Crusaders crowned Super Rugby champions again

The Crusaders were crowned Super Rugby champions for the third successive year when they beat the Jaguares 19-3 in the final in Christchurch on Saturday.

In an action packed match, the Crusaders were deserved winners as they committed less unforced errors and although they were severely tested, they gained the upper-hand as the match progressed with Codie Taylor crossing for the only try of the match during the first half.

The rest of their points came via four penalties and a conversion from Richie Mo’unga while Joaquin Diaz Bonilla slotted a penalty for the Jaguares.

It was a typical champions showing from the home side, who did well to grind out a victory against a Jaguares’ outfit, who were very much up for the occasion.

The result is a significant one for the Crusaders as it means they have now won the tournament for a record 10th time.

The opening exchanges were evenly contested with both teams spending time inside their opponents’ half and although the Crusaders held a slight edge in the territorial and possession stakes, they conceded some turnovers which kept the Jaguares in the match.

And it was the visitors who opened the scoring in the 16th minute via Diaz Bonilla’s penalty after Bryn Hall infringed at the base of a scrum 15 metres inside the Crusaders’ half.

With points on the board, the game opened up and the Jaguares did most of the attacking during the next 10 minutes. There was no reward for their efforts, however, and that proved costly in the 25th minute when Taylor crossed for his try.

This, after Matt Todd did brilliantly to win a turnover midway between the halfway line and the Jaguares’ 22 before quick hands from Kieran Read got the ball out to Sam Whitelock. The Crusaders captain set off towards the try-line before throwing an inside pass to the on-rushing Taylor, who crashed over the try-line despite a desperate tackle from Tomas Cubelli.

Mo’unga added the extras but despite that setback, the Jaguares continued to attack and asked plenty of questions of the home side’s defence.

In the 37th minute, the men from Buenos Aires came close to scoring a try when a brilliant offload from Pablo Matera found Matias Moroni in space down the right-hand touchline inside the Crusaders’ 22.

He cut infield but a superb double-tackle from David Havili and Hall knocked the ball from his grasp as he crossed the try-line. That missed opportunity proved costly for the visitors as another Mo’unga penalty on the stroke of half-time gave the Crusaders a 10-3 lead at the interval.

The Jaguares continued to attack after the break and two minutes into the half they came close to scoring when Matera and Moroni combined brilliantly again deep inside the champions’ half, with only an interception from Jack Goodhue on Moroni’s pass to Matias Orlando close to the Crusaders’ try-line preventing a certain try.

The rest of the half was an arm wrestle with the visitors continuing to hammer away at the Crusaders’ try-line but the champions’ defence held firm. The home side also had fine moments on attack and in the 51st minute a quick tap penalty inside the Jaguares’ 22 caught the visitors by surprise. The Crusaders set up a driving maul and crossed the whitewash but Todd could not ground the ball under a mass of bodies.

Shortly afterwards, Mo’unga added another penalty and although the Jaguares continued to create try-scoring opportunities as the half progressed, they failed to add to their points tally.

In their rush to haul in the champions, the Jaguares continued to make errors, however, and when it was in goal-kicking range, Mo’unga punished them. The All Blacks pivot slotted another three-pointer off the kicking tee on the hour-mark and sealed his side’s win with his third penalty in the 75th minute.

The scorers:

For Crusaders:
Tries: Taylor
Cons: Mo’unga
Pens: Mo’unga 4

For Jaguares:
Pen: Diaz Bonilla

Crusaders: 15 David Havili, 14 Sevu Reece, 13 Braydon Ennor, 12 Jack Goodhue, 11 George Bridge, 10 Richie Mo’unga, 9 Bryn Hall, 8 Kieran Read, 7 Matt Todd, 6 Whetukamokamo Douglas, 5 Sam Whitelock (c), 4 Mitchell Dunshea, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Codie Taylor, 1 Joe Moody
Replacements: 16 Andrew Makalio, 17 George Bower, 18 Michael Alaalatoa, 19 Luke Romano, 20 Jordan Taufua, 21 Mitchell Drummond, 22 Mitchell Hunt, 23 Will Jordan

Jaguares: 15 Emiliano Boffelli, 14 Matias Moroni, 13 Matias Orlando, 12 Jeronimo de la Fuente (c), 11 Ramiro Moyano, 10 Joaquin Diaz Bonilla, 9 Tomas Cubelli, 8 Javier Ortega Desio, 7 Marcos Kremer, 6 Pablo Matera, 5 Tomas Lavanini, 4 Guido Petti, 3 Santiago Medrano, 2 Agustin Creevy, 1 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro
Replacements: 16 Julian Montoya, 17 Mayco Vivas, 18 Enrique Pieretto, 19 Juan Manuel Leguizamón, 20 Tomas Lezana, 21 Felipe Ezcurra, 22 Domingo Miotti, 23 Sebastián Cancelliere

Referee: Jaco Peyper (South Africa)
Assistant Referees: Mike Fraser (New Zealand), Paul Williams (New Zealand)
TMO: Ben Skeen (New Zealand)