cyRil
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written by cyRil
Crusaders 25-19 Chiefs
Carter shines as Cantabs grind out win
The Crusaders kept up the pressure on the Blues at the top of the New Zealand SupeRugby conference and made amends for their loss at the hands of the Cheetahs last week with an attritional and hard-fought win over the Chiefs in Napier on Saturday night.
Dan Carter produced a stellar performance with the boot and ball in hand, contributing a 20-point haul, whilst second row Luke Romano scored the hosts' sole try that put paid to their Waikato adversaries.
Carter was once again in mercurial form
It was New Zealand's irreplaceable stand-off that got the game up and running in the 2nd minute, slotting an easy penalty from just outside the 22; ample reward for the feisty spirit the home side had shown from the start.
The scores were soon level however, when George Whitelock was penalised for not rolling away from the ruck; Carter's Kiwi back-up Stephen Donald having no trouble in leveling the scores.
Both sides had begun brightly, showing good hands, footwork, and the right intentions to make the game an attractive one to watch for the paying punters - encouraging signs for an open encounter between two of the competitions' most exciting teams.
Yet an uncharacteristic miss from a drop goal 10 metres out from Carter failed to reward some patient and incisive Crusaders' build up play, his mis-field further punished moments later as Donald placed his second penalty attempt through the posts to give the visitors a 6-3 lead after 15 minutes.
There had not been much in it during the opening exchanges, both sides testing the other out with strong running and uncompromising tackling, but without a lot actually working for either the 'Saders or the Chiefs due to petty mistakes and slips.
Handling errors were proving the bane of both teams and preventing any real penetrative attacking and continuity of play. Todd Blackadder's home side were looking the more dangerous with ball in hand - able runners Robbie Freuan and Zac Guildford causing problems in the Chiefs' defence with their speed, guile and strength - but a lack of tangible support for these players was their undoing at crucial times, possession being coughed through turnovers on a number of occasions.
Muliaina and McCaw tussle for supremacy on Friday night
With 10 minutes until half-time, Carter showed once again why he is considered one of the greatest players on the planet with a scything break out of his own 22. The playmaker, spotting a gap, suddenly turned on the gas to break clear of Chiefs defenders, galloping downfield with purpose but again had no support at the vital time, and the moment - and ball - were lost by full-back Tom Marshall as he attempted to receive the difficult pass from his fly-half.
But just as the healthy crowd in Napier thought the Crusaders endeavours in the first period would prove fruitless and the Chiefs would go in at the break with a slender 3-point advantage, Donald was pinged for offside, and Carter converted the simplest of shots at goal to tie the scores 6-6 at the interval.
The second half was a much more one-sided affair, one that got off to the best possible start in the 43rd minute when Crusaders lock Romano broke free of some abject Chiefs tackling and was allowed to rumble his way through the defence and crash over the line.
Carter added the extras to give the hosts a 13-6 lead to build upon for the remainder of the half.
The following exchanges were again much of the same for both sides, with the two fly-halves swapping penalties to make the score 16-9 to the Crusaders with half an hour left to play.
It was at this point that the home side's forwards really kicked into action and asserted their authority and dominance over a comparatively tame back-row at the breakdown and a crumbling front-row at the scrum. Their command over this facet of the game was almost absolute, and gave them the platform required to ensure that although the scoreline remained close throughout, the men from Canterbury were never in real danger of letting their lead slip.
The score read 19-12 in the Crusaders' favour heading in to the final 10 minutes of play as another almighty front 8 shove at a Chiefs scrum won the ball against the head. The visitors' pack looked completely spent, and what ball they did manage to win was used ineffectually by a backline that was too flat, rigid and slow to cause their opposition any real trouble.
Carter brings his all-time SupeRugby points tally to 1191
With minutes left Carter took an opportunistic 3 points with a drop goal on the run from 10 metres out, and further extended his side's lead moments later from the tee after another Chiefs scrum had been systematically taken apart.
With the clock gone red the Chiefs were left to play for pride, and charismatic wing-forward Liam Messam earned it after picking up from the base of a ruck and diving over in the right-hand corner. The TMO could referee Stuart Dickinson no reason to not award the try, and Donald expertly converted from out wide to give the Chiefs an unlikely losing bonus point.
The result all but ends the Chiefs' push for a play-off place, whilst the Crusaders are given a welcome boost to their team as they now look to prepare for a mouthwatering tie with the Reds in Brisbane next weekend.
Star Man: Dan Carter – Ran the show from first to last, controlled the pace of the game and contributed a handy 20 points from the boot.
5 metre flop: Ben Afeaki – Dropped off some crucial tackles – including one leading to Romano's try – and played his part in an abysmal Chiefs scrum.
Crusaders 25-19 Chiefs
Carter shines as Cantabs grind out win
The Crusaders kept up the pressure on the Blues at the top of the New Zealand SupeRugby conference and made amends for their loss at the hands of the Cheetahs last week with an attritional and hard-fought win over the Chiefs in Napier on Saturday night.
Dan Carter produced a stellar performance with the boot and ball in hand, contributing a 20-point haul, whilst second row Luke Romano scored the hosts' sole try that put paid to their Waikato adversaries.
Carter was once again in mercurial form
It was New Zealand's irreplaceable stand-off that got the game up and running in the 2nd minute, slotting an easy penalty from just outside the 22; ample reward for the feisty spirit the home side had shown from the start.
The scores were soon level however, when George Whitelock was penalised for not rolling away from the ruck; Carter's Kiwi back-up Stephen Donald having no trouble in leveling the scores.
Both sides had begun brightly, showing good hands, footwork, and the right intentions to make the game an attractive one to watch for the paying punters - encouraging signs for an open encounter between two of the competitions' most exciting teams.
Yet an uncharacteristic miss from a drop goal 10 metres out from Carter failed to reward some patient and incisive Crusaders' build up play, his mis-field further punished moments later as Donald placed his second penalty attempt through the posts to give the visitors a 6-3 lead after 15 minutes.
There had not been much in it during the opening exchanges, both sides testing the other out with strong running and uncompromising tackling, but without a lot actually working for either the 'Saders or the Chiefs due to petty mistakes and slips.
Handling errors were proving the bane of both teams and preventing any real penetrative attacking and continuity of play. Todd Blackadder's home side were looking the more dangerous with ball in hand - able runners Robbie Freuan and Zac Guildford causing problems in the Chiefs' defence with their speed, guile and strength - but a lack of tangible support for these players was their undoing at crucial times, possession being coughed through turnovers on a number of occasions.
Muliaina and McCaw tussle for supremacy on Friday night
With 10 minutes until half-time, Carter showed once again why he is considered one of the greatest players on the planet with a scything break out of his own 22. The playmaker, spotting a gap, suddenly turned on the gas to break clear of Chiefs defenders, galloping downfield with purpose but again had no support at the vital time, and the moment - and ball - were lost by full-back Tom Marshall as he attempted to receive the difficult pass from his fly-half.
But just as the healthy crowd in Napier thought the Crusaders endeavours in the first period would prove fruitless and the Chiefs would go in at the break with a slender 3-point advantage, Donald was pinged for offside, and Carter converted the simplest of shots at goal to tie the scores 6-6 at the interval.
The second half was a much more one-sided affair, one that got off to the best possible start in the 43rd minute when Crusaders lock Romano broke free of some abject Chiefs tackling and was allowed to rumble his way through the defence and crash over the line.
Carter added the extras to give the hosts a 13-6 lead to build upon for the remainder of the half.
The following exchanges were again much of the same for both sides, with the two fly-halves swapping penalties to make the score 16-9 to the Crusaders with half an hour left to play.
It was at this point that the home side's forwards really kicked into action and asserted their authority and dominance over a comparatively tame back-row at the breakdown and a crumbling front-row at the scrum. Their command over this facet of the game was almost absolute, and gave them the platform required to ensure that although the scoreline remained close throughout, the men from Canterbury were never in real danger of letting their lead slip.
The score read 19-12 in the Crusaders' favour heading in to the final 10 minutes of play as another almighty front 8 shove at a Chiefs scrum won the ball against the head. The visitors' pack looked completely spent, and what ball they did manage to win was used ineffectually by a backline that was too flat, rigid and slow to cause their opposition any real trouble.
Carter brings his all-time SupeRugby points tally to 1191
With minutes left Carter took an opportunistic 3 points with a drop goal on the run from 10 metres out, and further extended his side's lead moments later from the tee after another Chiefs scrum had been systematically taken apart.
With the clock gone red the Chiefs were left to play for pride, and charismatic wing-forward Liam Messam earned it after picking up from the base of a ruck and diving over in the right-hand corner. The TMO could referee Stuart Dickinson no reason to not award the try, and Donald expertly converted from out wide to give the Chiefs an unlikely losing bonus point.
The result all but ends the Chiefs' push for a play-off place, whilst the Crusaders are given a welcome boost to their team as they now look to prepare for a mouthwatering tie with the Reds in Brisbane next weekend.
Star Man: Dan Carter – Ran the show from first to last, controlled the pace of the game and contributed a handy 20 points from the boot.
5 metre flop: Ben Afeaki – Dropped off some crucial tackles – including one leading to Romano's try – and played his part in an abysmal Chiefs scrum.
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