Chiefs' comeback floors Crusaders, Wallaby's injury mars Brumbies win

MATCH REPORT: The Chiefs have cemented themselves as the team to beat after defeating the Crusaders 35-19 in Christchurch.

The visitors stormed home in the second half to stun the Crusaders and take the victory.

Flanker Tom Christie scored the opener after a lovely 50-22 from Chay Fihaki.

It turned into a penalty of attrition as both sides lost big players, with Will Jordan (knee), Daniel Rona and Brodie McAlister (both HIA) all came from the field in the first half.

Lock Scott Barrett settled the Crusaders to give them a 12-point lead before his partner Antonio Shalfoon got in on the action.

Staring at a 16-point deficit, the Chiefs turned the game before and after the break.

Emoni Narawa started the onslaught right before half-time after touching down two minutes after the siren.

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The momentum carried well into the second half as Damian McKenzie dummied and scored.

When Leroy Carter broke free for a stunning solo try, suddenly the Chiefs found themselves in front.

It’s a lead they wouldn’t give up.

Two further penalties from Damian McKenzie etched the lead out beyond a converted try.

Chiefs No.8 Wallace Sititi then sealed the win with a trademark burst from close to ensure victory for the visitors.

It leaves the Chiefs clear in front with a four-point deficit, although have played one more game than the Crusaders.

Rob Penney’s men must look to rebound against the Waratahs next week as they seek to keep in touch with top place.

In the other fixture, a spinal injury to Wallabies flyhalf Noah Lolesio has overshadowed the Brumbies’ surge to an all-important Super Rugby Pacific home play-off.

Lolesio was stretchered off wearing a neck brace, and in apparent extreme pain, midway through the first half of his Brumbies’ 33-14 derby win over the Western Force in Perth.

The Brumbies’ and incumbent Australian No.10 was twisted in an accidental off-the-ball play while trying to repel a Force attack on his goal line in the 20th minute of Saturday night’s derby.

It was initially unclear if Lolesio had suffered a back, hip or leg injury in the incident.

But Stan Sport’s sideline commentator and former Wallabies star Cameron Shepherd said Lolesio had sustained a spinal injury.

“We don’t want to speculate too much at the moment because there’s a lot of scans and a lot of checks that need to be done,” Shepherd said.

“But the one small bit of good news is that he is moving his arms and legs.

“They have confirmed it is a spinal injury. At the moment, we just don’t understand the severity.

“But, fingers crossed, moving his arms and legs is obviously a very, very good sign.”

Two-time World Cup-winning Wallabies legend Tim Horan added: “It wasn’t a great sign that he was holding the green whistle. That shows he was in a lot of pain.”

Lolesio’s injury occurred almost exactly 24 hours after fellow Wallabies star Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii was escorted off the field, also on a medicab and in a neck brace, during another Australian derby between his NSW Waratahs and the Queensland Reds in Sydney.

Suaalii was knocked out after copping an accidental knee to the head from his Waratahs and Wallabies teammate Andrew Kellaway.

Waratahs coach Dan McKellar said post-match Suaalii went home with his parents in a “groggy” concussed state.

Concerned Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt was also watching.

While Schmidt’s openly known policy is to not select overseas-bound Wallabies players, Lolesio’s injury ahead of his move to Japan at season’s end could prove another potential huge blow ahead of Australia’s hosting of the British and Irish Lions for a three-Test series this winter.

Crusaders 19-35 Chiefs

The scorers

For the Crusaders:
Tries: Christie, Barrett, Shalfoon
Cons: Reihana 2

For the Chiefs:
Tries: Narawa, McKenzie, Carter, Sititi
Cons: McKenzie 3
Pens: McKenzie 3

Teams:

Crusaders: 15 Will Jordan, 14 Chay Fihaki, 13 Braydon Ennor, 12 David Havili (captain), 11 Sevu Reece, 10 Rivez Reihana, 9 Noah Hotham, 8 Christian Lio-Willie, 7 Tom Christie, 6 Cullen Grace, 5 Antonio Shalfoon, 4 Scott Barrett, 3 Fletcher Newell, 2 Codie Taylor, 1 Tamaiti Williams.
Replacements: 16 Ioane Moananu, 17 George Bower, 18 Seb Calder, 19 Jamie Hannah, 20 Corey Kellow, 21 Kyle Preston, 22 James O’Connor, 23 Dallas McLeod.

Chiefs: 15 Shaun Stevenson, 14 Emoni Narawa, 13 Daniel Rona, 12 Quinn Tupaea, 11 Leroy Carter, 10 Damian McKenzie, 9 Cortez Ratima, 8 Wallace Sititi, 7 Luke Jacobson (captain), 6 Simon Parker, 5 Tupou Vaa’i, 4 Naitoa Ah Kuoi, 3 George Dyer, 2 Brodie McAlister, 1 Ollie Norris.
Replacements: 16 Samisoni Taukei’aho, 17 Aidan Ross, 18 Reuben O’Neill, 19 Josh Lord, 20 Samipeni Finau, 21 Xavier Roe, 22 Josh Jacomb, 23 Gideon Wrampling.

Referee: Ben O’Keeffe
Assistant referees: Jackson Henshaw, Warwick Lahmert
TMO: Glenn Newman

Western Force 14-33 Brumbies

The scorers:

For Western Force:
Tries: Koteka, Grealy
Cons: Donaldson 2

For Brumbies:
Tries: Ikitau, Toole, Hooper, Sapsford, Bowron
Cons: Meredith 4

Teams:

Western Force: 15 Kurtley Beale, 14 Harry Potter, 13 Bayley Kuenzle, 12 Hamish Stewart, 11 Mac Grealy, 10 Ben Donaldson, 9 Henry Robertson, 8 Nick Champion de Crespigny, 7 Carlo Tizzano, 6 Will Harris, 5 Darcy Swain, 4 Jeremy Williams (captain), 3 Tom Robertson, 2 Nic Dolly, 1 Ryan Coxon.
Replacements: 16 Tom Horton, 17 Atu Moli, 18 Tiaan Tauakipulu, 19 Lopeti Faifua, 20 Reed Prinsep, 21 Nic White, 22 Max Burey, 23 Sio Tomkinson.

Brumbies: 15 Tom Wright, 14 Andy Muirhead, 13 Len Ikitau, 12 David Feliuai, 11 Corey Toole, 10 Noah Lolesio, 9 Ryan Lonergan, 8 Tom Hooper, 7 Rory Scott, 6 Rob Valetini, 5 Lachlan Shaw, 4 Nick Frost, 3 Allan Alaalatoa (captain), 2 Lachlan Lonergan, 1 James Slipper.
Replacements: 16 Liam Bowron, 17 Lington Ieli, 18 Rhys van Nek, 19 Tuaina Taii Tualima, 20 Luke Reimer, 21 Harrison Goddard, 22 Declan Meredith, 23 Ollie Sapsford.

Referee: Paul Williams
Assistant referees: Angus Mabey, Jordan Kaminski
TMO: Graham Cooper

Additional sources: AAP & Super Rugby