LONDON, United Kingdom, Mar 26 – The Crusaders bounced back from their first Super Rugby Pacific defeat of the season with a comfortable 34-19 win over the Chiefs at Waikato Stadium on Saturday.
The visitors signalled their intentions early by choosing to go for touch with no less than two kickable penalties early on.
They were rewarded in the eighth minute after a superb set-piece was finished off by Cullen Grace. Richie Mo’unga hit the conversion to make it 7-0.
The Chiefs hit back with a try of their own five minutes later when George Bird finished off a bruising 10-phase play. The unsuccessful conversion meant they were still trailing though.
Will Jordan extended the Crusaders’ lead when he finished off a lovely backline set piece from a first-phase scrum attack to make it 12-5.
Mo’unga hit a penalty around the half-hour mark but the Chiefs were able to finish the half strongly when Quinn Tupaea put Alex Nankivell through with a delicate inside pass. Bryn Gatland sunk the conversion to bring the score to 15-12 to the Crusaders at halftime.
It was a bit of a slow start to the second period as the defences of both teams shone for a good 10 minutes before Grace thought he’d scored his second of the game. However, it was ruled out for a forward pass in the build-up.
They did get the score eight minutes later, though, as Sevu Reece finished off a scything counter-attack that began all the way inside the Crusaders 22. Mo’unga converted from right in front.
The match appeared to be all over bar the shouting in the 63rd minute when Leicester Fainga’anuku went crashing over from close range. Another successful conversion from Mo’unga put the Crusaders out of sight at 29-12.
The Chiefs did try to fight back and scored a consolation try in the 71st minute when Cortez-Lee Ratima ran a great support line for Nankivill to finish off a nine-phase attack with his debut try in Super Rugby. Gatland nailed the conversion to make it 29-19.
However, any hope the host had of mounting a comeback were dashed in the 74th minute as the Crusaders capped off a thoroughly dominant performance with another try, this one by Codie Taylor from the back of a powerful rolling maul.
Mo’unga’s conversion attempt hit the post but it didn’t make too much difference as the Crusaders cruised to a 34-19 win.
Chiefs
Tries – Nankivell (2), Ratima
Con – Gatland (2)
Crusaders
Tries – Grace, Jordan, Reece, Fainga’anuku, Taylor
Pen – Mo’unga
Con – Mo’unga (3)
