Crusaders score 31 unanswered points to beat Waratahs in Super Rugby thriller
Two second half tries in the corner get the Crusaders close enough on the scoreboard for a late penalty try to get them home against the Waratahs.
Looking back on the first half hour of the video review won't be much fun for the Crusaders. But the rest of the viewing will.
The home side conceded 29 unanswered points, in as many minutes, before staging a quite incredible comeback with 31 unanswered points of their own to beat the Waratahs 31-29 at AMI Stadium in Christchurch on Saturday.
The sloppy and error ridden start was about as un-Crusaders as it gets and they were almost made to pay the ultimate price.
Man of the match Joe Moody scores the Crusaders' first try.
Bernard Foley missed what could have been a match-winning penalty from the 40m mark with around five minutes to play.
READ MORE:
* Couldn't do that in a derby - Crusaders
* Recap: Crusaders v Waratahs
* Umaga: Canes setting standard
* Reason: ABs' 'Shagball' has had its day
* Fortress Forsyth Barr safe for Landers
* Kiwi Sunwolf boots Reds to defeat
* Shields: I'll earn respect my way
The Sydneysiders, who have not won in Christchurch for 14 years, will be gutted to blow such a golden opportunity but having both Nick Phipps and Taqele Naiyaravoro spending time in the bin did not help.
The Crusaders were much improved in the second half and, in the 68th minute, drew level at 29-29 when referee Ben O'Keeffe awarded a penalty try for the Waratahs collapsing a scrum five metres out from their own line.
Richie Mo'unga's conversion put the Crusaders in the lead for the first time.
Every time the Crusaders were on attack in the first half they looked dangerous but in the first 30 minutes, almost every opportunity was stifled by a mistake.
And to compound those issues, the Waratahs were seemingly able to capitalise on every opportunity.
Crusaders wing Seta Tamanivalu barges over for the Crusaders third try.
Crusaders coach Scott Robertson usually comes across as a relaxed sort of figure but you can bet he was anything but at halftime. His frustration with the constant errors would have easily matched that of the restless home fans.
Thankfully for Crusaders fans, a 19-point blitz, in the six minutes before halftime, brought the home side back into the contest.
Waratahs right winger Cam Clark opened the scoring with an unconverted try in just the fourth minute following two wayward kicks, one on attack and one on defence, from Mo'unga that gifted the visitors' possession twice in the opening minutes.
That lead stretched to 8-0 when Foley slotted a 42-metre penalty in the 13th minute and three minutes later Naiyaravoro ran in a simple try from an intercept, just on the Crusaders side of halfway, that Foley converted from in front of the sticks to give the Waratahs a 15-0 lead.
That quickly became 20-0 when Israel Folau ran in the Waratahs third try following the Crusaders, once again, aimlessly kicking possession away.
A Curtis Rona try in the 29th minute stretched the score to 29-0, after the Foley conversion, and the Waratahs were going at a point a minute.
The Crusaders finally hit back with some points, five minutes before the break, when Moody crossed under the posts on the back of some hot stepping from Mo'unga. And they went back-to-back when Codie Taylor scored from a lineout drive 90 seconds before the break to be back in the game, somewhat, at 29-12.
And then, three minutes after the halftime hooter, Seta Tamanivalu barged over on the back of multiple penalties to the Crusaders and Waratahs halfback Phipps being sent to the sin bin.
Waratahs fullback Israel Folau was electric in the opening exchanges scoring a try and setting up another to put the Crusaders under the pump in Christchurch.
Naiyaravoro was also given a 10 minute stint in the sin bin in the 54th minute and the Crusaders capitalised with a try to Braydon Ennor to close the gap to five points.
The Crusaders were denied twice from what looked to be certain tries in the second half. Firstly through a forward pass and then TMO Aaron Paterson ruling the Crusaders forwards to be held up over the line.
But the penalty try proved the difference as the Crusaders took control in the second half on the back of a drastic improvement in their error rate.
The Crusaders dug deep to beat the Waratahs at-home.
The Crusaders had a decisive edge at scrum time, often sending the Waratahs back peddling.
Loosehead prop Moody's solid stint of 50 minutes will have pleased All Blacks coach Steve Hansen just as much as it did the Crusaders faithful.
Moody, playing his first game of the season following shoulder and finger injuries, was given a thunderous reception as he trotted off to the bench.
The big prop was rewarded with the man of the match.
AT A GLANCE: Crusaders 31 (Joe Moody, Codie Taylor, Seta Tamanivalu, Braydon Ennor, penalty try, tries; Richie Mo'unga 3 con) Waratahs 29 (Cam Clark,Taqele Naiyaravoro, Israel Folau, Curtis Rona tries; Bernard Foley 1 pen, 3 con). HT: 29-19.
- Stuff
Comments