Taylor: 31 points for the Crusaders
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The Crusaders brought the Stormers' unbeaten run in this season's Super Rugby tournament to an end thanks to a well-earned 31-24 win in Christchurch on Saturday.
Fly-half Tom Taylor stole the show by contributing all of his side's points with a try, conversion and eight penalties in what was a flawless performance by the Crusaders young gun.
Even though the visitors outscored their hosts two tries to one, their discipline let them down in the end but deserved to snatch a losing bonus point in injury time.
It was always going to be a tough day at the office for the Stormers, after losing both their first-choice locks to injury in the opening 20 minutes of the match.
But they soldiered on and managed to stay within touching distance of the seven-time champions throughout the thrilling encounter - cutting the deficit down to just one point (22-21) with a quarter of the game to play, before that man Taylor sealed the deal with his faultless boot.
The result keeps the Stormers on top of the Super Rugby standings although the Chiefs could move ahead of them with a victory over the Cheetahs later in the round.
The Crusaders moved up to seventh place overall but remained fourth in their conference indicating how tight the New Zealand conference is currently.
There were errors in this match that will be rightly criticised, but there were also superlative exhibitions of skill, unrelenting showings of power and no small measure of guts.
Taylor scored the first try of the game, after straight running and quick hands saw the ball worked to Corey Flynn on the wing and his inside pass put Taylor over.
Taylor added the extras but the visitors hit back through a Peter Grant penalty and a Juan de Jongh try after the centre hacked on a spilled pass from Carter and won the footrace to score. Pietersen added the touchline conversion to level the scores (10-10).
The Crusaders survived Wyatt Crockett's 10 minutes in the bin for a high tackle on Siya Kolisi which deserved little more than a penalty, but still went into the half-time sheds 19-13 up through three more Taylor penalties while Pietersen kept his team in the hunt with a penalty of his own.
Taylor continued to keep the scoreboard ticking over, until the Stormers cut the gap when Dewaldt Duvenage's clever cross-kick was gathered by Bryan Habana who finished. Pietersen missed the conversion which would have put them ahead.
Disaster struck for the Stormers after losing Rynardt Elstadt - shifted to lock in the absence of Andries Bekker and Eben Etzebeth - to the bin for a similar offence to that of Crockett.
It was another dubious call by referee Chris Pollock, and the Stormers spent a crucial period of the game with only seven forwards on the park.
Through Taylor's unerring boot, the hosts scored nine points while Elstadt was on the sideline and at 31-21 the game was over.
Grant nailed a well-taken penalty well after the siren though to earn the visitors a losing bonus point they thoroughly deserved for their part in a magnificent game.
The scorers:
For Crusaders:
Try: Taylor
Con: Taylor
Pens: Taylor 8
For Stormers:
Tries: De Jongh, Habana
Con: Pietersen
Pens: Grant, Pietersen 2
Crusaders: 15 Israel Dagg, 14 Sean Maitland, 13 Robbie Fruean, 12 Dan Carter, 11 Zac Guildford, 10 Tom Taylor, 9 Andy Ellis, 8 Kieran Read (c), 7 Matt Todd, 6 George Whitelock, 5 Sam Whitelock, 4 Tom Donnelly, 3 Ben Franks, 2 Corey Flynn, 1 Wyatt Crockett.
Replacements: 16 Quentin MacDonald, 17 Owen Franks, 18 Luke Romano, 19 Luke Whitelock, 20 Willi Heinz, 21 Ryan Crotty, 22 Tom Marshall.
Stormers: 15 Joe Pietersen, 14 Gerhard van den Heever, 13 Juan de Jongh, 12 Jean de Villiers (c), 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Peter Grant, 9 Dewaldt Duvenage, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Rynhardt Elstadt, 6 Siya Kolisi, 5 Andries Bekker, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Brok Harris, 2 Tiaan Liebenberg, 1 Steven Kitshoff.
Replacements: 16 Deon Fourie, 17 Frans Malherbe, 18 De Kock Steenkamp, 19 Nizaam Carr, 20 Louis Schreuder, 21 Burton Francis, 22 Gio Aplon/ JP du Plessis.
Referee: Chris Pollock (New Zealand)
Comments
brands says...
@ wallyroo
im sure he/she's a big girl and can stick up for him/her self, put the nurses uniform back in the cuboard!!
Posted 07:51 18th April 2012
Ramage says...
Whats the count now of posts on here calling NZ refs cheats and the worst in the world and the conspiracy theories of how NZ is favoured and SA is persecuted its more than 1 philipjfry. In the posts where we criticise those SA fans who consistently claim these thingsdo not say this is all South Africans and it is not an attack on all South Africans in general, just those with twisted minds that see cheating referees every time it is a NZ official.
Posted 10:51 17th April 2012
philipjfry says...
@Trader: It's the 'you Saffas and cheating refs' that irks me. If I posted that all New Zealanders (I'm assuming you're a kiwi) are from Invercargill, have mullets and make it with ewes you might be offended, because not all of you are from Invercargill or have mullets or do the nasty with livestock.
Posted 15:01 16th April 2012
darthbok says...
what a shabby ref -- the saders were off side at will -- didnt bother to release the tackled player, and as for their scrumming, sad -- the yellow cards we`rnt even penalties --- so far some of the worst refs are from new zealand , why not get some northern hemisphere refs down -- or at least get a neutral ref to officiate -this games should have had an ozzie ref -- lawrence, pollock -whoever next ---
Posted 21:53 15th April 2012
isthatrightref says...
A gutsy performance & a great result but needs to be backed up, starting with Horrorcanes this week at our bogey ground - minimum of 3 wins from the 5 we've got left v NZ opposition & 2 from 3 v oz required unless 'canes or Highlanders totally self-destruct - also probably need a couple of results to go our way e.g. Brumbies beating Bulls would be nice...
@ Bok-something says - as predicted, if a little late (must be having issues with his broadband like me atm) "another NZ team bailed out by a cheating NZ referee..." & on another thread something-Bok says something about Kaplan being under IRB orders to ref SA teams out of games... what is it with you guys? Can you just not accept that sometimes your team is second-best on the day?
@ bloemboy... I suspect they were booing the knock-on by Joe Pietersen: saw the game on a small screen at the local RSL & no sound - Brisbane may be Reds home town but in these parts NRL & ARL rule - so could be wrong about that... it goes without saying that no SA crowd has EVER booed an opposition try, eh.
@ zambokke... Reds are ahead of Waratahs as they've won 1 more game which takes precedence over points differential. If Brumbies lose this week & either or both Reds & 'tahs win, one of them will swap places with Brumbies... madness!
@ Trader... looking at the draw I'd say your Higlanders are still slight favourites to qualify - x2 v Blues whereas Crusaders have x2 v 'canes - esp if the Delany thing gets sorted (what's the hold up? Joseph now saying he's only 50/50 to get onboard), can't see us both making it unless Bulls or Horrorcanes totally implode.
Posted 21:46 15th April 2012
carpelone says...
Frustrating match to see, even if it could have gone either way.
JdV seems to be back to form, what did the hell happened to Gerhard VdH? He looks like my father in law. He does not seem fit, does he?
Pollock is developing nicely, truly a Bryce Lawrence in the making, the last fifteen minutes were a cameo.
The lack of consistency of refereeing is putting the whole rugby game at risk.
Posted 18:48 15th April 2012
jonesy2 says...
haha BokAvenger is that why south africa are so far behind australia and new zealand, because they dont realise what makes a great prop is ability to win the ball over at the breakdown?
Posted 10:50 15th April 2012
StunTheMullet says...
Crusaders just gave the Stormers a taste of their own dull tactics.
Posted 09:58 15th April 2012
KiwiLad says...
Bokavenger, are bou BokVan Dam with a new name???
Posted 07:45 15th April 2012
sandal says...
@rolf
You say: ""2:1 tries. i dont wann hear any NZ complaints re. footballing anymore!""
I have some interesting stats from the weekend:
In three games, South African teams scored eight tries against New Zealand opposition. Those eight included four from interceptions and two abetted by undetected knock-ons.
New Zealand teams scored eight tries in those same matches. Those eight included one from an interception and none, far as I can recall, from knockons (I stand to be corrected).
Of course, that is just the one weekend. But all three South African teams scored from interceptions, and we New Zealand fans have been watching this go on for years -- in my case, since 1970.
It reflects what many of us recognise about South African teams. Most aren't that creative; they reap a lot of tries from aggressive defence: quickly to the gain line, they profit from interceptions and charge-downs. Many other tries are executed through brute force -- waves of big forwards smashing their way through their opponents. Of course, a try is a try is a try. And rugby is glorious in its variety. But don't try to make us believe you're exponents of the beautiful game, rolf.
Posted 07:08 15th April 2012
sandal says...
@zambokke
You say: ""I bet that one of our guys was guaranteed to be yellow carded if the game was close in the final quarter.""
What? Did you know that Rynardt Elstadt, like Wyatt Crockett earlier in the game, would commit a high tackle, and be carded, in the final minutes? Are you running a betting scam like that of the Asian bookmakers who found allies in the Pakistan cricket team? And are you saying that Elstadt is a co-conspirator? If this is true, then someone needs to tell Interpol.
You say further: ""I also bet that they would convert at least 6 penalties at the Crusaders lovely new stadium."" Did you also bet that the Cheetahs would convert seven penalties against the Chiefs at their stadium in Bloemfontein? Those two on a multiplier would be highly lucrative. I'm assuming, of course, that you've roped referees Kaplan and Pollock into your betting conspiracy.
Posted 06:48 15th April 2012
martinmarais78 says...
Naikok/Daibok, take your fishbreath somewhere else Boet! Talk rugby, what do you have to say about the game? Maybe you should stick to the local soutie dagga and surf blogs or your playstation with the rest of your IT nerdies!
Posted 06:19 15th April 2012
sonsofsamoa says...
Still laughing at the Stormers players who decided to celebrate their tries by dancing it was really shameful and embarrassing to watch .. At least Masaga and Cipriani know how to dougie properly (that's what the dance move is called).. Habana and De Jongh look constipated with their attempts.. on another note great win for the crusaders!!
Posted 03:23 15th April 2012
safehands says...
Just a thought......especially for our super negative friends on here....which one of you has ever seen a rugby match where the referee has had every decision correct, the players never got away with indescretions which gained their team points and every fan walked away from the game happy?
I'll answer it for you......none!!!!
Posted 02:06 15th April 2012
isthatrightref says...
@ Trader... your Highlanders have a 3-point buffer & x2 games v Blues, my Crusaders have h&a v Horrorcanes so atm I'd say it's 60/40 in favour of Highlanders qualifying & Crusaders 7th - hard to see both making the cut unless Horrorcanes completely self-destruct, which they have so far shown no sign of.
Posted 01:35 15th April 2012
kpe12 says...
@Manwarrior
"Can't buy a win in CHCH"
Just to clarify, the Stormers have never won in CHCH ever, despite being a better team on occasions.
Personally I think that their style of play is very Crusadersesque from the early 2000's, in your face defense, do anything to stop the try. And their offensive pass speed flat with hard running. They are a tough outfit and will be deserved finalists if they can make it keeping up this current form.
Only thing I think they need to be careful of is they ride that offside line and if refs like yesterday catch them, they will need to adjust better.
Posted 01:29 15th April 2012
isthatrightref says...
@ bloemboy... knock-on by Pietersen (I think: watched it on a small screen at the local RSL with the sound down, Brisbane may be home of the Reds but here in the South West at least NRL & AFL rule) probably led to the booing.
@ zambokke...Reds are 9th on strength of having won 1 more game than 'tahs, even though they have a worse points differential.
Gutsy performance, great result but needs to be backed up with at least 3 wins from the 5 we'll play against NZ teams ('canes twice, others once) & 2 from 3 v oz teams - absolute minimum required to get into & stay in Top 6 imo - hopefully we can beat the Westpac Stadium hoodoo next week!
Posted 00:13 15th April 2012
JayStarr says...
I am not too upset that the Stormers lost...
I knew they had a chance to win this one, but after the massive disruptions they faced early on by losing Andries Bekker and Eben Etzebeth (meaning their line-outs, scrums, mauls and defense would all lose their edge) - and then their best kicker Peter Grant's eye injury... and then the loss of their 3rd lock Rynhardt Elstadt for 10 minutes at a crucial point in the game... and then and then - It was all too much.
I'm just proud of them for keeping it together and still getting a bonus point. That took some digging deep.
The ref/s had quite a shocker - but it went both ways, so it's not the reason for this loss.
The Crusaders played as I thought they would - with all the tactical kicking, etc - and the Stormers counter-punched well, but in the end the 'Saders won the chess match.
Well done Tom Taylor - I like him and was happy to see he got another chance to start... and I think he then proved that he's a future star. Really nice guy too.
I think the Stormers needed this loss in a way - now the monkey is off their back... and it's not at all embarrassing to lose against the Crusaders in Christchurch.
Now I hope they get a good rest, re-focus and then take their frustrations out on the Reds next week. I expect them to get their 2nd bonus point of the season in that one - but this time for scoring more than 4 tries..!
Posted 23:30 14th April 2012
brands says...
@ BokAvenger
you truly truly are a muppet! I have read your pathetic posts on other threads, it really does confirm what an idiot you are, no wonder you back a looser team and your own countrymen think your a prat!
Posted 22:40 14th April 2012
morgansunfish says...
ramage, u are obviously talking about your own bleating, keep up the medication.
Posted 21:43 14th April 2012