Star man: Robbie Freuan
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Two tries from Robbie Freuan helped the Crusaders to a 37-33 bonus-point victory over the Waratahs on Sunday.
In what was widely predicted to be a one-sided clash due to the Sydney side's injury-depleted XV, it turned out to be much closer than expected.
An early try for home wing Atieli Pakalani was the message of intent from the Waratahs but the Crusaders in the end had too much in the tank, with centre Freuan picking up the man-of-the-match award following his two-try performance.
Both kickers had solid nights in front of goal, with Tom Taylor knocking over three penalties and four conversions from eight attempts, while Brendan McKibbin enjoyed a perfect six-from-six record that included four penalties and two conversions.
His first two points came after winger Pakalani capped off a flowing Waratahs play that involved Adam Ashley-Cooper, who was filling in at 15.
But then the Crusaders responded in the tenth minute as Fruean was put through a gap in the defence created by Andy Ellis' delayed pass and the centre rampaged to the whitewash from 40 out. Taylor's conversion was a simple one.
McKibbin put the home side back in front on the half-hour mark with a simple penalty but when Freuan set up wing Zac Guildford with a lovely offload, the tide looked to be turning.
It was 14-10 to the visitors following Taylor's extras, however, McKibbin was once again solid from the tee to make it a one-point ball game going into half-time at Allianz Stadium.
Soon after, Taylor was successful in front of goal just two minutes into the second period but when the Waratahs responded via Wycliff Palu's smart pick from the base of a scrum, the converted try pushed the Australian franchise back into the lead on 46 minutes.
It did not last long though as the seven-time Super Rugby champions went down the other end of the field and secured the bonus-point try in the 56th minute when the in-form Fruean scooted down the left touchline for a seemingly nigh on impossible score.
That prompted coach Todd Blackadder to send on Richie McCaw - returning for his first game since lifting the World Cup - and despite a McKibbin penalty and then Sarel Pretorius scoring a late converted try, Taylor's third penalty was enough to keep the 'Tahs at bay.
The scorers:
For Waratahs:
Tries: Pakalani, Palu, Pretorius
Con: McKibbin 2, Barnes
Pen: McKibbin 4
For Crusaders:
Tries: Freuan 2, Guildford, A Whitelock
Con: Taylor 4
Pen: Taylor 3
Waratahs: 15 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 14 Atieli Pakalani, 13 Tom Kingston, 12 Tom Carter, 11 Peter Betham, 10 Berrick Barnes, 9 Brendan McKibbin, 8 Wycliff Palu, 7 Jono Jenkins, 6 Dave Dennis, 5 Kane Douglas, 4 Dean Mumm, 3 Sekope Kepu, 2 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 1 Benn Robinson.
Replacements: 16 John Ulugia, 17 Jeremy Tilse, 18 Sitaleki Timani, 19 Lopeti Timani, 20 Rocky Elsom, 21 Sarel Pretorius, 22 Daniel Halangahu.
Crusaders: 15 Israel Dagg, 14 Adam Whitelock, 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 Luke Romano, 4 Tom Donnelly, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Corey Flynn, 1 Ben Franks.
Replacements: 16 Ben Funnell, 17 Wyatt Crockett, 18 Samuel Whitelock, 19 Richie McCaw, 20 Willi Heinz, 21 Ryan Crotty, 22 Tom Marshall.
Referee: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa)
Comments
isthatrightref says...
@ Trinats2... the most they can win in June is 2, unless they somehow make the Top 6, doing so will require them to win a few in May... similarly, the Reds getting their injured players back in June won't matter unless they can somehow overtake the Brumbies prior - geez, I'd have thought even you would've been able to work that one out.
Posted 11:36 30th April 2012
Trinats2 says...
isthatrightref:
You are jumping the gun. I said after June they will be very hard to beat. Nothing of winning the comp, being on top or playing the Brumbies this weekend. You are a Kiwi so explains not reading it correctly !!! (that's a tongue in cheek joke before retard fires back)
Posted 10:38 30th April 2012
hayj05 says...
Reid is immense, quickly becoming my favourite foward to watch. He's been in good form for the majority of 2 years now, the exception being the first few weeks of this campaign & you would have to think it had something to do with getting used to captaincy. But now that he has mastered that role of "actions speak louder than words" it's appears it's taken his game to another level. I think he's destined to be the future AB's captain.
@Lawnyd - I agree. If you can put up with 80 minutes of dribble, the Aussie commentators have fun & are always good for a laugh.
@Jonesy2 - You are probably already aware but the Crusaders are playing the Reds this week on Sunday arvo as well. When was the last time that happened in NZ? We need it the most too, our climate is not as forgiving as Australia's or South Africa's.
Posted 08:45 30th April 2012
jonesy2 says...
really great game on the sunday arvo, why not more of it?. read is just a ridiculous man, so good even the refs cant believe it and accidendly ping him for offside haha. fruean is a monster where has he been for last few months, him and ZG are yelling at the top of their voices to be picked for the AB's first test. isthatrightref that was donnelly not romano
Posted 06:44 30th April 2012
hayj05 says...
@Isthatrightref - Yeah has was class but my player of the day was "Freuan"
Posted 03:18 30th April 2012
isthatrightref says...
@ Trinats2 says Waratahs "will be very hard to beat after the June break with most of their injured players returning..."
First there's the small matter of Brumbies this week followed by Bulls then a trip to SA where if memory serves oz teams haven't gone so well of late, then back home for the Horrorcanes: unless they can beat the Brumbies then back it up with 3 wins from the other 4 (Cape Town may be tough) all the returning players won't matter a damn 'cos their season will be over already... a bit like your lot, actually.
@ Trader... I keep telling you, your Highlanders are safe esp now the Horrorcanes have got the yips... don't much like their likely playoff draw, though, unless they contrive to finish 6th: 5th probably means Pretoria - Hamilton - Cape Town if they go all the way, 6th Canberra - Cape Town - Hamilton, I know which I'd prefer...
Missed the Kearns howler but on balance I'm happy the sound was down 'cos 10 seconds of unintentional comic genius tends to get buried in 80 mins of sh1te :-)
Posted 23:02 29th April 2012
lawynd says...
Great game from both sides; it'll be interesting to see the fallout of the potential gouging incident though, after what happened in the Bulls - 'Saders game. I too thought Read was easily the best player on the park, and I'd like to make a special mention of the commentary team - I really dislike most of the Australian commentary but Rod Kafer is, as well as being pretty unbiased, a comedy genius. He's no Austin Healey on ESPN, but not far off! ;)
Posted 22:30 29th April 2012
Jediboy says...
isthatrightref - yeah, he was good too. But not as good as Fraun!!!
Doh....
Posted 20:20 29th April 2012
Wallaroo says...
Well done Saders.
I thought we played well and fought hard but with Fruean and company running wild it was always going to be tough day at the office.
Posted 13:29 29th April 2012
isthatrightref says...
@ Jediboy... FRUEN wasn't bad either :-)
Posted 12:57 29th April 2012
Trinats2 says...
Bugger, Tahs picked up a bonus (sorry Wallaroo !!)
A second string Tahs outfit looked very good and were in with a chance right to the death. They will be very hard to beat after the June break with most of their injured players returning. And they had the Crusaders scrum going in reverse.
Great to see rugby on a Sunday afternoon, although there was too much kicking for my liking. Best moment of the match was the look of disgust from McCaw after he was, yet again, caught off side, Gold ! But it's good to see him back.
Dave Dennis for wallaby selection, he is good enough to be a Queenslander !
Posted 12:43 29th April 2012
kpe12 says...
@jmanngod
Simple answer. No. Reid is the best rugby player right now.
Posted 10:56 29th April 2012
Jediboy says...
Fraun was quite simply brilliant. No doubt a future ABs star.
Posted 10:06 29th April 2012
ABlack says...
Crusaders are looking ominous... the tahs came back quite well though. What do the AB selectors do about Fruen? They have Smith, Kahui as incumbants at centre ,but you would expect them to not leave Fruen out for to long ,so he dosn't get impatient and scarper to Europe
Posted 09:54 29th April 2012
isthatrightref says...
Where to begin... isn't Sunday arvo footy great? Rock up to the local RSL, there's no league so the game's on the giant screen but the sound's down so you don't have to endure Clarky, Kearnsy & Marto... wifey (who prefers league) can play the pokies while you have a few quiet ones & enjoy the game...
Obviously Kaplan didn't get the "don't penalise McCheat" memo Bokwhinger alerted us to yesterday as he pinged him less than 10 minutes after he came on... in place of GW (hope no rugby lovers out there find that one-eyed, hateful or poisonous) rather than MT - made a decent go of it. too, imo.
Just as obviously Romano got gouged: got up from a ruck with blood p1ssing from the vicinity of his eye, no other possible explaination, really...
There's now a 6 point gap between 6th & 7th so unless someone crashes badly that's the playoff teams sorted, just the order to be finalised... hope we can stay 6th so we get an away qualifier in Canberra, away semi in Cape Town or (god forbid) Pretoria... and of course an away Final in Hamilton.
Bring on the Reds nek week...
Posted 09:41 29th April 2012