The Crusaders take on the table-topping Sharks at AMI Stadium in Christchurch, following an impressive drumming of the Reds in Round 13. Join The Roar for live scores and coverage from 5:35pm (AEST).
Last week was just one of those games for the Crusaders. Sometimes a team or a player hits the right patch of form at a specific time and there’s nothing the opposition can do about it.
Certainly the Reds found that out the hard way, with 57 points stacked against them.
However, there was still some cause for concern for the Crusaders, allowing 27 points to be scored against them – while the Reds did get decent ball with possession and territory, at times they played a lot better than their lowly position.
If the Crusaders show the same poor playing in patches this week they’ll be on the receiving end of endless points.
The Sharks are for now sitting pretty at the top of the Super Rugby ladder although they only hold the lead by a single point. Hot on their heels for top spot are the Chiefs but they have the week off so the Sharks can kick clear again with a win.
This is a tough test for them coming up against a championship-caliber team and one on a five-game winning streak.
To accommodate for the talent of the Crusaders, the Sharks will look to slow the tempo and play at their own pace dictating how the match will unfold. It will need to be a much-improved performance following their tryless defeat at the hands of the Brumbies.
Tip: Crusaders
jason8
Guest
priceless....
jason8
Guest
Wow... rugby has changed since my day. I have watched the footage a few times and to me it looks like he is just pushing him away with his foot. If i wanted to foot stomp someone i could and have done it with much more conviction. Yes it makes contact with his head... not good but then you try and push someone away with your foot in the heat of the moment facing away from the player on the ground - odds are you arent exactly aiming for anything. As a no 7 i wore my studmarks as a sign of pride that i had been stuck in there. I am no thug and i have never punched anyone on the field but if you mess with the bull you get the horns.
Winston
Guest
Sharks are looking like a champion team. That's a huge win. 13-14 against 15 in Christchurch is a massive achievement and will give this team a lot of confidence and momentum heading into the finals. Who is going to beat them at home? Crusaders looked lost without the threat of Dagg. Shame about that nasty stomping business.
RugbyFan
Guest
Great performance by the Sharks! Crusaders woeful! Ref terrible! Lets start punishing negative tactics in rugby! The clever kiwi coaches have figured out if they coach these negative tactics of holding players off the ball and obstructing players they will either gain an advantage at breakdowns or even better the other team will react and get penalised or worse! Let's hope refs catch on quick and 'stamp' out these negative tactics that ruin games before more players are sent off. As buzzard said but in regards to the kiwi tactics: disgraceful and typical but unfortunately for them last night: not effective enough to win the game!
Colin Kennedy
Roar Guru
Sorry Firstxv, wasn't referring to you. My comment ended up on the wrong string - it seems everytime I scroll down the comments jump a space or two. wrong string, wrong person, now I'm embarrassing myself.
DanFan
Guest
I think both teams took notice of the comments in the media. The Sharks were obviously not happy with last week's effort and the Crusaders, well they obviously believed they were the next coming of the Messiah.
DanFan
Guest
Yes very poor decision making by the Crusaders. What were they thinking taking those penalties when they had the 2-man advantage. Very disappointing.
Colin Kennedy
Roar Guru
Firstxv, you're embarrassing yourself mate. Time for some grace in losing.
Colin Kennedy
Roar Guru
But three tries to the Sharks, and one to the Crusaders. How many do you think it takes to make a game not boring? 30 or 40?? Come on Brett.
Zero Gain
Guest
It's not the number of kicks Brett, it's what happens between that matters.
Clark
Guest
People are quick to forget that the Sharks are actually winning the comp
Kuruki
Roar Guru
They had just hit the lead there was less then 5 minutes to play and they tried to run the ball from 22, they fluffed it and ended up kicking under pressure from there own line and making 10 metres, when they had the opportunity to kick earlier with plenty of time. Running the ball in that situation cost them the game.
Colin Kennedy
Roar Guru
13/14 Sharks beat the Crusaders in Christchurch and outscored them on the tries front - OUTSCORED them in tries -- 3 tries to the Sharks and people are still whining -- how many tries do you want from rugby? 80? 90? Mate, go watch netball or basketball - they run all the time and they score lots of points. I actually think the sending off of 'can't catch the ball' Deysel helped the Sharks. The sooner they lose him the better -- I hope he gets suspended for six years. The stomp was unnecessary and stupid and dirty, but there are a number of sides playing off the ball, in particular the Crusaders, and the referees are turning a blind eye to it. No wonder players are getting frustrated. Buzzard I understand your anger. I understand that its not so much the strongest sanction that can be dealt in a game not being enough for you, I understand that you're really just upset and gutted at seeing the Crusaders beaten by a better team, a champion team in waiting, which the Crusaders are not, no more. How does the song go? Gone, gone, gone... The days of glory for the Crusaders are long gone, gone, gone. Ah well... :-)
Kuruki
Roar Guru
Really? So your basically saying everyone on the paddock should have there faces stomped on? because that happens in everygame at nearly every ruck.
Kuruki
Roar Guru
If the reff done something about that all the time, there wouldn't be a player left on the paddock from either side.
richard
Guest
Good weekend for the SA teams.Perhaps talk of their demise ( esp, on this site) in recent weeks has been a little premature. As to the game itself,congrats to the Sharks,To be down to 14,and then 13 men and still come through shows great mental fortitude.In NZ.we refer to this a the "laager" mentality,and when SA rugby teams get into that groove they are very,very difficult to overcome.
soapit
Guest
what was it in the round the 50-60 minute mark?
David Baker
Roar Pro
Viv I was joking and not trying to be 100% accurate. Of course Afrikaners drink a lot of wine and of course they developed the wine industry. Some of them that go to Newlands do like their brandy and coke.
You talking about Oosthuizen or Lewies?
Again, one Saffa and his name is Deysel.