Crusaders book play-off berth following late surge against Chiefs

WRAP: Crusaders captain David Havili has helped secure their finals position and their push for a home qualifying final with a 36-32 win over the Chiefs.

Havili dived over for the match-winning try with four minutes to go after flipping the field position with a 50-22 kick from well inside his 22.

The Chiefs had their chance to steal victory after the siren, with a long-range penalty attempt from Taha Kemara, meaning they had to run the length of the field, which they nearly did.

Isaac Hutchinson and Kyren Taumoefolau burst through the line and inside the 22; however, they were isolated and turned over, sealing the win for the hosts and keeping their unbeaten run at One NZ Stadium.

In doing so, the Crusaders have officially secured their spot in the finals, whilst trailing the Blues for third by just two points.

The Chiefs looked to quiet the crowd early as slick hands found Kyren Taumoefolau in the corner, who finished well for the opener.

Scrumhalf Noah Hotham nearly got the Crusaders right back in the game after a quick line-out with Sevu Reece, with his 40 metre effort denied by the TMO thanks to an excellent try-saver by Hutchinson.

The hosts kept the pressure on and had the Chiefs in danger of a yellow card after a series of penalties, with flanker Leicester Fainga’anuku capitalising with a burst from close.

But the story of the first half was the Chiefs’ ability to instantly answer points from the Crusaders as their rolling maul proved too powerful to stop, allowing Samisoni Taukei’aho to get his ninth of the year.

Locks Jamie Hannah and Josh Lord crossed for their respective teams, while Christian Lio-Willie’s effort reduced the Chiefs’ lead to two on half-time.

But the Crusaders took the lead for the first time in the game as Johnny McNicholl and Sevu Reece combined to put the replacement over in the corner.

A smart line-out move gave the Chiefs back the advantage, with Josh Jacomb’s penalty extending the lead to eight.

McNicholl’s second gave the hosts life, and the efforts from Havili were the difference, capitalising on an unforced error by the Chiefs as he latched onto a Fainga’anuku offload and dived over.

Meanwhile, the Brumbies have secured a Super Rugby Pacific finals spot and placed the NSW Waratahs’ season on life support with a clinical 21-14 derby win in Sydney.

The Brumbies punished the Waratahs for their lack of execution, with 37-year-old lock Cadeyrn Neville proving an unlikely hero in Friday night’s tense victory at Allianz Stadium.

While Australia’s benchmark Brumbies also kept alive their hopes of a crucial top-four finish, another frustrating home defeat for the Waratahs left Dan McKellar’s erratic outfit needing a miracle to make the playoffs.

The Tahs must beat the Western Force in Perth next Saturday and pray the sixth-placed Queensland Reds lose their remaining two regular-season games – against Moana Pasifika in Auckland and Fijian Drua in Brisbane – to scrape into the playoffs.

Finishing in the top four shapes as critical under the new finals format, which pits first versus sixth, second against fifth and third versus fourth in the opening week of the playoffs.

The highest-ranked losers in the first three finals – which are all likely to be staged in New Zealand – will advance to the semi-finals.

If the Brumbies beat Moana Pasifika in Canberra and the Crusaders lose to the table-topping Hurricanes in Christchurch, Stephen Larkham’s team will snatch fourth.

The Brumbies could conceivably finish third and snare a home final if the second-placed Blues also lose to the second-placed Chiefs next weekend.

For now, though, they can celebrate sealing a finals berth and regaining bragging rights after avoiding losing twice to the Waratahs in a single season for the first time since 2015.

NSW will be cursing themselves after dominating first-half possession and territory but blowing numerous try-scoring chances to somehow be trailing 14-0 at the break.

Neville was the Waratahs’ nemesis.

First he defied age and physics to pull down Jack Bowen just as the Tahs flyhalf seemed certain to score.

Then he crossed for the Brumbies’ second try, after scheming scrumhalf Ryan Lonergan put hooker Billy Pollard over for their first against the run of play in the 22nd minute.

Lonergan also looked set to score before his opposite number Teddy Wilson pulled off a desperate try-saver, only for Waratahs flanker Charlie Gamble to be yellow-carded for offside intervention in the ensuing play.

The Brumbies wasted no time doubling their lead through Neville’s try a minute later.

The visitors looked home and hosed when prop Allan Alalaatoa celebrated his 150th game with a rare try to take the visitors out to a 21-0 lead.

But late tries after the hour mark to Waratahs prop Isaac Kailea and Max Jorgensen set up a grandstand finish.

Crusaders 36-32 Chiefs

The scorers

For the Crusaders:
Tries: McNicholl 2, Fainga’anuku, Lio-Willie, Hannah, Havili
Cons: Kemara 2, Reihana

For the Chiefs:
Tries: Taukei’aho, Lord, Tupaea, Taumoefolau
Cons: Jacomb 3
Pens: Jacomb 2

Teams

Crusaders: 15 Will Jordan, 14 Chay Fihaki, 13 Dallas McLeod, 12 David Havili (captain), 11 Sevu Reece, 10 Rivez Reihana, 9 Noah Hotham, 8 Christian Lio-Willie, 7 Leicester Fainga’anuku, 6 Ethan Blackadder, 5 Jamie Hannah, 4 Antonio Shalfoon, 3 Fletcher Newell, 2 Codie Taylor, 1 George Bower.
Replacements: 16 Manumaua Letiu, 17 Jack Sexton, 18 Seb Calder, 19 Liam Jack, 20 Dom Gardiner, 21 Kyle Preston, 22 Taha Kemara, 23 Johnny McNicholl.

Chiefs: 15 Isaac Hutchinson, 15 Liam Coombes-Fabling, 13 Kyle Brown, 12 Quinn Tupaea, 11 Kyren Taumoefolau, 10 Josh Jacomb, 9 Cortez Ratima, 8 Wallace Sititi, 7 Luke Jacobson (captain), 6 Samipeni Finau, 5 Tupou Vaa’i, 4 Josh Lord, 3 Sione Ahio, 2 Samisoni Taukei’aho, 1 Ollie Norris.
Replacements: 16 Brodie McAlister, 17 Jared Proffit, 18 George Dyer, 19 Seuseu Naitoa Ah Kuoi, 20 Simon Parker, 21 Xavier Roe, 22 Tepaea Cook-Savage, 23 Daniel Rona.

Referee: James Doleman
Assistant referees: Marcus Playle, Fraser Hannon
TMO: Glen Newman

Brumbies 21-14 Waratahs

The scorers:

For Brumbies:
Tries: Pollard, Neville, Alaalatoa;
Cons: R. Lonergan 3

For NSW Waratahs:
Tries: Kailea, Jorgensen;
Cons: Harvey 2

Teams:

Waratahs: 15 Max Jorgensen, 14 Harry Potter, 13 Triston Reilly, 12 Lawson Creighton, 11 Sid Harvey, 10 Jack Bowen, 9 Teddy Wilson, 8 Angus Scott-Young, 7 Charlie Gamble, 6 Clem Halaholo, 5 Miles Amatosero, 4 Matt Philip (captain), 3 Dan Botha, 2 Ioane Moananu, 1 Jack Barrett.
Replacements: 16 Oniti Finau, 17 Isaac Kailea, 18 Apolosi Ranawai, 19 Ben Grant, 20 Jamie Adamson, 21 Michael McDonald, 22 Jack Debreczeni, 23 Joey Walton

Brumbies: 15 Tom Wright, 14 Ollie Sapsford, 13 Kadin Pritchard, 12 David Feliuai, 11 Corey Toole, 10 Declan Meredith, 9 Ryan Lonergan (captain), 8 Toby Macpherson, 7 Rory Scott, 6 Rob Valetini, 5 Lachlan Shaw, 4 Cadeyrn Neville, 3 Allan Alaalatoa, 2 Billy Pollard, 1 James Slipper.
Replacements: 16 Lachlan Lonergan, 17 Blake Schoupp, 18 Rhys van Nek, 19 Nick Frost, 20 Luke Reimer, 21 Klayton Thorn, 22 Tane Edmed, 23 Andy Muirhead.

Referee: Ben O’Keeffe
Assistant referees: Todd Petrie, Warwick Lahmert
TMO: Richard Kelly