Crusaders winger Chay Fihaki goes over for his second try.
Photo: Brett Phibbs / www.photosport.nz
Beware a scorned Crusaders side.
The defending champions avenged last year’s shock loss to Moana Pasifka in ruthless style, crushing the cellar dwellers 50-21 in Albany.
Up by just three at the break, the Crusaders ran riot in the second, producing some scintillating running rugby in the rout.
Moana lost Julian Savea early to what looked like a broken arm before the Crusaders opened the scoring, Braydon Ennor showing tremendous strength to carry three defenders with him across the line.
Sevu Reece went in next to stretch his lead as Super Rugby’s most prolific try scorer, finishing a scorcher for the visitors.
Sparked by a Will Jordan injection, the fullback offloaded infield and from there it was a beautiful exchange of passes, Chay Fihaki with the last one to Reece.
Moana pulled one back as Patrick Pellegrini found a deft offload for Lalomilo Lalomilo who broke clear and linked with Joel Lam to score against his old side.
Replacement Tevita Ofa made it two in quick succession to give Moana the lead, the winger showing great gas to get on the outside of his opposite.
The Crusader’s quickly restored their lead though, Cooper Grant sending a pinpoint kick across for Chay Fihaki to pouch and plant to give them a narrow 17-14 half-time lead.
The second half however, belonged to the Crusaders.
Fainga’anuku kicked off the scoring spree with a mesmeric fourty metre run turning defenders inside out.
George Bell barged his way over for back to back, to really put things out of reach, before debutant Kurtis Macdonald scored with his first touch from a Fihaki cut out ball.
Fihaki capped his stellar night with a second as he exploded through the line and skinned the final man to score his second, Moana getting a late consolation courtesy of an intercept for Siaosi Nginingini.
See how the match unfolded here.
Team lists
Moana:
1. Tito Tuipulotu 2. Millennium Sanerivi 3. Atu Moli 4. Tom Savage 5. Allan Craig 6. Miracle Faiilagi (c) 7. Niko Jones 8. Semisi Tupou Ta’eiloa 9. Joel Lam 10. Patrick Pellegrini 11. Glen Vaihu 12. Julian Savea 13. Lalomilo Lalomilo 14. Tevita Latu 15. William Havili
Bench: 16. Mamoru Harada 17. Abraham Pole 18. Chris Apoua 19. Veikoso Poloniati 20. Dominic Ropeti 21. Siaosi Nginingini 22. Jackson Garden-Bachop 23. Tevita Ofa.
“We’re in search of playing our game and hopefully we can get it..” – Head coach Fa’alogo Tana Umaga.
Crusaders:
1. Finlay Brewis 2. George Bell 3. Fletcher Newell 4. Tahlor Cahill 5. Jamie Hannah 6. Ethan Blackadder (vc) 7. Johnny Lee 8. Christian Lio-Willie 9. Noah Hotham 10. Cooper Grant (debut) 11. Sevu Reece 12. Dallas McLeod 13. Braydon Ennor 14. Chay Fihaki 15. Will Jordan (c)
Bench: 16. Manumaua Letiu 17. George Bower 18. Seb Calder 19. Antonio Shalfoon 20. Xavier Saifoloi 21. Kyle Preston 22. Leicester Fainga’anuku 23. Kurtis Macdonald (debut).
“We’re going week by week. The aim is to back up a win with a win, build our consistency, prepare well, and hit the ground running. We haven’t had the quickest starts, so doing those things will make it very satisfying.” – Crusaders coach Rob Penney.