Opening try: Kieran Read
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The Crusaders kept their Super Rugby title hopes alive on Friday with a crucial 28-21 win over tournament leaders the Chiefs in Hamilton.
Defeat would have left the seven-time champions facing the prospect of missing the play-offs for the first time in eleven years but four vital points ahead of a home game against the struggling Western Force next week means they are now a safe bet to make the cut.
The result is only the Chiefs' third loss this year and means the Stormers are now within striking distance of top spot in the overall standings.
With so much at stake it was always going to be an epic clash, but with competitions for All Blacks jerseys featuring across the park, even more spice was added to the fiery mixture. And the protagonists didn't disappoint.
The Crusaders raced into a 20-6 lead early on thanks to tries from Kieran Read and Luke Romano, but the Chiefs clawed their way back into contention via a touchdown from Brodie Retallick to trail 20-16 at the break.
Andy Ellis's second-half score was cancelled out by a phenomenal try from Sonny Bill Williams but the Crusaders' advantage at the set-piece and a monumental late defensive effort proved enough to keep the Chiefs at bay.
Sam Cane and Tawera Kerr-Barlow combined to allow Chiefs fly-half Aaron Cruden to open the scoring from the kicking tee soon after kick-off but the first 20 minutes belonged to the Crusaders.
Dan Carter was given a chance to reply almost immediately but hit the post from long range. Retallick's knock-on from the rebound gave the visitors a golden opportunity to attack at the first set-piece and when the Chiefs scrum was penalised under their sticks, Carter levelled the scores. The Chiefs never held the lead again.
Read rammed the advantage home on the ten-minute mark when he crashed over following a break by Robbie Fruean, and Carter's conversion put the Crusaders up 10-3.
Cruden pulled three points back for the tournament leaders but Carter showed the youngster why he is New Zealand's incumbent pivot by knocking over a drop-goal just a minute later to lengthen the Crusaders' lead and keep the pressure on.
It didn't take long for the men in red to strike again and Romano bagged their second try when the Chiefs failed to handle a cheeky grubber from Ellis. Carter's extras gave the Crusaders a healthy gap at 20-6 at the end of the first quarter.
The next 20 minutes saw the Chiefs come storming back though and when Kerr-Barlow gave Retallick a perfectly-timed pass, no one was going to stop the big second-row from close range.
Cruden provided the conversion and another penalty to cap a long period of sustained pressure from the hosts to cut the gap to just four points at 20-16.
Carter missed a long-range effort on the stroke of half-time but the Crusaders were first to score in the second stanza. The home side had reason to feel aggrieved though after TMO Bryce Lawrence awarded the try despite a clear second movement to push Ellis across the line.
The Chiefs' reply came via a moment of magic from SBW, who had been rather quiet all night but shrugged off four defenders to score after a ruck steal from Kerr-Barlow.
Like Carter a few minutes earlier, Cruden missed the conversion to leave the Crusaders 25-21 ahead going into the last quarter.
Crucially, Carter found his range to land a penalty and extend the lead to seven, meaning the Chiefs had to cross the whitewash.
Asaeli Tikoirotuma was denied by inches in the corner but the hosts were camped on the Crusaders' try-line in the closing stages. Wave after wave of drives and successive penalties came to nothing and Williams will feel guilty for going it alone with the final play of game when he had a two-man overlap on his outside.
It's a decision that could have a massive impact on the outcome of the tournament.
The scorers:
For Chiefs:
Tries: Retallick, Williams
Con: Cruden
Pens: Cruden 3
For Crusaders:
Tries: Read, Romano, Ellis
Cons: Carter 2
Pens: Carter 2
Drops: Carter
Chiefs: 15 Robbie Robinson, 14 Tim Nanai-Williams, 13 Andrew Horrell, 12 Sonny Bill Williams, 11 Asaeli Tikoirotuma, 10 Aaron Cruden, 9 Tawera Kerr-Barlow, 8 Alex Bradley, 7 Sam Cane, 6 Liam Messam, 5 Brodie Retallick, 4 Craig Clarke (c), 3 Ben Tameifuna, 2 Mahonri Schwalger, 1 Sona Taumalolo.
Replacements: 16 Hika Elliot, 17 Toby Smith, 18 Romana Graham, 19 Tanerau Latimer, 20 Brendon Leonard, 21 Jackson Willison, 22 Lelia Masaga.
Crusaders: 15 Israel Dagg, 14 Adam Whitelock, 13 Robbie Fruean, 12 Ryan Crotty, 11 Zac Guildford, 10 Dan Carter, 9 Andy Ellis, 8 Kieran Read, 7 Richie McCaw, 6 George Whitelock, 5 Sam Whitelock, 4 Luke Romano, 3 Ben Franks, 2 Corey Flynn, 1 Owen Franks.
Replacements: 16 Quentin MacDonald, 17 Wyatt Crockett, 18 Tom Donnelly, 19 Matt Todd, 20 Willi Heinz, 21 Tom Taylor, 22 Sean Maitland.
Referee: Steve Walsh (Australia)
By Ross Hastie
Comments
2EyedKiwi says...
McCaw owned Walsh
Posted 21:27 08th July 2012
Ramage says...
Sure Carpelone the Blues did win but remember it was the weak Oz team the Force so its not that remarkable.
Posted 17:32 07th July 2012
lyndonmac says...
On that showing the Chiefs might struggle away against the Canes, who may be able to change their old habits, and play two cracking games in a row. Saders beaten at home without Read, Dagg and D.C., then win away with those 3 characters, says it all, methinks. Hope Read can take a rest next week against a team smashed by the pitiful Blues this week ---- he'll be crucial for us to win our 8th title! Carter back nearly to his best but Cruden nearly as good. SBW ---- love him or loathe him, he is a bloke who'll never die wondering, and we need more like him in the game. Perhaps the least boring player I've seen in half a century of watching rugby. Canterbury taught the fellow all he knows about rugby, and maybe Wayne Smith could yet teach him to pass to his outside backs a tad more, before the tackle, rather than during the tackle. Seems churlish to blame him for not winning the game for the Chiefs, though --- because of his marvellous effort to score earlier.
Just saw the Sharks deal to the Bulls, who looked very ordinary indeed. On that performance, I wouldn't want to be playing the Sharkies in the finals, especially if Alberts and Lambie get back on the paddock.
Posted 14:42 07th July 2012
Carpelone says...
@ Ramage and Kiwidiver
Thanks. In any case, I do not see the Stormers get 4 tries in Bloem.
But anything can happen, even the Blues won today.
Posted 10:40 07th July 2012
Rayz says...
@ jonesy2 - I normally make a point of not going back over a post once I've already commented but in your case I will make an exception.
Accepting that the Chiefs lineout would be messy because Clarke dropped out just before the game is defeatist talk and is also not an excuse.
The problem with the Chiefs lineout was they had no genuine no 2 jumper to throw the ball to. Their attempts to throw it their inevitably failed.
Posted 08:20 07th July 2012
the_nines says...
Great spectacle. Thought the crusaders deserved it in the end though as the chiefs set piece was woeful. But have to agree with Rayz, the crusaders are masters of the off the ball stuff. Their tactics around the breakdown are masterful or illegal depending on who you support. And Richie's fireside chats with Walsh...
Posted 06:28 07th July 2012
Ramage says...
@ carpelone I believe it will be the Stormers as if the tables on here are correct it would mean that the Stormers have one more win than the Chiefs. 13 Wins to the Chiefs 12. I believe that the table is decided first by the number of wins and then by other factors.
Posted 03:23 07th July 2012
kahui says...
Bryce Lawrence is the new Stu Dickenson - MUD REF. Even when hes touchy or TMO he screws up
Posted 03:14 07th July 2012
kpe12 says...
Messam and SBW always carry the ball high, Whitelock showed how small and weak Messam is when standing in the tackle. He forced 3-4 turnovers by holding him up and then waiting for support. Messam needs to find some mongrel. SBW however does it to get his arms free for the offload.
Crusaders owned the game but players like Guilford and Dagg almost handed it back to them with poor return kicks and sloppy passing.
Kieran Read is still the best player on the planet. DC certainly makes that backline sing too.
Red and Black defense best in the comp with a full compliment of players.
Posted 01:11 07th July 2012
tha_mai says...
I've never criticised a ref/asst/tmo, but , , , and I won't start now.
Impressed by both sides, exp the Chiefs when they did not have so much to play for having already secured a top 6 place.
I hope to see that run by Taumalolo again in a highlights package, the French team he's signed for will be in shock - a sprinting prop!
Posted 00:55 07th July 2012
Trinats2 says...
Ramage:
Are you criticising an offical !!!!
Money Bill scored a great try, a very rugby league style try, but cost the Chiefs the game IMHO. Again goes missing and makes basic mistakes when he comes up against decent opposition. And to have a two player over lap ??? he'll do well in League !
Posted 00:47 07th July 2012
kitch says...
before you ask how the ellis try was allowed , ask first why was barlow not penalised for going down on a player on the ground?.. then ask why wasnt he penalised for not releasing ellis and lying all over him thus preventing ellis from releasing the ball! Sure the rule says a player must release the ball but the first infringments were from barlow! Ellis did not make a second movement, it was the momentum from the supporting crusaders players that propelled both ellis and barlow, over the line.. but of coarse being a crusader fan ,i would see it that way.
SBW try good but ellis was taken out behind the ruck clearing a way for barlow to run through..and lets not forget ,his ego probably lost that game for them too by being too selfish!
I actually i agreed with blackadder last week and i think both coaches can have a gripe at the ref again this week. Why would walsh penalise franks for putting his hand on the ground yet not cheifs prop for collapsing?.. i think ritchies little gripe at the ref was warranted esp since they had dominance at the set piece. Crusaders may have been offside in the final seconds, but surely thats ok if the chiefs were allowed the same latitude throughout the game!
Posted 23:02 06th July 2012
isthatrightref says...
Bulls loss overnight means Crusaders should finish 4th & get a home qualifier v Bulls, follwed by away semi v Chiefs & IF they win that away final v Stormers or Sharks (Brumbies may beat Sharks at home but I don't see them beating Stormers in Cape Town), a much more do-able ask than what we were looking at last week i.e. Bulls away, back to NZ for Chiefs, back to SA for Stormers/ Sharks... if only we'd tied up 4th earlier by not losing to Rebels and/ or 'canes!
Posted 22:57 06th July 2012
isthatrightref says...
Great game, could have gone either way but in the end the Crusaders know how to close these ones out whereas the Chiefs don't (not yet anyway). A bit harsh to blame SBW for the loss, his earlier try kept them in it I thought, and how did I know as early as Tuesday that Bryce would cop plenty?
For my money the Crusaders are the only NZ side capable of beating the Stormers, Bulls or Sharks in a final in SA, Chiefs would get out-muscled & out- thought as they were last night. That said, they'll be a better side next year as the likes of Cruden learn how to control the tight ones & come away with the points.
Posted 22:51 06th July 2012
Kiwidiver says...
@ Carp.
In the event of a tie in total points, they next look at the number of wins, which unfortunately will go in favour of the most boring team in the comp'. After that, it goes on points difference, which would be in favour of the Chiefs (but moot since the Stormers would have more wins).
As far as this game goes, seems like the Saders were lucky, despite their improved performance and the Chiefs power vaccum in their forward pack - One disallowed try would have left the scores level, and opportunities to kick for a win instead of taking the tap.
Posted 21:06 06th July 2012
jappers1983 says...
SBW's body shape was all wrong when he took the pass at the end - he took it in a way which meant he was never going to be able to shift it.
Still, he's been awesome all season so won't criticise too much.
Messam seemed to be taking the ball into contact a bit high for my liking too. He was held off the ground a couple times (lucky it wasnt more too) as the Crusaders were going in two at a time whenever he carried - perhaps they'd noticed this flaw in his game. Cane looked impressive though, showed alot of dog.
Posted 17:15 06th July 2012
Ramage says...
I wonder if Blackadder comes out this week and criicises Bryce Lawrence for his calls as the TMO in this game as he did in the last game against the Hurricanes. I am awaiting to see if Blackadder is charged with bringing the game into disrepute for his criticism of the referee of the day. Or does Sanza already think Lawrence is a lost cause and is week after week bringing the game into disrepute. Seriously though Blackadder has the ability to make his allegations through the mechanism set up and if he isn't charged then it seems there is one rule for the Crusaders and one for everyone else. However I do not believe we will hear from Blackadder this week as the decisions went in his favour. This only goes to show how the game is in the hands of hypocites.
Now the game itself was intense and a game that tested everybody so despite the gripes above when we see rugby played like this we know we have watched a mighty spectacle. The skills of many of the players was there for all to see, as were the failings of certain people under pressure. Both players and officials. The further the game went the more mistakes were being made by many. The Chief's were their own worst enemy as shown by the failure to take the ball after kick offs, the timing issues they had in the lineout and some of the scrums. Here I think Steve Walsh bears some responsibility and it looked as if he had had one or two too many at half time as he wasn't the same guy in the second half and that is unacceptable. However despite this the game was enthralling and if it showed anything to me it was the fact that the contribution of Clarke, missing from the Chief's team, was sorely missed and shows what an under rated player he is.
Posted 16:36 06th July 2012
jonesy2 says...
sonny bill is a freak of nature. i was left speechless at the try. what a game. just in case anyone was wondering how the all blacks are the greatest side by such a distance that game showed why. loved big ben's game, such a monster and carries his mass so well. future AB star.
re the chiefs lineouts and the geniuses pointing it out, they lost clarke before the match of course the line out is going to be a mess.
Posted 16:11 06th July 2012
Carpelone says...
Rayz
How you dare to say so? That's McCaw.
Posted 15:49 06th July 2012
agardiner22 says...
SBW needs to be shown how to give a regular pass....glory merchant!!!!!!!!!!
Posted 15:47 06th July 2012