Crusaders: Run riot against Blues
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The Crusaders bounced back from last weekend's shock loss to the Rebels with an emphatic 59-12 win over the Blues.
The hosts ran in a whopping nine tries to produce a record win over their Kiwi rivals, who could only manage two touchdowns through replacement Lachie Munro.
The Crusaders had almost 80 per cent of possession through the first 50 minutes of the match and used it to clinical effect, mounting attack after attack and scoring tries at almost consistent intervals.
Hooker Cory Flynn scored a double, with Matt Todd, Richie McCaw, Adam Whitelock, Luke Romano, Andy Ellis, Zac Guildford and Tom Marshall all touching down.
All Blacks star Dan Carter, back at fly-half for the Crusaders, kicked six conversions from seven, with his replacement Tyler Bleyndaal also adding a two-pointer.
The victory moves the seven-time Super Rugby champs to fifth-place overall and second in the New Zealand conference on 42 points, but more importantly keeps them firmly in the hunt for a play-offs spot.
The writing was on the wall for the visitors who conceded their first try to the men in red and black after just five minutes when flank Matt Todd showed good strength to power over from close range.
Wing Adam Whitelock was next to score after taking a final pass from Israel Dagg when the Crusaders decided to spread the ball wide. After waves of relentless attack, captain Richie McCaw added his name to the scoresheet barely a minute later for the Crusaders' third.
The end of the half couldn't come quickly enough for the Blues, but the Crusaders were brutally efficient right until the whistle, lock Luke Romano and hooker Corey Flynn crossing in the last four minutes to give the Crusaders a 31-0 lead at the break.
Scrum-half Andy Ellis restored the momentum with a try only three minutes after half-time and Flynn bagged his brace in the 51st minute.
Munro broke the sequence as the Blues began to win a small share of possession but the Crusaders picked it up again with tries by Guildford and Marshall in the 66th and 76th minutes respectively.
The Blues had the final say, and some small consolation, with Munro's second try just after the full-time siren.
The scorers:
For Crusaders:
Tries: Todd, A Whitelock, McCaw, Romano, Flynn 2, Ellis, Guildford, Marshall
Cons: Carter 6, Bleyendaal
For Blues:
Tries: Munro 2
Con: Anscombe
Crusaders: 15 Israel Dagg, 14 Adam Whitelock, 13 Robbie Fruean, 12 Ryan Crotty, 11 Zac Guildford, 10 Dan Carter, 9 Andy Ellis, 8 Richie McCaw (c), 7 Matt Todd, 6 George Whitelock, 5 Sam Whitelock, 4 Luke Romano, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Corey Flynn, 1 Wyatt Crockett.
Replacements: 16 Quentin MacDonald, 17 Ben Franks, 18 Tom Donnelly, 19 Brendon O'Connor, 20 Willi Heinz, 21 Tyler Bleyendaal, 22 Tom Marshall.
Blues: 15 Hadleigh Parkes, 14 David Raikuna, 13 Ma'a Nonu, 12 Michael Hobbs, 11 Benson Stanley, 10 Gareth Anscombe, 9 Piri Weepu, 8 Luke Braid (c), 7 Daniel Braid, 6 Steven Luatua, 5 Ali Williams, 4 Liaki Moli, 3 Tevita Mailau, 2 Tom McCartney, 1 Tony Woodcock.
Replacements: 16 James Parsons, 17 Angus Ta'avao, 18 Filo Paulo, 19 Peter Saili, 20 Alby Mathewson, 21 Lachie Munro, 22 Sherwin Stowers.
Referee: Bryce Lawrence (New Zealand)
Comments
sandal says...
@ Ramage
You say: ""Is it totally the coaching staff or are some players, as I believe, not up to this level of rugby?""
The coaching is a problem, clearly. But as you suggest, some of the players are not up to this level either. Pat Lam's response is, "Well, show me who else I can select; I can work only with the players I have."
It's true that across NZ super rugby there are a number of players without the ability or the attitude needed. Thank the predatory clubs in England, Ireland, France and Japan for that. It's easier for them to buy in a Kiwi or two than to develop players of their own.
Posted 08:11 22nd May 2012
tha_mai says...
sad news for Benson Stanley, reported as being unlikely to play again this season after a severe concussion in this match.
Concussions/head injuries in the news last week with a doco on Oz tv featuring former Blues/AB Steve Devine and NFL (Oz league) Shaun Valentine who both have ongoing damage from multiple concussions/repetitive head injuries, sad stuff.
Posted 05:10 21st May 2012
Ramage says...
a sandal they are not the players Im referring to. Yes teams can have a bad run the Reds did when they were strpped of some of their best players but corrected it which tells me their coach and team have some nous. Tell me do you see the same mistakes week after week that the Blues are making? Do you also think some of those mistakes should have been sorted by now? Is it totally the coaching sataff or are some players, as I believe, not up to this level of rugby? If not then those that are an embarrassment to former Blues sides need to be dumped if they can not live up to the challenge.
Posted 14:15 20th May 2012
tha_mai says...
have a look at the blues 22 - I don't follow rugby as fanatically as many (most?) here but I have no idea who most of them are . . . their wider training group must be very wide now with ongoing injuries.
Won't judge/rate any Crusaders players on this performance, too easy to get carried away with a win v opposition like this. But at least Carter and McCaw don't seem bothered with their injuries now.
NZ news saying Crusaders trying to sign Nonu for 2013 . . .
Posted 13:18 20th May 2012
MacTavish says...
Hmm, I see the knockers and haters have gone back into their shell this week... Crusaders have lost it over the last few years have they? So a whole season away from home last year, a Wildcard in NZ, followed by Semi in Sth Africa and the Final in Aussie, all in 14 days, and the only difference between the two in the Final was a moment of Genia magic. If thats a team living off the past then I will take it. Slow start this year, so what... in the mix, thats all you need to be come play offs. Yeah bad game last week, but thats what it was, a bad game, dont make them a bad team overnight. Last night was notice to all teams. Thats what the Crusaders can still do to you. Yes it is only one game and they haven't won anything yet. But they will be there. And probably the last team you want come knockout time. And... before the Glass Half Empty Brigade chirps in with, Oh you only beat the Blues who are bottom table, did your team run 9 tries past the Blues? Don't kid yourselves, the Crusaders arent rubbish and they arent going away!
Posted 09:53 20th May 2012
sandal says...
This scoreline is disastrous for New Zealand rugby. It is not good for the Blues, who contribute so many All Blacks, to be this ineffectual and dispirited.
NZ fans have to cling on to the memory that a number of Hurricanes who had an awful tournament under Mark Hammett's disastrous guidance last year subsequently had a terrifically good season with the All Blacks. A Super XV season this bad can generate a lot of frustration and anger that can be put to good use in the international season. Here's only hoping.
@Ramage
You say: "" I hope that many of the players who have brought the Blues franchise into disrepute are also axed and sent packing. ""
Just remember how good Hore, Nonu, Weepu were for the All Blacks last year. Once free of Hammett's influence, they showed themselves to be good players.
And as Stellenbosched2 says, when things go wrong in rugby they can degenerate rapidly and the scoreboard blows out.
Posted 02:00 20th May 2012
Ramage says...
Have the dope testers been in to swab the Crusaders as I'm sure this wasn't the same team that played the Rebels last week.. Amazing how shamed the Crusaders were after last week. One thing for sure they will, I hope, never show disrespect to their opposition again. Every team playing in this competition needs to be given total respect.
As far as Pat Lam is concerned he must now surely be gone. I did note from the kick off in the second half that the Bloos still have not sorted out their taking of the ball and Guildford ripped them apart. However when the new coach sits down to select his squad for next year I hope that many of the players who have brought the Blues franchise into disrepute are also axed and sent packing. Whilst Lam surely will suffer so to should many of his selections.
Just a pat on the back for Bryce Lawrence who sought the intervention of the TMO over two tries that I thought were nowhere near to warrant such a request . He believed he saw the tries with not too much time to do so in both cases. His actions turned out to be right. Well done Bryce.
Posted 14:18 19th May 2012
carpelone says...
Even the geriatric scored,..
Posted 13:44 19th May 2012
Wallaroo says...
The Crusaders played a lot better than last week, but were also made to look a lot better by a very disorientated Blues side. The Tahs may under perform to some degree but this has got to be the worst underachievement of any side I have seen in the Super ... comp.
Surely the Blues have more talent than this, it was a shocking display by them.
Well done Crusaders you took full advantage of a helpless and directionless side, who'd blame you.
Posted 13:10 19th May 2012
Stellenbosched2 says...
When things go wrong in a team sport like rugby they go seriously wrong. Sorry, but I would have to point a finger at the entire Blues coaching staff. Not only do the players look as though they have no idea what is going on, they also look unfit, which really is unforgivable at this level.
Posted 12:12 19th May 2012
tweedledee49 says...
Thank you Rebels for knocking some sense into the Crusaders!!
Absolutely decimated the Blues!
Posted 11:52 19th May 2012
jappers1983 says...
Ahahahaha. Nice one, Lam!
Looks like Dagg could be under significant pressure from Ben Smith after that (or Taylor, if the selector's pulled their collective fingers out).
Posted 10:25 19th May 2012