Chiefs do the double over Crusaders
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The Chiefs have made it two from two against the Crusaders this season, with a 26-9 victory in Christchurch on Friday.
Two tries to the Chiefs in the first half, from Michael Leitch and James Lowe, set the visitors up for, what was in the end, a comfortable win.
The Chiefs maintained their impressive away defensive record by keeping the Crusaders try-less throughout the match – having only conceded one try in four games away from home in 2015.
Meanwhile, the Crusaders left plenty of points out on the field with All Black kicking ace Dan Carter having an off day with the boot.
The Chiefs punished the Crusaders 40-16 last time they met, in Hamilton and this win sends the Waikato outfit up to the top of the New Zealand conference – for the time being.
The warning signs were there for the Crusaders in the first half with the Chiefs getting early set-piece dominance.
The Chiefs scored the only two tries of the first half and led 18-6 at the break, despite losing flank Sam Cane for 10 minutes in the sin-bin early on for a professional foul.
Both teams had scoring chances, but the Chiefs looked the more dangerous and three missed penalty goals by All Blacks star Dan Carter did not help the home team's cause.
The Chiefs should have had a try to wing Tim Nanai-Williams in the fourth minute but Ben Tameifuna was penalised for an obstruction on Wyatt Crockett as scrumhalf Brad Weber scooted through to create the touchdown.
But Japan skipper and Chiefs No.8 Michael Leitch finally got the first try at the midway point of the first half, after quick hands enabled Nanai-Williams to make ground down the right side of the field, the ball was moved left and then stolen by the Crusaders only for them to lose it forward.
Referee Nick Briant played advantage and Leitch powered through to score.
The conversion was kicked by replacement Andrew Horrell after the Chiefs' star pivot Aaron Cruden was taken from the field with a knee injury a couple of minutes earlier. As Cruden was initially treated, Nanai-Williams kicked a penalty goal in his absence.
It was 13-6 with time up after a couple of Carter penalty goals for the hosts, but after the hooter sounded, with the Crusaders hot on attack, scrumhalf Andy Ellis was stripped of the ball by Leitch, the ball squirted loose on the short side and wing James Lowe ran 80 metres to score.
The Crusaders were the first to score after the break with a Carter penalty goal early on, but it was the Chiefs again who had the better of the third-quarter exchanges, Horrell raising the flags with one of two penalty attempts at goal, making the score 21-9.
As time ran out for the Crusaders they kept playing a percentage game, kicking far too much ball away and unlike the Chiefs not having a go with ball in hand.
Then it was replacement No.8 Liam Squire who got the Chiefs' third try with 10 minutes to go to make the lead 26-9.
The Crusaders tried to run the ball in the dying minutes but it was too little too late and the Chiefs' defence, which had been so solid and aggressive all night, had little trouble handling it.
Man of the Match: For the Crusaders, David Havili looked illusive when he got his hands on the ball, but their most impressive player was young flank Jordan Taufua who was relentless. For the Chiefs, Brodie Retallick was a force while James Lowe impressed with his running. Brad Weber was nippy, and Tom Marshall was very classy, but again it was a flank in Sam Cane who was most impressive, with his tireless workrate and great work on the ground.
Scorers:
For the Crusaders:
Pens: Carter 3
For the Chiefs:
Tries: Leitch, Lowe, Squire
Con: Horrell
Pens: Cruden, Nanai-Williams, Horrell
Yellow Card: Sam Cane (Chiefs, 6 – professional foul, offide at the ruck)
Teams:
Crusaders: 15 Israel Dagg, 14 David Havili, 13 Kieron Fonotia, 12 Dan Carter, 11 Nemani Nadolo, 10 Colin Slade, 9 Andy Ellis, 8 Kieran Read (captain), 7 Richie McCaw, 6 Jordan Taufua, 5 Sam Whitelock, 4 Luke Romano, 3 Nepo Laulala, 2 Ben Funnell, 1 Wyatt Crockett.
Replacements: 16 Codie Taylor, 17 Joe Moody, 18 Owen Franks, 19 Jimmy Tupou, 20 Matt Todd, 21 Mitchell Drummond, 22 Tom Taylor, 23 Nafi Tuitavake.
Chiefs: 15 Tom Marshall, 14 Tim Nanai-Williams, 13 Charlie Ngatai, 12 Sonny Bill Williams, 11 James Lowe, 10 Aaron Cruden, 9 Brad Weber, 8 Michael Leitch, 7 Sam Cane, 6 Liam Messam (captain), 5 Brodie Retallick, 4 Matt Symons, 3 Ben Tameifuna, 2 Hika Elliot, 1 Mitchell Graham.
Replacements: 16 Quentin MacDonald, 17 Siate Tokolahi, 18 Pauliasi Manu, 19 Mike Fitzgerald, 20 Liam Squire, 21 Augustine Pulu, 22 Andrew Horrell, 23 Bryce Heem.
Referee: Nick Briant (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Kane McBride (New Zealand), Brendon Pickerill (New Zealand)
TMO: Ben Skeen (New Zealand)
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