Crusaders down stuttering Blues
11 Jun 2011
RYAN VREDE writes the Crusaders improved their chances of a home semi-final and all but ended the Blues’ hopes of hosting one with a 23-16 victory in Timaru.
It wasn’t pretty, but the victory was crucial for the Crusaders in the context of the play-off race. The seven-time champions will now hope for favours from the Force and Bulls later today, then will have to ensure they don’t slip up against the Hurricanes next week to set up a home fixture in three weeks time.
The Blues, given how they’ve played in the second half of the season, have only themselves to blame for what now will surely be an away quarter-final. They could potentially miss out on the play-offs altogether if other results go against them and they lose to the Highlanders in Auckland next week.
The Crusaders were uncharacteristically imprecise, which meant the scoreline paints a false picture of the closeness of the contest. They had two tries disallowed, the first for a forward pass and the second denied for what was deemed deliberate obstruction. Add to that Andy Ellis butchering a try in the second half by dropping a pass with the tryline at his mercy, and Dan Carter having an ordinary night with the boot, and you get a clearer idea of their vast superiority.
However, the Blues were never able to capitalise on their generosity, the worst instance of their wastefulness coming in the 60th minute when Luke McAlister, who had already missed two kicks at goal, grassed a pass 2m from the goal line under absolutely no pressure. They also lost concentration at crucial times, the Crusaders’ first two tries both prime examples. They could do nothing about the last one, Dan Carter showing his class in setting up Zac Guilford with the most sublime chip. The big players stand up at big moments, and Carter is a giant in this regard.
For all their shortcomings, it to would be remiss not to credit the manner in which the Blues fronted on defence. Their line speed, physicality at the collisions and rabid breakdown contest combined to stifle the Crusaders’ attacking flow. When they fell short in these areas their scramble defence was seldom found wanting.
But they struggled on attack, with their ineptitude at the breakdowns undermining their cause to make telling inroads into a well organised defence. Apart from a sensational five pointer early in the first half, and fleeting moments of synergy, especially when their rolling maul found momentum, they looked impotent. They were kept in the match right into its closing stages thanks in most part to the Crusaders’ moments of incompetence.
They started well though, shooting to an 8-0 lead, Rene Ranger’s try adding to an earlier McAlister penalty. The mercurial winger rounded off a move that featured a deft offload by Jared Payne before he added some flash en route to scoring, with a grubber and collect at full pace.
Ranger limped off shortly thereafter. Sonny Bill Williams had done so three minutes previously, and the game certainly missed their unique skill sets.
Carter kicked a penalty in response to Ranger’s score, and was soon lining up a conversion of Matt Todd’s try. Ellis harassed Blues No 8 Peter Saili into an error at the back of a scrum, and then toed the ball forward. The Crusaders’ chasing line imposed immense pressure on the receiver, forced the turnover and Todd emerged from a mountain of bodies.
Carter and McAlister exchanged penalties, with the Crusaders leading 13-11 going down the tunnel. The Blues’ coaching staff would have encouraged their players to stay focussed and not to allow the Crusaders soft points. Their words weren’t cold before the ball spat out of a ruck set up from the restart, allowing Kieran Reid to poach it and send Guilford away for the score.
The Blues responded well, scoring through the impressive Charlie Faumuina. McAlister failed to add the extras and his woe was compounded with the aforementioned knock-on soon thereafter. That try would have given the Blues the momentum, but instead the Crusaders finished stronger, with Carter’s show-stopper helping to seal an important victory.
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89 Comments
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11 Jun 2011, 10:47 am
anyone got a decent stream. on justin stream by ruggagamer but very jumpy
11 Jun 2011, 10:48 am
Nice one Luke…. (Sarcasm)
11 Jun 2011, 10:48 am
Luke McAlister, please….?
11 Jun 2011, 10:48 am
Watching this game makes you realise how important it is to have a good kicking game. The defensive lines are brilliant so you have to mix it up.
11 Jun 2011, 10:50 am
@munkiboi(munkiboi)-51: my p2p.eu
11 Jun 2011, 10:52 am
Brilliant Game
11 Jun 2011, 10:52 am
@Fern(Fern)-50: bwahaha what a hypocrite… take a look at yourself chump,…
11 Jun 2011, 10:52 am
Ali Williams is a brilliant lineout exponent as well.
11 Jun 2011, 10:57 am
@poppa69(poppa69)-57:
are you going home for thr rwc?
11 Jun 2011, 10:58 am
The super rugby is way too tough on the players.Another round after this and then a quarter, semi and final and then Tri Nations.We are all going to lose many more players to France and Japan
Thanks for nothing Sanzar
11 Jun 2011, 11:00 am
@bananaboy(bananaboy)-58:Matfield rated him before his injuries…
11 Jun 2011, 11:01 am
Yes Matfield rates Ali
11 Jun 2011, 11:04 am
That’s why Carter is no 1
11 Jun 2011, 11:05 am
‘Saders have all but asured that NZ have 2 teams in thhe top 6.
Brilliant carter to an equally brilliant Guildford.
11 Jun 2011, 11:05 am
Guildford had a good game tonight.
11 Jun 2011, 11:06 am
@poppa69(poppa69)-61:Ali also does some good charity work as far as I know
11 Jun 2011, 11:06 am
great try Guidford, chip kick from Carter spot on… finished well too…
11 Jun 2011, 11:11 am
@JL1(JL1)-66: hes had plenty of time over the last two years to do so too
11 Jun 2011, 11:12 am
Pops,
Surely young Gareth Anscombe will our fly-half next season? Hoping like crazy Nonu moves to Auckland.
11 Jun 2011, 11:14 am
@poppa69(poppa69)-67:
Hard luck, pops. Derbies are never easy. Didn’t see all the game – but how was that pinpoint kick at the end by Carter. He seemed to have all the time in the world to do it. That’s what makes a player great.
11 Jun 2011, 11:14 am
crusaders up to 2nd on log. stormers can move back into second with 1 point tomorrow.
11 Jun 2011, 11:15 am
@poppa69(poppa69)-49: Back home now Poppa. Got home on Thursday.
Sorry about your Blues. They could have won it. Should have got that try near the end there and Luke missing some sitters. Though Blues pick up a bonus point.
11 Jun 2011, 11:17 am
Brett And McAlister, happily see them move on. Anscombe can cover 10 and we will have Nonu please.
11 Jun 2011, 11:20 am
@CSI:Rugby(CSI:Rugby)-73:
You can have Mark Hammet as well.
No charge.
11 Jun 2011, 11:22 am
Cane,
We’ll give Brett and Luke for Nonu and Jane. Pat Lam for free and take Alby Matthewson back.
11 Jun 2011, 11:27 am
Haha how embarrassing, anyone else hear the NZ commentator call Carter a world champion?
What is he a world champion at? Crying in the stands as his team chokes in the quarterfinals? Haha.
No, no my dear… don’t try and convince yourself.
Sonny “b-low j-ob” Williams” seems to be allowed to shoulder charge, is that the ruling? What a coward, injury prone queen.
11 Jun 2011, 11:28 am
@I am a stormer(I am a stormer)-70: @Puma(Puma)-72: cheers guys, expected it
Saders could have scored plenty more points as well
@CSI:Rugby(CSI:Rugby)-69: yeah, think Brett has had enough time and cant deliver, McAllister definitely not the answer…
11 Jun 2011, 11:37 am
@CSI:Rugby(CSI:Rugby)-75:
I didn’t see the game CSI, but Alby has been in quite awesome form ……………………………………………………………or so I thought.
11 Jun 2011, 11:40 am
Cane
I hit “submit comment” before I had written Alby for Weepu. : )
11 Jun 2011, 11:48 am
@Kobus Kitty(Kobus Kitty)-76: ooohhhh look , the head Klown in Krustys Kircus (aka kkk) has turned up in full regalia..
nice to see you you fair weathered loser…
11 Jun 2011, 11:57 am
Well done Saers, better team on the day won..
11 Jun 2011, 12:31 pm
@poppa69(poppa69)-80:
Impossible to be a loser when you have as much money as I do.
Winner.
11 Jun 2011, 12:49 pm
@Kobus Kitty(Kobus Kitty)-82:
no no, no no.
He’s right.
That’s exactly what a loser would say.
11 Jun 2011, 12:57 pm
@Kobus Kitty(Kobus Kitty)-82: Which is exactly what a bum would say…
11 Jun 2011, 13:43 pm
Jealousy all around then….
11 Jun 2011, 16:07 pm
@Kobus Kitty(Kobus Kitty)-85:
You are a ****.
11 Jun 2011, 17:16 pm
ja sure, he’s being a bit of a doo(fu)s but he’s still got a point on dan carter not having the right to be called a world champion until he’s actually won a world championship. its basics guys, basics…
13 Jun 2011, 01:11 am
I reckon Jared Payne is teh best outside centre in NZ. He has not been recognised for it though. He is fast, has a great defence, and ALWAYS takes the right options on attack. He is playmaker of the highest order.
What do you reckon Poppa69?
13 Jun 2011, 01:46 am
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha(i_love_u_bakkiesbotha)-87: really, why not?
hes consistently beaten the best the world has thrown at him (6-0 in the 3Ns last year for example – in fact, played a tremendous part in 13 of 14 test victories last year, and was the out standing (by a proverbial country mile) player in the 2005 Lions series, not sure we’ll ever see such a complete performance from a 1st 5/8th again… hes won numerous 3Ns, Super 14 titles and has gone through the NH a couple of times underfeated..
oh thats right, most Saffas measure on the WC ( a knockout tourny) because they havent too much else to base it on…
does that mean someone like Frik Du Preez isnt a champion player because he too doesnt have a WC medal?
keep clutching at those straws guys, your jealousy is out there for all to see… Perhaps ONE day SA will have a flyhalf half as good as Carter, then he’ll be the greatest no doubt
@SjamBok(SjamBok)-88: I do like Payne, is strong with ball in hand and his defense seems solid… still takes the occassional wrong option, but experience will improve this aspect… I still very much rate Conrad Smith as the best 13 in NZ, and think he has been the pre-eminent 13 in world rugby for some time… Fruean is the future incumbant, but still has plenty to work on IMO…
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