The post-Scott Robertson rot has continued, with the Crusaders slumping to three straight losses to start the season for the first time since the inception of Super Rugby in 1996.
The latest defeat comes at the hands of the Drua, with Rob Penney’s side slipping up just like Robertson’s did last year by going down 20-10.
In a scrappy match, where there were 36 turnovers, it was the home side that handled the conditions better.
A try to man of the match Frank Lomani in the 45th minute and the accurate boot of rising playmaker Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula proved to be the difference, with the Crusaders held scoreless in the second half.
Other than winger Fijian-born All Blacks flyer Sevu Reece, who scored the opener to register his 50th try in an ominous warning to Julian Savea less than 24 hours after he became the competition’s highest tryscorer by dotting down for his 61st, the Crusaders barely fired a shot.
George Bell’s lineout once again struggled, while the Crusaders couldn’t build any continuity as they turned the ball over 20 times.
Penney looked stunned in the coach’s box at Churchill Park, as he lost his eighth straight match (five Waratahs, three Crusaders) in Super Rugby.
“We just didn’t execute,” Crusaders skipper Scott Barrett said.
“We had multiple opportunities, particularly around our lineout, and we just weren’t sharp and clinical like we’d hoped.
“We were clear on our game-plan, it was pretty simple. We just didn’t execute. Greasy ball, little opportunities, and if you give the Fijian Drua a little sniff they’ll punish you.”
The Drua made nine linebreaks to five and beat 38 defenders along the way, but the final pass rarely landed.
“This win is not for us, it’s for you guys and always lifting us up,” Drua skipper Meli Derenalagi said.
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Sevu Reece was the Crusaders’ best at Churchill Park, on March 9, 2024, in Lautoka, Fiji. (Photo by Pita Simpson/Getty Images)
Early on and it was the Crusaders who came out quickly, with the visitors taking an early penalty via the boot of young playmaker Taha Kemara in the 13th minute.
Six minutes later and Reece burst through a hole and showed off his pace to score in front of his family.
But the Crusaders were shut out from the 20-minute mark, as Armstrong-Ravula, the Australian-raised playmaker, who attracted attention from New Zealand’s best Super Rugby sides, slotted over three points to settle the Crusaders.
Then Selestino Ravutaumada did it himself, beating three defenders out wide to help level up the score.
After blowing countless first-half opportunities, Barrett, sensing the Crusaders were out on their feet and not wanting to risk another set-piece blunder, chose to have a late shot at goals rather than kicking for the five-metre line.
It came back to bite him as Kemara pulled his penalty, with the scores locked 10-10 at half-time.
After Lomani showed his knack of scoring close to the line, the match descended into a real grind with neither side barely holding onto the ball for more than three phases in the humidity.
The Drua sealed the match when their young playmaker slotted over another penalty.
Mick Byrne’s side will take on the Chiefs in Hamilton next week, while the Crusaders’ task of registering their first win doesn’t get any easier as they prepare for three New Zealand derbies starting with the Hurricanes next Friday.
In From The Side
Roar Rookie
That's got to be one of the best better crybaby whinges than I have read for a while. The Crusaders have known the change over from Razor to someone else has been coming for some time. I think their issues are less about the draw and more about the failed progression of handover. If it makes you feel better by all means blame the SRP organisers, but I'm not sure that's actually a correct focus.
josuafj
Roar Rookie
Most non-Aussie teams have had their home games cut this year.
Guess
Roar Rookie
Sure. Why do even they bother with finding better players. Just gotta play great with what they have
Guess
Roar Rookie
Really unfortunate for saders Jordan is out with long term injury. He could've improved their attack a lot too
Guess
Roar Rookie
Razor is lucky to change ships at the right time. Not downplaying his importance but I don’t think even he could get the current saders to the top
Coker
Roar Rookie
It's not just the fire power, it's the experience — you can't have 20yos playing at 2 and 10 and expect to do well in a professional competition. There's nothing the Crusaders can do about the loss of Mo'unga, Fainga'anuku, Jordan, Ennor, Blackadder and Whitelock, but they should pay Taylor whatever he wants to come back early. That alone would make a huge difference.
Coker
Roar Rookie
It is the draw from hell, but think of it as a kind of handicapping. After winning 7 in a row, they should be starting 100m behind. :happy:
Footy Franks
Roar Rookie
Penney might be best to stop Preaching about the tahs and start coaching.
BleedRedandBlack
Roar Rookie
They will. And with a point to prove. The SRP organisers can only stick a knife into them for so long.
Doctordbx
Roar Rookie
They'll still make it through to the top 8 and by then I'm sure they will be their usual annoying winning selves.
Doctordbx
Roar Rookie
What do you guys tell us Aussies? Oh... yeah... just get better mate.
BleedRedandBlack
Roar Rookie
It's entirely possible the Crusaders will be none from 6 after they play the Chiefs in Christchurch on March 29th, and the SRP organisers will certainly have got what they planned for. It was always going to be a tough year with all the player and coaching losses, with a semi-final a good result, but why the Crusaders board accepted such an abysmal draw, I do not know. Penney has been given zero time to reshape the team, and has effectively been thrown to the dogs by the SRP organisers and by his own management. The Crusaders have to play the Chiefs twice in the first six rounds, as well as the Blues and the Hurricanes, meaning two thirds of their kiwi derbies by just over a third of the way through the comp. They also have had to play the Drua in Fiji in March, the hardest non-Kiwi away game in the comp, and for a second year in a row. By the end of the ninth round the Crusaders will have played just two home games, with five away games, a game against an Australian team in Australia and a bye making up the balance. The SRP organisers really couln't have made it any harder for the Crusaders. Thing is, the competition organisers hate the Crusaders fans as much as they hate the Crusaders team. Despite the known problems for fans with playing in Christchurch in late Autumn and Winter, four of the six scheduled home games are being played in the last third of the comp, the coldest part of the year. Not happy with killing off the Crusaders, the organisers have targeted their fans as well. Good to see "fan-centric" decision making is just as much of a fraud as all the other rhetoric out of the SRP organisers.
Pilferer
Roar Rookie
To be fair to Penny there is a fair bit of fire power unavailable at moment but gee we look lost. Any coach following what razor did was on a hiding to nothing especially after the departure of RM SW etc, always felt Penny was going to be a transitional coach while we found the right man to fill razors boots.
Wig1
Roar Rookie
Your right m8. Did you get a win then
Andrew
Roar Rookie
How is me saying he is looking uncomfortable which he looked like in the box saying I dislike him. I can't dislike someone i've never met. We are just talking coaching here right? As for the crew turnover and poor 9 and 10, I thought nz sides had no issue with squad depth. Good coaches get the best out of what they have. Think he has put the pressure on himself with the criticism of his sacking here. Am obviously behind him in his support of DC who I think is a great coach.
Bliksem
Roar Rookie
The Penney is dropping. We will soon hear calls for him to be relieved of his duties.
K.F.T.D.
Roar Rookie
I didn’t see the game- but you can’t underestimate the loss of someone like Whitelock.
cs
Roar Guru
"I feel very sorry for the Crusaders" as the Tahs might have said of Rob Penney (but didn't).
Guess
Roar Rookie
Saders are done. They aren't coming back. Unless mounga does
Wig1
Roar Rookie
Hey the good thing is for those blooming kiwis is the ear bashings of the ref bashings should go down 30% in this new era