Crusaders
24
Match Complete
NSW Waratahs
37
| D. Havili |  | 73 | ||
| C. Lio-Willie |  | 72 | ||
| 66 | | T. Edmed | ||
| 65 | | J. Gordon | ||
| 56 | | T. Edmed | ||
| 54 | | T. Reilly | ||
| T. Kemara | | 48 | ||
| S. Reece | | 47 | ||
| 41 | | T. Edmed | ||
| 40 | | H. Wilson | ||
| 29 |  | T. Edmed | ||
| 21 | | T. Edmed | ||
| 20 | | H. Sinclair | ||
| S. Reece | | 18 | ||
| 11 | | T. Edmed | ||
| 5 | | T. Edmed | ||
| M. Springer | | 1 |
| 4 | Tries | 4 | ||
| 2 | Conversions | 4 | ||
| 0 | Penalty Goals | 3 | ||
| 0 | Field Goals | 0 |
The injury-hit Waratahs face a tough challenge against the Crusaders who are coming off a chastening loss to the Chiefs. Join The Roar for live scores and updates from 7:35pm (AEDT).
Watch every match of Super Rugby Pacific ad-free, live & on demand on the Home of Rugby, Stan Sport
Match information
Venue: AAMI Park, Melbourne
Kick-off: 7.35pm (AEDT)
TV: Channel 9/9Gem
Streaming: Stan Sport
Betting: Crusaders $1.08, Waratahs $8.00 – odds via PlayUp
Teams
CRUSADERS (1-15): George Bower, George Bell, Fletcher Newell, Scott Barrett (c), Quinten Strange, Dominic Gardiner, Tom Christie, Cullen Grace, Noah Hotham, Taha Kemara, Macca Springer, David Havili, Levi Aumua, Sevu Reece, Chay Fihaki
RESERVES: Quentin MacDonald, Joe Moody, Owen Franks, Jamie Hannah, Christian Lio-Willie, Mitchell Drummond, Ryan Crotty, Dallas McLeod.
WARATAHS (1-15):Angus Bell, Mahe Vailanu, Harry Johnson-Holmes, Jed Holloway, Hugh Sinclair, Fergus Lee-Warner, Charlie Gamble, Langi Gleeson, Jake Gordon (c), Tane Edmed, Dylan Pietsch, Joey Walton, Harry Wilson, Mark Nawaqanitawase, Max Jorgensen
RESERVES: Julian Heaven, Hayden Thompson-Stringer, Dan Botha, Miles Amatosero, Ned Hanigan, Teddy Wilson, Mosese Tuipulotu, Triston Reilly
Referee: James Mabey
Assistant Referees: Brendon Pickerill, Dan Waenga
MO
Roar Rookie
Don’t say that mate. What if Charlie gamble or Jerome brown go back. Shirley plenty good super level loosies in nz.
ThugbyFan
Roar Guru
Crusaders’ big weakness is their halves. They really need to open the purse and scout around for a decent experienced half + flyhalf. The Tahs ran through their halves at will. I kept thinking “where is the damned Saders’ flanker to protect the hole?”
MO
Roar Rookie
Agree mate. The crusaders will make the semis and then they do have enough to find a win or to avoid losing and thereby win anyway.
ThugbyFan
Roar Guru
Yes, as I said some excellent cattle (including Sam Whitelock) rocked up right as the finals came along and the team went up a gear. Some of that great cattle have gone off to collect their pension in Japan/Europe and the Crusaders now need to be patient as the replacements learn how to play SRP level. They are still a good side and will improve.
JD Kiwi
Roar Rookie
Except it wasn't like that. He saw the blue arm head towards the ball, didn't see the red arm, did see the grounding. Would have been prudent to check, but that would have taken time which wasn't needed when the TMO was there.
PaddyBoy
Roar Rookie
Was really happy to hear Schmidt mention Sinclair at halftime. He seems like a real workmanlike sort of guy on and off field. Tahs 2nd and back row looked great.
Redbeard
Roar Rookie
Well done Tahs! A little bit scrappy on the edges but great resilience. Was holding my breath, waiting for/ expecting the Saders to change gear, but it never happened. Maybe Penney, and team, have a soft spot for Coleman?
PaddyBoy
Roar Rookie
Well done Tahs, great work around the breakdown, strong in defense, a bit of style in attack, especially when Bell and the 2nd rowers started breaking lines, they looked really really good. Bit scrappy still in attack so plenty of room for improvement. This makes me even more keen for the next two games. Crusaders looking like they’ll need some time to adjust, but if Gordon, Edmed and the centres (was it Walton and Wilson?) can continue that kind of connection Tahs could be on!!
MO
Roar Rookie
Important to remember whitelock was a big reason for the crusaders win. He had a great game in the final and he is one of the greats.
terrence
Roar Rookie
The crusaders were pretty average.
AndyS
Roar Rookie
Will be interesting to keep an eye on, see if ‘anything I can’t see is a try unless someone proves otherwise‘ is what gets applied going forward, and applied generally.
WEST
Roar Guru
No worries mate! Just do this consistently for fifteen rounds, then the Play-offs :thumbup: no sweat! :silly:
JC
Roar Rookie
Gordon just tries too hard at Test level because his place isn’t assured. If he relaxed and played his natural game, he’d be a terrific Wallaby.
Vesi Tagoiagea
Roar Rookie
Great game Tahs Make it all the way to the final now you beat the champion.
Cannonball
Roar Rookie
You may note nobody has liked or replied to your comment. We’ve been burned too many times with that sort of hope think :laughing:
Cannonball
Roar Rookie
Sacking Rob Penney worked wonders for the Tahs, so why not do it again?
Cannonball
Roar Rookie
CG was good, but not great IMO. They also played an injury depleted Force, not last year’s champions. And I’m a Rebels supporter.
ThugbyFan
Roar Guru
Its a great result for the Tahs. Especially that should shut the moaners up trying to sack Darren Coleman and put their man in (wonders if M.Cheika was watching the game). It would be a disaster to punt the coach, who lets face fact has done well even if he is still on SR coach learners wheels. Even more so considering the agitators in the board room screeching "its the coach's fault" are the same clowns who turned the Tahs into a financial basket case.
Cannonball
Roar Rookie
Tarts had a good win against the 2023 champs, drink away!
RichTheTraveller
Roar Rookie
Yeah, I thought Kiss came off the better from that coaching montage last week but I'm still glad Coleman had his own brand of effectiveness this week