Classic Crusaders smash Blues

The Crusaders scored a classic come-from-behind win over the Blues, recording a 39-10 win in their Super 14 Round Four match at Jade Stadium in Christchurch on Saturday to once again confirm their championship quality.

Winning captain: Richie McCaw

After going behind 10-0 early in the first quarter, the Crusaders scored 39 unanswered points to record an emphatic win.

The Blues still led 10-9 at the break.

The Crusaders' captain, mighty Richie McCaw, said after the match: "We came in at half-time barely even puffing. We still had plenty of energy and so we wanted to up the intensity in the second half."

They did that, played more pick-'n-go than their usually expansive game, kicked penalties at goal and simply shut the Blues out, making them entirely a defensive outfit.

Getting possession even at set pieces became an increasing problem for the Blues. Their line-outs were rickety. They lost only three but the quality of their line-out possession deteriorated. The same was true of their scrums. They were messy. Whereas only two of the Crusaders' ten scrums were reset, eight of the Crusaders' ten were reset and two more became penalties.

The Blues added to the pressure on themselves by having two players sin-binned - Joe Rokocoko at the end of the first half and Ali Williams late in the second half.

Losing Isa Nacewa to injury in the first half also hampered the Blues' cause. The bushy-haired fullback took McCaw head-on as the Crusaders' flank charged at the line. Unfortunately Nacewa had his head on the wrong side and had to leave the field, replaced by Brent Ward.

The Blues' 10-9 lead at half-time really was a false dawn. In fact the falsity of it was obvious by half -time. They had had one opportunity to score a try and they took it brilliantly. But the Crusaders had more chances to score tries and took none, denied once for no detectable reason.

The Blues' try, after just three minutes, was delicious.

The Crusaders started running and looked away till a sharp pass was judged forward. Going left from the subsequent scrum just inside their own half Rua Tipoki swept through Cameron McIntyre and gave to Anthony Tuitavake who beat Hamilton and the gave to Doug Howlett. The great wing sped over in the right corner. Isa Nacewa converted. 7-0.

The Crusaders are an object lesson in how to use a turn-over, and it was from a turn-over that they looked dangerous. They took the ball of burly Nick Williams in their own half and the next thing Leon MacDonald was speeding down the field, berating Lavea and Nacewa before being caught at the line. The action produced a penalty but Carter proved his humanity by missing. He also missed a penalty in the second half.

When Keven Mealamu entered a tackle/ruck from the side Nacewa again kicked well to make the score 10-0. The Blues did not add to their ten in the match.

From a scrum, big Scott Hamilton, on the eve of his birthday, broke past McIntyre and forged ahead. The ball bobbled about till Hamilton "scored" at the posts. The referee ruled a knock-on, which caused emotional dissent in Hamilton. A knock-on was not detectable.

But then Carter started hitting the target, first when Rokocoko was penalised for holding on, then when the scrum went up and finally for the half when Rokocoko was penalised and sin-binned for killing the ball at a tackle as the tall wing covered to his right where Hamilton had again had a strong run.

Rokocoko's absence did not cost the Blues points but it certainly coincided with a period of increased Crusader pressure.

Carter gave the home side the lead when Daniel Braid was penalised for being off-side and then came the Crusaders' first try.

It started when the Blues won a scrum just inside the Crusaders' half - a messy scrum which gave the ball to the Crusaders on their right. They came left where Kevin Senio kicked down towards the Blues' line. Ward got the ball just before the line but the zealous Hamilton grabbed him and hauled him over the line to concede the five-metre scrum. From the scrum the Crusaders battered and battered till eventually replacement Johnny Leo'o managed to get the ball down on the Blues' goal-line.

When Chris Jack broke, and Leo'o and Cory Flynn carried it on till again the Blues were penalised, Ali Williams this time. Carter missed the kick!

With 15 minutes to go Carter made the score 22-10 when Lavea went in the side and then was part of a wonderful bit of athleticism. He kicked a long ball across the field towards the left touch-line. Almost on touch Jack rose up like and Aussie Rules star and caught the ball, centimetres in from touch. He played it to Mose Tuiali'i who charged down field and sent Leo'o for the line. The eager flank got the ball over the line but was penalised for "double movement", which rendered the Crusader incredulous, unable to believe that anybody could be so cruel..

With nine minutes left Carter banged over a penalty when Mealamu went in the side and the Crusaders were leading 25-10 and comfortably in charge of the match.

After Ali Williams was off, the Crusaders tapped and, led by McCaw, battered at the Blues' line near the post. Eventually, knowing exactly what he was doing, McCaw picked up and neatly dotted down at the juncture of the ground and the post's padding. Carter converted and it was 32-10 but a bonus point looked unlikely.

The Crusaders got their third try when they went left and then came back wide right where Hamilton sent McCaw diving over ion the corner. McIntyre converted to make the final score 34-10.

The Crusaders were much the better side.

Man of the Match: Keven Mealamu was busy and strong for the Blues but really it was the Crusaders' night. Leon MacDonald did much to spark attacks in the first half, Richie McCaw lead from the front as always, Mose Tuiali'i was always creative and Daniel Carter was his usual composed, decisive self, but our Man of the Match for his effective industry was big Scott Hamilton on the left wing.

The scorers:

For the Crusaders:
Tries: Leo'o, McCaw 2
Cons: Carter 2, McIntyre
Pens: Carter 6

For the Blues:
Try: Howlett
Con: Nacewa
Pen: Nacewa

Yellow cards: Joe Rokocoko (Blues, 40), Ali Williams (Blues, 76)

Teams:

Crusaders: 15 Leon MacDonald, 14 Rico Gear, 13 Caleb Ralph, 12 Cameron McIntyre, 11 Scott Hamilton, 10 Daniel Carter, 9 Kevin Senio, 8 Mose Tuiali'i, 7 Richard McCaw (captain), 6 Reuben Thorne, 5 Brad Mika, 4 Chris Jack, 3 Campbell Johnstone, 2 Corey Flynn, 1 Greg Somerville.
Replacements: 16 Tone Kopelani, 17 Wyatt Crockett, 18 Kevin O’Neill, 19 Johnny Leo'o, 20 Andrew Ellis, 21 Stephen Brett, 22  Casey Laulala

Blues: 15 Isa Nacewa, 14 Doug Howlett, 13 Anthony Tuitavake, 12 Rua Tipoki, 11 Joe Rokocoko, 10 Tasesa Lavea, 9 John Senio, 8 Nick Williams, 7 Daniel Braid, 6 Troy Flavell, 5 Ali Williams, 4 Greg Rawlinson, 3 John Afoa, 2 Kevin Mealamu (captain), 1 Tony Woodcock.
Replacements: 16 Tim Dow, 17 Saimone Taumoepeau, 18 Kurtis Haiu, 19 Angus Macdonald, 20 Junior Poluleuligaga, 21 Vili Waqaseduadua, 22 Brent Ward

Referee: Paul Honiss (New Zealand)
Touch judges: Kelvin Deaker, Jonathon White (both New Zealand)
Television match official: Keith Brown (New Zealand)
Assessor: Alan Riley (New Zealand)