Classy Crusaders put sloppy Stormers to the sword

The Crusaders scored seven tries to the Stormers four in an emphatic 45-28 win in Christchurch. The match was over in the first 20 minutes when the hosts lead 26-0.

• The Crusaders have now won 15 of their last 17 games against the Stormers, including the last seven.
• The Crusaders have never been defeated by the Stormers when playing at home (W11, D1), scoring an average of 30-plus points per game across that time.
• The Crusaders have won their last 13 games at home against teams from outside New Zealand; their last such loss came in the opening round of the 2015 campaign against the Rebels.
• The Stormers haven’t won in New Zealand since an 18-16 win over the Hurricanes in Round 11, 2013; they’ve lost nine games there since.
• George Bridge, who scored against the Stormers, has scored seven tries from his last five games against South African teams, including a hat-trick in his only previous encounter with the Stormers.

Sport24 reported that All Blacks squad probable Richie Mo’unga has a suspected broken jaw.

Mo’unga was taken to hospital after colliding with Stormers prop Steven Kitshoff in the final minutes of the Crusaders’ 45-28 win over the South African side in their Super Rugby clash in Christchurch.

“It was just a head clash,” Crusaders coach Scott Robertson said. “It was when their reserve prop scored, he (Mo’unga) took one on the chin. He sort of fell off that tackle when they scored.”

Mo’unga, who played for the All Blacks against a France XV last year, is a leading contender to fill the void as New Zealand’s number two flyhalf behind Beauden Barrett following Lima Sopoaga’s decision to move to English side Wasps after the Super Rugby season.

Scorers:

Crusaders

Tries: George Bridge, Codie Taylor, Billy Harmon, Bryn Hall, George Bridge, Seta Tamanivalu, Richie Mo’unga
Conversions: Mo’unga (5)

Stormers

Tries: JC Janse van Rensburg, Wilco Louw, JD Schickerling, Steven Kitshoff
Conversions: SP Marais (3), George Whitehead

Teams:

Crusaders

15 David Havili, 14 Seta Tamanivalu, 13 Jack Goodhue, 12 Ryan Crotty, 11 George Bridge, 10 Richie Mo’unga, 9 Bryn Hall, 8 Jordan Taufua, 7 Billy Harmon, 6 Peter Samu, 5 Sam Whitelock (captain), 4 Scott Barrett, 3 Michael Alaalatoa, 2 Codie Taylor, 1 Wyatt Crockett

Substitutes: 16 Andrew Makalio, 17 Chris King, 18 Oliver Jager, 19 Luke Romano, 20 Heiden Bedwell-Curtis, 21 Mitchell Drummond, 22 Mitchell Hunt, 23 Manasa Mataele

Stormers

15 SP Marais, 14 Seabelo Senatla, 13 EW Viljoen, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Raymond Rhule, 10 Dillyn Leyds, 9 Dewaldt Duvenage, 8 Nizaam Carr, 7 Cobus Wiese, 6 Siya Kolisi (captain), 5 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 4 JD Schickerling, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Ramone Samuels, 1 JC Janse van Resnburg

Substitutes: 16 Dean Muir, 17 Steven Kitshoff, 18 Carlu Sadie, 19 Jan de Klerk, 20 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 21 Kobus van Dyk, 22 Justin Phillips, 23 George Whitehead

If you missed the match, here’s how the 80 minutes played out.

If stats is your game, then go to the Keo Match Centre page, powered by Opta, for everything you need to know about the Crusaders and Stormers 80 minute Super Rugby match.

Match commentary

• 80‘What a tackle there by Mitchell Drummond as he saves a certain try!.
• 80‘Billy Harmon (Crusaders) is shown a yellow card.
• 79‘Sam Whitelock has made 20 good tackles so far this game.
• 76‘George Whitehead converts the try.
• 76‘Cobus Wiese played a key part in that try.
• 75‘Heiden Bedwell-Curtis has made 10 good tackles so far this game.
• 75‘The pressure has finally told as Steven Kitshoff scores from close range.
• 73‘Scott Barrett has made 10 good tackles so far this game.
• 73‘Stormers have won 100 rucks so far this game.
• 72‘Stormers make a substitution with Justin Phillips coming on.
• 72‘Stormers make a substitution with Dewaldt Duvenage coming off.
• 72‘Stormers sub Carlu Sadie comes onto the field.
• 72‘Wilco Louw departs for Stormers.
• 72‘Dean Muir comes on for Stormers.
• 72‘Ramone Samuels leaves the field.
• 72‘George Whitehead comes on.
• 72‘SP Marais comes off.
• 72‘Kobus Van Dyk makes the break as the defence re-enacts the parting of the red sea.
• 71‘Cobus Wiese has made 10 good tackles so far this game.
• 69‘Mitch Hunt comes on.
• 69‘Jack Goodhue comes off.
• 69‘Richie Mo’unga has kicked a conversion.
• 68‘Slick passing by Crusaders leads to a try for Richie Mo’unga.
• 68‘Fabulous play by Crusaders has led to Richie Mo’unga being able to wriggle through a gap.
• 68‘Crusaders have won 60 rucks so far this game.
• 65‘Trouble here as David Kaetau Havili breaches the defence.
• 62‘The Crusaders supporters go wild as Richie Mo’unga successfully kicks the conversion.
• 61‘That’s a great try assist by Richie Mo’unga.
• 61‘Incisive passing by Crusaders is finished off by Seta Tamanivalu, as he goes over for the try.
• 61‘This is dangerous for the defence as Seta Tamanivalu bursts through to advance the Crusaders attack.
• 54‘The touch judges raise their flags as SP Marais kicks the conversion.
• 54‘Chris King comes on.
• 54‘Wyatt Crockett comes off.
• 54‘Crusaders decide to make a substitution, with Andrew Makalio getting some game time.
• 54‘Crusaders decide to make a substitution, with Codie Taylor being replaced.
• 54‘Crusaders make a substitution with Mitchell Drummond coming on.
• 54‘Crusaders make a substitution with Bryn Hall coming off.
• 54‘Crusaders sub Oli Jager comes onto the field.
• 54‘Michael Alaalatoa departs for Crusaders.
• 53‘A gap opened in the defence and JD Schickerling took full advantage.
• 53‘Dewaldt Duvenage sets up the try.
• 53‘Stormers are stopped just a few metres from the try line but JD Schickerling picks up from the base of the ruck to score the try.
• 52‘Stormers have won 80 rucks so far this game.
• 51‘Jack Goodhue has made 10 good tackles so far this game.
• 51‘Sam Whitelock has made 10 good tackles so far this game.
• 50‘Kobus Van Dyk comes on for Stormers.
• 50‘Siya Kolisi leaves the field.
• 50‘Steven Kitshoff comes on.
• 50‘JC van Rensburg comes off.
• 49‘The defensive line has been broken as Cobus Wiese goes through the gap.
• 45‘Billy Harmon has made 10 good tackles so far this game.
• 45‘Stormers have won 60 rucks so far this game.
• 42‘What a run here by Ramone Samuels as they gets over the gainline!.
• 42‘SP Marais adds the two points for Stormers.
• 41‘Dewaldt Duvenage sets up the try.
• 40‘Manasa Mataele comes on.
• 40‘Ryan Crotty comes off.
• 40‘Luke Romano comes on.
• 40‘Jordan Taufua comes off.
• 40‘Stormers decide to make a substitution, with Sikhumbuzo Notshe getting some game time.
• 40‘Stormers decide to make a substitution, with Nizaam Carr being replaced.
• 40‘Stormers make a substitution with Jan de Klerk coming on.
• 40‘Stormers make a substitution with Pieter-Steph du Toit coming off.
• 40‘Wilco Louw scores the try from close range.
• 40‘The second half is underway.
• 40+1‘Richie Mo’unga has hooked the conversion to the left of the posts.
• 40+1‘The half-time whistle blows and both teams’ head for the dressing rooms.
• 40‘George Bridge makes the break as the defence re-enacts the parting of the red sea.
• 40‘Jack Goodhue sets up the try.
• 39‘The kick through from Crusaders has allowed George Bridge to touch down.
• 39‘Fabulous play by Crusaders has led to David Kaetau Havili being able to wriggle through a gap.
• 37‘Trouble here as Seabelo Senatla breaches the defence.
• 36‘Crusaders sub Heiden Bedwell-Curtis comes onto the field.
• 36‘Peter Samu departs for Crusaders.
• 34‘Crusaders have won 40 rucks so far this game.
• 33‘Jordan Taufua comes on for Crusaders.
• 33‘Heiden Bedwell-Curtis leaves the field.
• 33‘SP Marais does the business as his conversion attempt goes over.
• 32‘Dewaldt Duvenage sets up the try.
• 32‘Stormers are only a few metres out, surely they must score! And they do with JC van Rensburg touching down.
• 31‘Stormers have won 40 rucks so far this game.
• 27‘This is dangerous for the defence as Dillyn Leyds bursts through to advance the Stormers attack.
• 23‘Heiden Bedwell-Curtis comes on.
• 23‘Jordan Taufua comes off.
• 20‘Stormers have won 20 rucks so far this game.
• 20‘A gap opened in the defence and Wilco Louw took full advantage.
• 19‘Richie Mo’unga makes no mistake with that conversion attempt.
• 18‘Spellbinding play by Jordan Taufua is finished off with a try.
• 18‘Silky skills by Crusaders ends with a try for Bryn Hall.
• 18‘The defensive line has been broken as Peter Samu goes through the gap.
• 17‘Richie Mo’unga converts the try.
• 16‘Jack Goodhue played a key part in that try.
• 16‘A wonderful passing move by Crusaders is finished off by Billy Harmon.
• 16‘What a run here by Billy Harmon as they gets over the gainline!.
• 14‘Seta Tamanivalu makes the break as the defence re-enacts the parting of the red sea.
• 14‘Fabulous play by Stormers has led to Cobus Wiese being able to wriggle through a gap.
• 13‘Trouble here as Damian de Allende breaches the defence.
• 13‘This is dangerous for the defence as Raymond Rhule bursts through to advance the Stormers attack.
• 12‘Crusaders have won 20 rucks so far this game.
• 11‘Richie Mo’unga has kicked a conversion.
• 10‘That’s a great try assist by Richie Mo’unga.
• 10‘A series of passes by Crusaders results in a try for Codie Taylor.
• 8‘A gap opened in the defence and Seabelo Senatla took full advantage.
• 7‘Richie Mo’unga hits the left post with the conversion, failing to add the two points.
• 7‘The defensive line has been broken as George Bridge goes through the gap.
• 6‘Jack Goodhue sets up the try.
• 6‘Great hands by Crusaders leads to a try for George Bridge.
•  We are underway as the referee blows his whistle.