Saders edge Hamilton epic
6 Jul 2012
RYAN VREDE reports on a compelling spectacle in which the Crusaders survived a late onslaught to win 28-21 against the Chiefs in Hamilton.
This match lacked for nothing, purists and thrill-seekers alike having plenty to satisfy their respective tastes. An excellent advertisement for Super Rugby and a showcase of everything that is great about New Zealand rugby, this match kept you riveted until the very end, where the Saders’ refusal to allow their determined opponents a path to goal was heroic.
Brutal collisions, breathtaking individual and collective skills, appreciable tactical intelligence, resillience and passion, bags of it, this match made you wish the suits at Sanzar would put aside commercial interests and personal aspirations and reduce the number of teams in the tournament, pitting only the strongest teams against each other so that these types of showcases become more commonplace, not rare gems in an otherwise barren landscape.
That fanciful idea aside, the Saders did much to advance their cause for a play-off spot. This was always going to be the measure of their credentials and establish whether they are genuine contenders or just posturing pretenders. There can be no question now that they have all the attributes of champions. If they realise that goal it will have to be through a number of away wins like this one, but you wouldn’t bet against them.
Chiefs flyhalf Aaron Cruden nearly got his side off to the perfect start when he broke free early in the match, only to be scragged short of the tryline. The youngster’s transition from a talented but raw pivot into a truly world-class one is progressing nicely. Experience will refine him, but he is already a formidable opponent and indispensable asset to his franchise.
He got the scoreboard going with a penalty, but the Saders dominated for a large period thereafter, feeding off numerous Chiefs errors. The hosts look back at that passage as being decisive to the outcome.
Dan Carter banked a penalty to level the scores and soon thereafter converted a Kieran Read try in which they kept the ball alive brilliantly through multiple phases. Cruden responded with a penalty, but Carter’s experience told when he dropped a goal to keep the Saders ahead.
The visitors stretched their lead to 14 points when Andy Ellis broke blind and put in a delicate grubber which rebounded off a Chiefs player into the path of Luke Ramano. The second rower scooped the loose ball up and drove over the chalk, Carter adding the extras.
But the Chiefs refused to be steamrolled, and rebounded from the Saders’ flurry with a counter of their own, Brodie Retallick powering over from close range. Cruden’s conversion was the last score of the half, the Saders leading 20-16.
There was an unrelenting urgency and intensity about both sides after the break, Ellis scoring a contentious try but the Chiefs again coming up with a telling rebuttal – Sonny Bill Williams negotiating the attention of four defenders and, clutching the ball in one hand, he reached desperately over a mass of bodies to score.
The Chiefs had opportunities to cut into the Saders’ lead, but a combination of poor decision making in good positions, a misfiring lineout and inspiring scrambling on defence denied them. They would also have hoped for a strong bench to galvanise them, and although you could not fault those players’ effort, the Saders’ mettle under pressure came to the fore to deny their determined opponents.
There was a golden opportunity with the siren having sounded, the Chiefs having created a two-man overlap. But Williams failed to pass the ball, instead going in search of his second. The play broke down and referee Steve Walsh ended a captivating contest.
574 Comments
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6 Jul 2012, 09:59 am
@RDOT(RDOT)-46: @NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-45: Don’t even get me fecking started. R(ei)D my earlier post on the issue….
At this stage, I am feeling physically sick at the thought of Morph Spies.
6 Jul 2012, 09:59 am
Carter, McCaw, Read.
This Saders team is an entirely different beast with those 3 playing.
6 Jul 2012, 10:00 am
Love the kiwi derbies. Always quality.
6 Jul 2012, 10:00 am
@the artist formerly known as gunther(gunther)-43: ok!
i saw a program the other day on new zealand and this one lady said the word maori mean “natural” and she was in this museum with moerse big wakas, i tell you one can mount a canon on that thing…bigger than galilleo’s catamaran!
6 Jul 2012, 10:01 am
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged by Mad Eye Productions.(The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food)-51:
Read has a fantastic rugby brain, loves the tight stuff and can also play on the wing when required, Spies not sure what he does well.
6 Jul 2012, 10:04 am
cynical saders
6 Jul 2012, 10:05 am
This game is obviously fixed, to allow the ‘Saders a home playoff whilst the Chiefs believe they won’t be overtaken by the Stormers at the top.
6 Jul 2012, 10:05 am
Read is as pure a rugby player as I’ve ever seen. Works hard, fundamentally sound and has no second thought about the collision zone. Best number eight since zinzan in NZ.
6 Jul 2012, 10:05 am
tackles and doesnt releas the player
6 Jul 2012, 10:06 am
@Transformation(Transformation)-54:
To be sure.
#newzealandnavy
6 Jul 2012, 10:06 am
nice
6 Jul 2012, 10:06 am
Ab’s locks looking very good.
6 Jul 2012, 10:06 am
Game on, Chiefs score.
6 Jul 2012, 10:07 am
Hell yeah Chiefs…try…
6 Jul 2012, 10:07 am
there’s fear in the crusaders
6 Jul 2012, 10:08 am
no plan B
what do you do when your cheating is punished
6 Jul 2012, 10:08 am
Hokey cokey pig in a pokey. Good morning job seekers.
6 Jul 2012, 10:08 am
@galileo, roundness, union, coach…(i_love_u_bakkiesbotha)-65:
look at the skills you can only dream
6 Jul 2012, 10:09 am
Taumalolo!!!! Haha, great stuff
6 Jul 2012, 10:09 am
Big man needed to put the big no argue on Dagg
6 Jul 2012, 10:09 am
It’s Friday evening.
Must be time for China to c(l)ock in?
6 Jul 2012, 10:11 am
@NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-68:
they are superbly filthy, the crusaders.
6 Jul 2012, 10:11 am
@the artist formerly known as gunther(gunther)-71:
hi funny guy, you got another big weekend planned?
6 Jul 2012, 10:12 am
@galileo, roundness, union, coach…(i_love_u_bakkiesbotha)-72:
lets hope they meet the Bulls in the playoffs, Read V Spies he he
6 Jul 2012, 10:12 am
crusaders wilting
i knew it
6 Jul 2012, 10:12 am
Tuamalalo is like a warthog on tik.
Superb!
6 Jul 2012, 10:13 am
Come on Saders …. Attack attack attack we need all 5 points
6 Jul 2012, 10:13 am
Hell of a game
6 Jul 2012, 10:13 am
The chiefs are really showing a lot of self belief here. The Saders have been the dominant team for so many years that just playing against them is too much for many of the teams. Not so much the Chiefs. Really going at them, nice to see.
Having said that, really hoping for a Saders win here.
6 Jul 2012, 10:13 am
@the artist formerly known as gunther(gunther)-71: It’s Fliday, Fliday, gotta get down on Fliday…
6 Jul 2012, 10:14 am
Indeed my china.
You having another quiet one in?
6 Jul 2012, 10:14 am
@NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-74:
at loftus.you will lose
still larfing..?..
6 Jul 2012, 10:15 am
Indeed katters.
Noodles check
Greentea
6 Jul 2012, 10:16 am
@the artist formerly known as gunther(gunther)-76:
true
he’s like a gurthro version 2.0
6 Jul 2012, 10:16 am
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-79:
Yeah, by more than 7 points. Can’t see it happening though.
6 Jul 2012, 10:17 am
@the artist formerly known as gunther(gunther)-76: a wathog on tik…hehehehe
6 Jul 2012, 10:18 am
@RDOT(RDOT)-86: warthog
6 Jul 2012, 10:18 am
@>^..^< katman(katman)-67:
I absolutely love that show.
Hilarious.
6 Jul 2012, 10:19 am
Not a kicking maestro, but Carter seems like he is rushing his kicks compared to when played against the Irish he took his time and slotted them over.
6 Jul 2012, 10:20 am
@>^..^< katman(katman)-67:
“Everything I know about people I learned from pens. If they don’t work, you shake them. And if they still don’t work, you chuck them away. Bin ‘em.”
6 Jul 2012, 10:20 am
@>^..^< katman(katman)-67: Worthless dole scum.
6 Jul 2012, 10:21 am
@David(David)-85: Saders really needed this break to collect themselves.
Who knows.
6 Jul 2012, 10:22 am
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-91:
Hello, Dave….Is Dave here?
You’re my wife now!
6 Jul 2012, 10:23 am
crusaders so desperate for kicks… any kicks… haha
reechee crying to the ref
larf
6 Jul 2012, 10:23 am
This is a local shop, for local people.
You’re not welcome here.
6 Jul 2012, 10:27 am
@WP Till I Die(WP-Forever)-88: @stormersboy(stormersboy)-91: Fireman!
6 Jul 2012, 10:28 am
The whole of July will be quiet fortunately
.@galileo, roundness, union, coach…(i_love_u_bakkiesbotha)-82:
Look at the diffence in skill set
6 Jul 2012, 10:29 am
@>^..^< katman(katman)-96:
I have some rather upsetting news…
6 Jul 2012, 10:30 am
Hello, gents…oh, it’s half-past nine. Time for men, men with jobs, to go to work! Other men stay in bed ’til dinner time, watching tots TV, thinking about how worthless and pathetic they are… Good morning Jobseekers!
6 Jul 2012, 10:30 am
Interesting to see Bakkies Botha winning the no 4 position for the world xv in June – will we see a come back for the Rugby Championship ???
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