and six lead changes.
Centre Rob Thompson also scored two tries for the Highlanders, while backrower Akira Ioane had a pair of tries for the Blues.
Bryn Gatland, son of Wales coach Warren Gatland, scored the first try after 14 minutes of end-toend rugby, answering an early penalty by Lima Sopoaga for the Highlanders. Gatland also kicked four conversions and two penalties for 19 points.
Aphiwe Dyantyi scored two tries as the Lions claimed a 47-27 bonus-point win against the Jaguares.
The 23-year-old winger, who was named Man of the Match after his Super Rugby debut against the Sharks last weekend, was again the star of the show.
The Lions took the lead through a penalty try and although Emiliano Boffelli hit back for the Jaguares, last year’s runners-up were just too powerful thereafter scoring seven tries through Dyantyi (2), Andries Coatzee, Sylvian Mahuza, Rohan Janse van Rensburg, Warren Whiteley and a penalty try.
Jaguares wing Delguy crossed for two late tries to give the scoreline more respectability in the final minutes.
Beauden Barrett’s late cameo wasn’t enough as the Bulls shocked the Hurricanes with a 21-19 win in Pretoria. A late try to Bulls prop Pierre Schoeman proved the match-winner after Barrett had come off the bench to give Hurricanes the lead.