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, 10:55 am
Guildford.
What a chop.
6 Jul 2012, 10:55 am
@onerb(onerb)-146:
you had 80% possession and still didn’t win, your own fault
6 Jul 2012, 10:55 am
@RDOT(RDOT)-148: Agreed. The NZ derbies have been so entertaining. There crowds are also up across the board and TV ratings too I think.
6 Jul 2012, 10:55 am
Fuckkk off Zac..
6 Jul 2012, 10:55 am
Their*
6 Jul 2012, 10:55 am
@jeest(jeest)-141:
Yup, the worst scenario for SA is a 5 point Crusaders win by less than 7 and the Chiefs to get a 2nd BP for 4 tries.
6 Jul 2012, 10:55 am
@onerb(onerb)-146: You mean the same ref who thought Beast scrums better than Vickery?
6 Jul 2012, 10:56 am
@NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-128: We aren’t fcukingofff, we just want to get more of the money that we are putting in, we love playing against you guys, we don’t want to play in the NH, however having said that,we just want our money, until you guys can get 35 000 at every game.
6 Jul 2012, 10:57 am
@Nils(Nils)-147:
Grasping at straws there bud. Brycie is a trainwreck of a ref. And now he can’t even get a basic TMO call right. The guy needs to be stood down immediately…
6 Jul 2012, 10:57 am
Nils – kaplan? As the tmo or ref on the field? Tmo has no excuse to make such elementary mistakes.
Quite strange that brycie is always involved in these decisions…
6 Jul 2012, 10:58 am
@NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-152: Exactly. While having 2 Steyns on the pitch – best place kicker in the world plus best long range missile launcher in the world.
6 Jul 2012, 10:59 am
@NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-152: hehehe this possession keeps going up, now it’s up to “80%”
6 Jul 2012, 10:59 am
@niknaks(niknaks)-159:
That’s no way to treat a national hero…New Zealand Referee of 2011!
6 Jul 2012, 11:00 am
@niknaks(niknaks)-159: What? I am merely pointing that he has been poor while benefitting SA teams, too. Which okes love to ignore and just moan on.
6 Jul 2012, 11:00 am
@the artist formerly known as gunther(gunther)-142: In Bryce’s defence:…..Would you want to be klapped by Toddy B? P Divvy is one thing…..Toddy B (after last week) is a different level of ‘sh y te happens all together
6 Jul 2012, 11:02 am
Try.
6 Jul 2012, 11:02 am
@Spiesisworthless1(Spiesisworthless1)-166:
No try.
6 Jul 2012, 11:03 am
@WP Till I Die(WP-Forever)-167:
6 Jul 2012, 11:03 am
Why is everyone so befuck this morning
6 Jul 2012, 11:04 am
@Dawn(Dawn)-169:
They read last night’s discussion on alcohol, drugs and ***.
6 Jul 2012, 11:04 am
@onerb(onerb)-160: Look, Bryce is poor. Fine, most people agree. But he is not the only poor one around. Look no farther than Jonker or Legoete for starters.
And Bryce has been poor also when you guys got the rub of the green, didn’t hear okes complaining then.
6 Jul 2012, 11:04 am
@Nils(Nils)-161:
yip if they had of had a backline they would have been knocked out in the semi’s and not the 1/4′s
@Transformation(Transformation)-162:
yip and 90% territory
6 Jul 2012, 11:05 am
Where are those two heinous Sharkscunts or must I wait till tonight to abuse them
6 Jul 2012, 11:05 am
@Nils(Nils)-171: What game are you referring to where we got the rub of the green?
6 Jul 2012, 11:06 am
@Spiesisworthless1(Spiesisworthless1)-150: You realy shouldn’t believe all the hype! He was pretty kak with his 1st stint with the AB’s. Dave Rennie is a realy good coach. The resultsof the U21′s and a perenial bottom feeder team in the NPC proves that.
6 Jul 2012, 11:06 am
@Dawn(Dawn)-173:
Fern is reading the NZ Herald for the lastest crimes.
6 Jul 2012, 11:07 am
@Spiesisworthless1(Spiesisworthless1)-153: right on…great to watch…Aussie derbies are a yawn fet but the Kiwis let each other have it…big time…as do we…
6 Jul 2012, 11:09 am
@UptheGuts(UptheGuts)-175:
pretty kak that team won around 80% of their games and put 50 past you at Loftus
6 Jul 2012, 11:09 am
@Nils(Nils)-171:
That’s correct, see the BIL vs the Boks 1st Test in Durban, 2009, a monstrous corrupted refereeing by Brycie Boy if I ever seen one, no Saffa complained though!
6 Jul 2012, 11:09 am
@NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-176:
good one that one!
@Dawn(Dawn)-173: Hopefully they will be on tonight, it would mean the Sharks have won!!!
6 Jul 2012, 11:10 am
@RDOT(RDOT)-177: fest
6 Jul 2012, 11:10 am
Steve Walsh does his best for the
6 Jul 2012, 11:11 am
@RDOT(RDOT)-177:
I beg to differ
Our games are one big yawnfest too
6 Jul 2012, 11:12 am
Steve Walsh does his best for the Chiefs, keeps them in the game
With Kaplan, half of their team would have been yellowed out by half time
6 Jul 2012, 11:12 am
@Hondo(Hondo)-182:
The????
6 Jul 2012, 11:12 am
@NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-128: We aren’t fcukingofff, we just want to get more of the money that we are putting in, we love playing against you guys, we don’t want to play in the NH, however having said that,we just want our money, until you guys can get 35 000 at every game.
6 Jul 2012, 11:13 am
there once was a kiwi ref, bryce
who could offer you games at a price.
but not just young lawrence;
you see, this abhorrence
has blackened his family twice.
6 Jul 2012, 11:14 am
@Dawn(Dawn)-185: Steve Walsh does his best for the … pro choice campaign.
6 Jul 2012, 11:15 am
@willievz(willievz)-174:
The 2009 Tri Nations and the BIL series, you were too young to watch I guess?
6 Jul 2012, 11:15 am
@XhosaKid(XhosaKid)-186:
The stadium at Hamilton holds 25,000 so I doubt you’ll see 35k there anytime soon.
6 Jul 2012, 11:15 am
@Hondo(Hondo)-184:
Were you a ref in a past life
6 Jul 2012, 11:15 am
@UptheGuts(UptheGuts)-175: Rennie is a really good coach too. The Kiwis don’t want for quality coaching they’ve produced the likes of Gatland, Deans, Penney, Schmidt, Smith who I believe are all top class rugby coaches.
6 Jul 2012, 11:16 am
@kaksioek(kaksioek)-188:
OK let’s start something
Steve Walsh does his best for the ………………………………………………………………
6 Jul 2012, 11:16 am
odd moment 5 mins ago where the ball went forward off a chiefs players legs only to be picked up in front by another chiefs player. Referee, linesmen and commentators all miss it. Rugby is just too fast for the officials these days, it makes a farce of many a game
oh and really stupid try decision earlier to give the Crusaders a try. Bryce obviously feels guilty about last week. farcical all round
6 Jul 2012, 11:17 am
@willievz(willievz)-174: From memory. Sharks win in Hamilton (guess, it was in 2009), BIL series (penalizing Lions scrum all the time and allowing already subbed Smit sneak back on the pitch to save sinking ship – 1st Test, allowing eye-gouger Burger to stay in the game instead of recommending red in the 1st minute of 2nd Test, ignoring Burger’s usual face grabbing antics in last QF).
I could find plenty more, if cared to search properly.
6 Jul 2012, 11:17 am
@Dawn(Dawn)-193: Steve Walsh does his best for the … distilleries.
6 Jul 2012, 11:18 am
@Dawn(Dawn)-183: But our games have passion and brutal intensity and physicality. The Aussie Derbies dont have those But I agree to some degree, we’re lacking the skills and speed of the NZ derbies.
6 Jul 2012, 11:18 am
Steve Walsh does his best for the … players’ best mate award.
6 Jul 2012, 11:19 am
Eish, what a tight finish.
6 Jul 2012, 11:19 am
Brycie should get an extra performance bonus for securing the desired NZ result absolutely spot-on. That takes some officiating.
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