Stunning comeback puts Crusaders top
THE Crusaders pulled off the biggest comeback in Super Rugby history to regain top spot in the table with a 31-29 win over the Waratahs – coming from 29-0 down.
The Waratahs stunned the Crusaders with four tries in the opening half hour but the home side roared back to extend New Zealand’s winning streak over Australian teams to 39 matches.
“I don’t know where we were in that first 25 but full credit to the boys, we were nice and calm the whole time even though we were down,” Crusaders captain Sam Whitelock said.
“We stuck to what we knew would work and we came over the top in the end. Coming from behind like that, that’s special.”
After Waratahs scores from Cam Clark, Taqele Naiyaravoro, Israel Folau and Curtis Rona, the Crusaders showed their class as they fought back with tries from Joe Moody, Codie Taylor, Seta Tamanivalu and Braydon Ennor.
They finally snatched the lead with a penalty try 12 minutes from time after their forwards had repeatedly routed the Aussie scrum.
Yet the Waratahs still had a chance to claim the win when fly-half Bernard Foley lined up a penalty from 40 metres out, directly in front, in the 76th minute. His kick sailed well wide and the Crusaders held on to leave the Waratahs heartbroken.
The Sunwolves thrashed the Reds 63-28 to record their first win of the season at the 10th attempt. Hayden Parker and Hosea Saumaki led the way in a rousing victory over the slumping Reds.
In the final match to be held in Tokyo this season – with the last two Sunwolves home games in Hong Kong and Singapore – fly-half Parker amassed 36 points and winger Saumaki scored a hattrick of tries to inspire a muchneeded victory.
However it took some time for the Japanese to hit their stride as converted tries from Brandon PaengaAmosa and Ben Lucas in the first 20 minutes gave the Reds a 14-9 lead.
But tries from Parker and lock Grant Hattingh, as well as five penalties from the former, gave the Sunwolves a 15-point lead at half-time and Jamie Joseph’s men continued to punish the 2011 Super Rugby champions after the break. Three second-half scores from Saumaki and a penalty try sealed the victory and means the Sunwolves leave Tokyo with a sense of relief after finally getting a win on the board. The Highlanders held off a late charge by the Lions to win 39-27 in Dunedin and leave South Africa’s conference leaders still chasing their first victory over New Zealand opponents this season. Wasps-bound Lima Sopoaga, below, Liam Coltman, Luke Whitelock, Waisake Naholo and Teihorangi Walden scored tries for the home side, who grabbed their seventh win for the season to keep their playoffs hopes alive. Robbie Coetzee touched down either side of half-time for the Lions, who pulled to within six points of the home side when Elton Jantjies converted Marnus Schoeman’s 73rd minute try.
However, Sopoaga slotted a penalty minutes later to stretch the lead to nine points before kicking another in the final seconds to finish with 19 points for the game.
Reece Hodge slotted a 79thminute penalty from a tight angle to lift the Rebels to a rousing 27-24 away win over the Brumbies.
The Rebels came back from 24-10 behind with 20 minutes left, with full-back Jack Maddocks and debutant winger Semisi Tupou scoring tries to pull the visitors back into the game.
Hodge’s late penalty snapped a five-game losing streak for the Rebels, breathing new life into their campaign while all but ending the Brumbies’hopes of reaching the playoffs.
Second in the Australian conference, the Rebels are now only a point shy of the Waratahs in the race to the post-season.
A penalty try 15 minutes from time secured a 15-9 victory for the Chiefs as they ended the Stormers’ unbeaten home run.
Centre Anton LienertBrown scored the only other try for the Chiefs, while Stormers fly-half Damian Willemse landed two penalties and full-back SP Marais another for the hosts.
Springbok hopeful Warrick Gelant sparked the
Bulls to a 39-33 success over the Sharks. The full-back got on the scoresheet and set up a try for winger Johnny Kotze with a piece of brilliance. The Bulls other tries came from Jesse Kriel, Roelof Smit and Lood de Jager.
The Sharks earned a losing bonus-point with tries from Curwin Bosch, Jacques Vermeulen and Jean-Luc du Preez.