cyRil
First XV
- Joined
- Jun 22, 2008
- Messages
- 2,298
- Country Flag
- Club or Nation
HURRICANES 14-42 CRUSADERS
Visitors blow hosts away in Wellington
The Crusaders ran in five tries as they took an insipid Hurricanes outfit to the cleaners at Westpac Stadium on Saturday night, to record an important victory
Touchdowns from Kieran Read, Daniel Carter, Robbie Fruean and a brace from Israel Dagg contributed to a thoroughly convincing win for the visitors, a result that puts them - momentarily at least - into the top 6 and the final 'wild card' play-off position.
The Crusaders got off to the perfect start when fly-half Tom Taylor manufactured space in midfield with a neat inside ball for Zac Guildford, the winger showing his pace before using his supporting Number 8 Read who dove over for the opening try.
Taylor added the easy extras and was on target again moments later to put his side 10-0 to the good after Hurricanes' Victor Vito was pinged for slowing the ball down.
The backs were at it again shortly after the twenty minute mark when Andy Ellis found Dagg from a ruck, the mercurial full-back busting a tame tackle from Jeffrey Toomaga-Allen before flicking back inside to Ellis who sped into the 22, drew opposing full-back Andre Taylor and fed Dan Carter out wide for a simple run-in and a fitting score on his 100th Super Rugby appearance.
Taylor made it three from three off the tee with the resulting conversion and although his 50m penalty shot kissed the crossbar and fell short in the 25th minute, he redeemed himself just before the half-hour mark with a significantly simpler chance, after Karl Lowe was penalised for handling in the ruck.
The Hurricanes had been totally overwhelmed in the opening exchanges and were finding it increasingly difficult to ignite any play or forge go-forward ball with the scant possession the Crusaders had allowed them.
With little working for the backs, it was left to the 'hit-and-hope' lottery of the high bomb more often than not, and it was this tactic that Taylor employed as he received the ball in his own 22 just after the clock hit 30.
Up the ball went and off Taylor tore after it. But down it came and there was only one player winning it in the air - Robbie Fruean. The Crusaders centre claimed the ball with authority on half-way before showing admirable strength and pace to shrug off the chasing pack of Hurricane defenders, feinted to go inside before shimmying back out and outpacing 'Canes winger Richard Buckman from 25 metres out to slide over the whitewash for the perceived killer score; Tom Taylor converting.
Minutes later the game really was up.
Following a penalty at scrum-time committed by 'Canes loose-head Ben May the Crusaders looked once again to squeeze their opponents by kicking for touch. Read smashed the ball up for what seemed like the hundredth time in the half before quickly shipping the ball out to the backs who showed great hands and slick passing to put Dagg in at the left-hand corner.
It was a flowing and sweetly taken score, but one that surely should not have been allowed as two forward passes were clearly missed by referee Craig Joubert in the build-up; and the Hurricanes may have felt particularly aggrieved as they had been denied a chance of their own moments earlier when Dane Coles was picked up for a similarly borderline indiscretion.
The try stood, however, and another sublime Taylor touchline conversion added the extras for the rampant visitors, who really had put their hosts to the sword in the first 40.
The 'Canes had been blown away in all respects - the forwards had been pummelled for the full half in contact allowing for the Crusaders superior backs to cut up their opposing numbers with consummate ease - but the home XV gave themselves the tiniest sliver of hope on the stroke of half-time as Andre Taylor showed some individual brilliance and elusive running to evade four would-be tacklers and slide over in the corner, with Beauden Barrett nudging the conversion through the sticks.
A sloppy start to the second period saw the Hurricanes enjoy the majority of possession within the Crusaders' 22 and with a 25-point deficit to make up the Wellington franchise had started with an urgency and purpose that had been completely lacking prior to the interval.
Their revival was epitomised by the straight-forward manner in which Vito quickly tapped a penalty and went from 5 metres out, dashing over the line before the Crusaders could properly react there was no stopping the All Blacks back-rower; and the conversion making it 32-14 an small element of doubt may have been creeping into the minds of the visiting Cantabs.
The Hurricanes had finally shown up to the party and were looking irrepressible as a great piece of innovative play from Buckman created an opening for Andre Taylor who dashed down the wing headed for the line, but Crusaders scramble defence did just enough to usher him into touch.
This was a period of the game in which the hosts had to capitalise on the momentum they had created and gain another quick score - but that was exactly what the Crusaders were not going to let them have; and some accurate tactical from Taylor in the pivot position helped to cool things down.
The young playmaker's second penalty of the night extended the visitors' lead again and all but extinguished the fight that had momentarily filled the 'Canes players.
As the game reached it's final quarter Read, Ellis, Carter and co. really rubbed salt in the wounds.
From the base of a scrum, Read picked and went, bursting yet another hole in the Hurricanes defence and with other impressive forwards Mat Todd and George Whitelock smashing it up to establish a strong platform the ball was released out wide, where the clinical backs took full advantage of superior numbers and lacklustre tackling for Dagg to go over and put the game to bed.
Star Man: KIERAN READ (CRUSADERS) - At the heart of everything his side did on the night. Carried and tackled relentlessly, the stand-out player on the pitch looks every bit the best Number 8 in the world right now.
5-metre Flop: BEAUDEN BARRETT (HURRICANES) - Perhaps a harsh call considering the fly-half's tender age, but the man who has produced so many great displays this season so far could conjure nothing of worth and his influence was extremely minimal against a baying Crusaders outfit.
Follow me @ThomasODavies on Twitter
Back to Blog
Visitors blow hosts away in Wellington
The Crusaders ran in five tries as they took an insipid Hurricanes outfit to the cleaners at Westpac Stadium on Saturday night, to record an important victory
Touchdowns from Kieran Read, Daniel Carter, Robbie Fruean and a brace from Israel Dagg contributed to a thoroughly convincing win for the visitors, a result that puts them - momentarily at least - into the top 6 and the final 'wild card' play-off position.
The Crusaders got off to the perfect start when fly-half Tom Taylor manufactured space in midfield with a neat inside ball for Zac Guildford, the winger showing his pace before using his supporting Number 8 Read who dove over for the opening try.
Taylor added the easy extras and was on target again moments later to put his side 10-0 to the good after Hurricanes' Victor Vito was pinged for slowing the ball down.
The backs were at it again shortly after the twenty minute mark when Andy Ellis found Dagg from a ruck, the mercurial full-back busting a tame tackle from Jeffrey Toomaga-Allen before flicking back inside to Ellis who sped into the 22, drew opposing full-back Andre Taylor and fed Dan Carter out wide for a simple run-in and a fitting score on his 100th Super Rugby appearance.
Taylor made it three from three off the tee with the resulting conversion and although his 50m penalty shot kissed the crossbar and fell short in the 25th minute, he redeemed himself just before the half-hour mark with a significantly simpler chance, after Karl Lowe was penalised for handling in the ruck.
The Hurricanes had been totally overwhelmed in the opening exchanges and were finding it increasingly difficult to ignite any play or forge go-forward ball with the scant possession the Crusaders had allowed them.
With little working for the backs, it was left to the 'hit-and-hope' lottery of the high bomb more often than not, and it was this tactic that Taylor employed as he received the ball in his own 22 just after the clock hit 30.
Up the ball went and off Taylor tore after it. But down it came and there was only one player winning it in the air - Robbie Fruean. The Crusaders centre claimed the ball with authority on half-way before showing admirable strength and pace to shrug off the chasing pack of Hurricane defenders, feinted to go inside before shimmying back out and outpacing 'Canes winger Richard Buckman from 25 metres out to slide over the whitewash for the perceived killer score; Tom Taylor converting.
Minutes later the game really was up.
Following a penalty at scrum-time committed by 'Canes loose-head Ben May the Crusaders looked once again to squeeze their opponents by kicking for touch. Read smashed the ball up for what seemed like the hundredth time in the half before quickly shipping the ball out to the backs who showed great hands and slick passing to put Dagg in at the left-hand corner.
It was a flowing and sweetly taken score, but one that surely should not have been allowed as two forward passes were clearly missed by referee Craig Joubert in the build-up; and the Hurricanes may have felt particularly aggrieved as they had been denied a chance of their own moments earlier when Dane Coles was picked up for a similarly borderline indiscretion.
The try stood, however, and another sublime Taylor touchline conversion added the extras for the rampant visitors, who really had put their hosts to the sword in the first 40.
The 'Canes had been blown away in all respects - the forwards had been pummelled for the full half in contact allowing for the Crusaders superior backs to cut up their opposing numbers with consummate ease - but the home XV gave themselves the tiniest sliver of hope on the stroke of half-time as Andre Taylor showed some individual brilliance and elusive running to evade four would-be tacklers and slide over in the corner, with Beauden Barrett nudging the conversion through the sticks.
A sloppy start to the second period saw the Hurricanes enjoy the majority of possession within the Crusaders' 22 and with a 25-point deficit to make up the Wellington franchise had started with an urgency and purpose that had been completely lacking prior to the interval.
Their revival was epitomised by the straight-forward manner in which Vito quickly tapped a penalty and went from 5 metres out, dashing over the line before the Crusaders could properly react there was no stopping the All Blacks back-rower; and the conversion making it 32-14 an small element of doubt may have been creeping into the minds of the visiting Cantabs.
The Hurricanes had finally shown up to the party and were looking irrepressible as a great piece of innovative play from Buckman created an opening for Andre Taylor who dashed down the wing headed for the line, but Crusaders scramble defence did just enough to usher him into touch.
This was a period of the game in which the hosts had to capitalise on the momentum they had created and gain another quick score - but that was exactly what the Crusaders were not going to let them have; and some accurate tactical from Taylor in the pivot position helped to cool things down.
The young playmaker's second penalty of the night extended the visitors' lead again and all but extinguished the fight that had momentarily filled the 'Canes players.
As the game reached it's final quarter Read, Ellis, Carter and co. really rubbed salt in the wounds.
From the base of a scrum, Read picked and went, bursting yet another hole in the Hurricanes defence and with other impressive forwards Mat Todd and George Whitelock smashing it up to establish a strong platform the ball was released out wide, where the clinical backs took full advantage of superior numbers and lacklustre tackling for Dagg to go over and put the game to bed.
Star Man: KIERAN READ (CRUSADERS) - At the heart of everything his side did on the night. Carried and tackled relentlessly, the stand-out player on the pitch looks every bit the best Number 8 in the world right now.
5-metre Flop: BEAUDEN BARRETT (HURRICANES) - Perhaps a harsh call considering the fly-half's tender age, but the man who has produced so many great displays this season so far could conjure nothing of worth and his influence was extremely minimal against a baying Crusaders outfit.
Follow me @ThomasODavies on Twitter
Back to Blog
