No one can ever question the Crusaders’ character. Multiple times they rallied from deficits, with David Havili delivering the decisive, late blow.
The Blues will certainly be looking over their shoulders as the Crusaders, with their third straight win over the Chiefs, moved within two points of overtaking Vern Cotter’s faltering men in the battle for third and home advantage in week one of the playoffs.
Leicester Fainga’anuku, as he’s been in recent weeks, was highly prominent again. But it was Crusaders captain Havili who stepped up when his side needed him most with a telling 50/22 and match-winning try that pinched a victory that, for much of this gripping match, seemed out of reach.
Breaking the Chiefs’ run of seven successive wins did not come easy but it could well prove pivotal in shaping the context of this Super Rugby Pacific season.
With the playoffs fast approaching, that high-stakes backdrop conjured a high-quality spectacle.
Christchurch’s new One New Zealand Stadium played its part again, too, by hosting its third straight 25,000 sell out and the pristine conditions allowing a free-flowing contest.
And what a contest this was.
The talisman swing, with Will Jordan returning from his extended injury absence and Damian McKenzie absent through concussion standdown, could have tipped the balance in favour of the Crusaders.
Other than a try assist for Johnny McNicholl’s brace, Jordan’s comeback was muted, and while McKenzie’s deputy Josh Jacomb made some late blunders, he collected crucial points off the tee.
The Chiefs enjoyed a decisive advantage with their forward pack largely bossing this match. So much so they will rue blowing victory with late errors proving costly.
The Crusaders and Chiefs rivalry has rich recent history with the red and blacks winning last year’s final and then scoring 36 unanswered points to stun the locals in Hamilton earlier this year.
This match is always personal – and it again lived up to the hype.
The Chiefs arrived with clear intent to exact revenge.
No more was that attitude evident than their swarming, punishing defence that brought an intense line speed the Crusaders struggled to counter at times. Samipeni Finau’s thumping hit to push Antonio Shalfoon into the touch was one example.
The Chiefs also made set piece statements by pinching three lineouts against the throw, and winning one huge scrum shunt against the feed just after halftime that extended their lead.
With ball in hand the Chiefs went to work through their physically dominant forward pack. Samisoni Taukei’aho’s power carries earned reward with two close-range tries but he was far from a lone soldier. Tupou Vaa’i, Wallace Sititi and Josh Lord were all prominent in consistently thrusting the Chiefs on the front foot before they chased the width.
St Bede’s-schooled Chiefs fullback Isaac Hutchinson served a reminder to Christchurch that they let a talent slip through the cracks with another eye-catching performance underlined by his try-saving tackle to deny Noah Hotham a strike from a quick-thinking lineout throw.
The Crusaders’ kicking game didn’t help their cause by handing the ball back to the Chiefs too easily but whenever they appeared on the rack, they summoned much-needed responses with Fainga’anuku, Jamie Hannah and Christian Lio-Willie ensuring they kept in touch.
That theme continued into the second spell as Johnny McNicholl finished a slick interchange with Havili and Sevu Reece, only for the Chiefs to immediately hit back with Quinn Tupaea hitting a brilliant line to score from a perfectly executed lineout set move.
Quality teams strike with the result in the balance. That’s exactly how this played out, with the Crusaders holding their nerve to steal the result through Havili and bag a victory that carries sweeping finals permutations.
The Hurricanes can now lock up top spot with victory against the Highlanders in Wellington on Friday night. Achieve that, and they could rest much of their first-choice side for the Crusaders the following week.
The Blues, meanwhile, must travel to Hamilton next week knowing they need vast improvements to maintain third position.
Super Rugby cops plenty of criticism but as the season nears the business end no one could suggest the leading Kiwi teams don’t deliver captivating contests.
Crusaders 36 (Johnny McNicholl 2, Leicester Fainga’anuku, Jamie Hannah, Christian Lio-Willie, David Havili tries; Rivez Reihana con, Taha Kemara 2 cons)
Chiefs 32 (Samisoni Taukei’aho 2, Josh Lord, Quinn Tupaea tries; Josh Jacomb 3 cons, 2 pens)
HT: 17-19