VIDEO: Crusaders brush aside Highlanders challenge
SUPER RUGBY AOTEAROA MATCH REPORT: The defending-champion Crusaders send a strong message to their rivals – they are still the team to beat.
The Highlanders did their level-best – even throwing a pre-match Haka at the visitors – but the Crusaders came away from Dunedin with a comprehensive 26-13 win on Friday.
It was not flawless, but it was a performance that showcased everything that is good about the Crusaders – efficient set-piece and rock-solid defence.
The Crusaders pack had total dominance in all aspects – set pieces (scrums and line-outs), the mauls, the breakdown and the collisions.
* Did you miss the action? To recap the drama, CLICK HERE!
Hautoa Kia Toa.
What a way to kick off #SkySuperRugbyAotearoa @Highlanders 😍
📽️: @skysportnz #HIGvCRU pic.twitter.com/GLGAkvvz2V
— Super Rugby (@SuperRugbyNZ) February 26, 2021
The second season of New Zealand’s Super Rugby Aotearoa got off to a cracking start
Tries from Codie Taylor, Bryn Hall, Sevu Reece and Brodie McAlister earned the reigning champions their first four points of the season in front of a noisy crowd at the Otago Stadium.
The Crusaders started at a blistering pace and were soon two tries to the good after hooker Taylor raced 40 metres to score and scrumhalf Hall grounded a Reece crosskick following a sweeping move from a line-out.
The Highlanders were trying to get the catch-and-drive going with little success but finally hit back with two tries after flank Ethan Blackadder was shown a yellow card for persistent offending in defence by the Crusaders.
Flank Shannon Frizell crossed from close range from a smart Aaron Smith pass and wing Connor Garden-Bachop finished off a slick set move four minutes before the break.
Mitch Hunt missed both conversions to send the Highlanders into halftime 14-10 down but he made no mistake with a penalty three minutes after the restart to reduce the deficit to one point.
The Crusaders looked irresistible when they managed to keep the ball in hand, however, and All Blacks wing Reece extended the lead with a brilliant finish in the corner five minutes later.
The Highlanders kept hammering away at the visitors’ line as they sought a first victory in the last seven South Island derbies and were unfortunate to have a try called back for a knock-on just after the hour mark.
Seven minutes from time, however, the Crusaders showed the Highlanders how to execute the rolling maul and replacement hooker McAlister grounded the ball to put the match beyond the home side.
The five-team domestic tournament was introduced last year when travel restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic put paid to the intercontinental Super Rugby competition.
Man of the match: Connor Garden-Bachop, Billy Harmon and Shannon Frizell all did their best. Josh Ioane provided the attacking spark that was missing when he came on as a second-half replacement and added some great tactical appreciation to the Highlanders. You can always bank on Sevu Reece to bring something special, then there was Leicester Fainga’anuku, Jack Goodhue and Cullen Grace, along with those burly locks Sam Whitelock and Scott Barrett. Our award goes to Crusaders hooker Codie Taylor. It was not just his work with ball in hand (48 carry metres) and his defensive work (11 tackles), but also his work off the ball and at the mauls, where he was crucial in shutting down numerous Highlanders raids.
The scorers
For the Highlanders
Tries: Frizell, Garden-Bachop
Pen: Hunt
For the Crusaders
Tries: Taylor, Hall, Reece, McAlister
Cons: Mo’unga 3
Yellow card: Ethan Blackadder (Crusaders, 22 – repeated infringement, offsides), Scott Barrett (Crusaders, 81 – cynical foul, tackling player without the ball)
Teams
Highlanders: 15 Solomon Alaimalo, 14 Connor Garden-Bachop, 13 Ngatungane Punivai, 12 Patelesio Tomkinson, 11 Jona Nareki, 10 Mitch Hunt, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Marino Mikaele-Tu’u, 7 Billy Harmon, 6 Shannon Frizell, 5 Jack Regan, 4 Josh Dickson, 3 Siate Tokolahi, 2 Ash Dixon, 1 Daniel Lienert-Brown.
Replacements: 16 Liam Coltman, 17 Josh Hohneck, 18 Jeff Thwaites, 19 Bryn Evans, 20 Liam Squire, 21 Folau Fakatava, 22 Josh Ioane, 23 Hugh Renton
Crusaders: 15 Chay Fihaki, 14 Sevu Reece, 13 Jack Goodhue, 12 Dallas McLeod, 11 Leicester Fainga’anuku, 10 Richie Mo’unga, 9 Bryn Hall, 8 Cullen Grace, 7 Tom Christie, 6 Ethan Blackadder, 5 Sam Whitelock, 4 Scott Barrett (captain), 3 Michael Alaalatoa, 2 Codie Taylor, 1 Joe Moody
Replacements: 16 Brodie McAlister, 17 George Bower, 18 Fletcher Newell, 19 Quinten Strange, 20 Sione Havili, 21 Mitchell Drummond, 22 Fergus Burke, 23 Josh McKay.
Referee: Ben O’Keeffe
Assistant referees: Mike Fraser & James Doleman
TMO: Brendon Pickerill
