The Crusaders have turned the tables on the Chiefs with a 34-19 win to spoil their Hamilton Super Rugby Pacific homecoming.
A barnstorming Sevu Reece scored with 20 minutes to play to swing the game in the Crusaders’ favour.
His devastating line break and try came against the run of play as the Chiefs, who started the half down by just three points thanks to two first-half tries from Alex Nankivell, looked for a go-ahead try.
Leicester Fainga’anuku then carried four men over the line from close range to all but seal the second-placed Crusaders’ fourth win from five starts as crowds returned to New Zealand Super games.
The Chiefs remain in fifth place and will have concerns over star lock Brodie Retallick after he left the field late in the first half with a thumb injury.
Crusaders captain Scott Barrett said the loss a fortnight ago had stung his side into action.
“Last time they hurt us at home; it’s a tough place to come out on top here, we talked out effort all week,” he said after the five tries to three win.
“Last time the Chiefs had better of it, dominated physically.
“We had to turn up physically and I thought the boys showed plenty of effort in that area.”
Chiefs skipper Sam Cane lamented their inability to match the competition heavyweights.
“To be fair they won the majority of the little battles that go on inside a rugby game,” he said.
“They put us under a lot of pressure … it’s disappointing at home for the first time in a long time, because today we took a couple of backward steps.
“But credit has to go to the Crusaders for the pressure and attitude they showed up with tonight.
“Man it makes you appreciate it when you haven’t had it for a wee while.”
WEST
Roar Guru
I’m liking what I see in the Chiefs pack though.. Atu Moli, Tupou Vaa’i, Pita Gus Sowakula to name a few, really stepping it up this year.
Tim J
Roar Rookie
:laughing: :laughing: What are kids for if not being faithful. :silly:
Paulo
Roar Rookie
Just ignore the 2 chiefs flags fluttering on either side of me… the kids have been duly grounded :laughing:
Pedro
Roar Rookie
Chiefs seem to struggle without Sowakula. Also, aimlessly kicking the ball away to Will Jordan is not a good idea. Nankivell may be the form center in the NZ.
Old Bugger
Roar Rookie
Too right West.....it was just a Sader's master-piece of front-foot rugger similar to what the Irish and French did against the ABs but IMO, with more strings added.
Old Bugger
Roar Rookie
Ummm the look was from me not her and, when the food basket starts to rumble, then the red line is definitely, in second place. But, it didn't help when our hydration process (beer o'clock) began lots earlier, than anticipated. The sirloins were ready and the bbq, was given a flame.....the rest is history, as they say.
Tim J
Roar Rookie
I will have to watch the game again Paulo, to spot you. :thumbup:
Paulo
Roar Rookie
Was so good being there live for that. If you pause the Sevu Reece try in the player above at 17secs, you can see my bright red crusaders top in the crowd between Reece and nankivell. We were between the 10-22m lines and he did that cut inside right in front. Was a thing of beauty.
WEST
Roar Guru
Yeah might not be as one sided as last year, highlanders & the Hurricanes with their covid effected season are sputtering a bit. Brumbies & Reds could collect a few wins.. Naturally that will flow into Wallabies vs All Black optimism.
WEST
Roar Guru
Yes.. Crusaders doing what Crusaders do best.. Put the opposition to the sword. Felt for the Chiefs a wee bit. Home coming of sorts for the Chiefs, but the pressure was compounding and it was only a matter of time. The Crusaders backs really carved the Chiefs up. The Chiefs pack, can at least keep up with Crusaders for the most part.. But, even then, the experienced All Blacks amongst the Crusaders started to show through. The Chiefs, kind of lost their urgency after halftime and accepted their fate.
JD Kiwi
Roar Rookie
It was very predictable that their loss to us in their most recent game was going to give them an extra edge, whereas we'd beaten them and been very comfortable against MP. Still, we carried far more threat than them on attack which always kept us in the hunt.
CUW
Roar Rookie
Crusaders need to get a good defence coach - becoz they were cut in the middle time and again by Nankaville its just the slow support that helped to keep the score down - but there may be other teams like Blues Brumbies - even reds - who will take advantage of this. since their Welsh defence coach left last year crusaders have been leakinng a lot of trys. that is an issue. crusaders always gave away the penalties - that is a known fact but they had a very tight hold of the try line. not anymore.
Colvin Brown
Roar Guru
One look from the Minister of War and Finance and you instantly dropped the Crusaders v Chief match-up to cook dinner, OB? Where is the Red line? Does that rule apply to ABs test matches as well?
Jacko
Roar Rookie
Chiefs were off right from the kick-off. Didnt have the desperation on the last 2 weeks games. I picked that up very early and when they got the score back to 7-5 it surprised me. They still managed to show some ticker a bit later but it wasnt going to happen last night.
Old Bugger
Roar Rookie
Have you ever walked away from watching a game broadcast?? I did last night. Although the HT score still implied the match was close, that wasn’t the case for me and what I saw developing. The Saders played smart, intelligent and at times, brutal and physically implemented rugby in those first 40mins. They kept on song with their game plan, to turn the Chiefs around and attack every ruck and kick, that they chased. It was a master-piece of playing basic, front-foot rugby. The Saders efforts to mix their kicking game, to mix their runners with the ball, to attack every ruck, to ensure parity in the lineout and scrum, to go forward with ball in hand both close-in and out wide, in my eyes, just made my Chiefs look somewhat pedestrian, in that first half. By HT, I looked at the Minister of War and Finance and said “Righto, I’m off to cook dinner” and that was it. By HT, the writing was literally, on the wall. Congrats Saders – a clinical and deserved win and for my team…..well, its back to the drawing board guys. Oh and btw, 2 things that happened just prior to kick-off that had an eerie forbearance, for me anyway – Beaver’s pre-game prediction when he erroneously blurted out a 13+ win for the Saders much to Izzy’s delight and Gats, sitting in the coach’s chair when on the previous 11 occasions he got to do that, his team lost all of them. Last night didn’t seem any different but, having a card-board cut-out of McMillan up in the box, just didn’t seem to cut it either.
Tim J
Roar Rookie
The scary thing for the tournament is that more Crusaders players will return, but the Brumbies are looking on a similar level. We have exciting games coming up between the NZ and OZ conferences going up against each other. :happy: