Chiefs rule Crusaders
The Chiefs brought the Crusaders' unbeaten run to an abrupt end with a comprehensive 18-5 win in Hamilton.
Last Updated: 18/04/08 12:04pm
The Chiefs brought the Crusaders' unbeaten run in the Super 14 to an abrupt end with a comprehensive 18-5 win in Hamilton.
Fresh from their bye and coming into this match in scintillating form, the Chiefs were always in with a shout having knocked the Crusaders off their pedestal last year.
They played with purpose and were completely focused on causing an upset in a highly entertaining match that wowed the crowd at Waikato Stadium.
Both sides failed to collect a crucial bonus point in the match, but the Chiefs will perhaps be kicking themselves the most after applying the most pressure and only leaving with four points. The Crusaders walk away with nothing - only the second time in the tournament they have done so.
Despite the result, they retain the championship lead as they have a seven-point buffer over the second-placed Sharks.
Firing Chiefs
The Chiefs, now up into third, have now scored 20 tries in posting successive wins over the Bulls, Highlanders, Brumbies and Crusaders to emerge as firm contenders for the play-offs.
The Crusaders were in trouble right from the kick-off after fly-half Stephen Brett - making an unforgettable return from injury - sailed his kick straight into touch.
The Chiefs immediately claimed the high ground when from the ensuing scrum, they swept upfield and won a penalty that Stephen Donald kicked.
Brett had a chance to level the scores after Sean Maitland was brought down late by Chiefs' winger Lelia Masaga following a chip-and-chase, but the Crusaders' pivot missed a sitter.
The Chiefs recycled the ball efficiently and confidently retained possession and led by another trademark hand-off on Richie McCaw by Sione Lauaki - delivered good ball for Donald to light up the backline and give dangerous winger Sitiveni Sivivatu the simplest of jobs to cross over for the first try.
Trouble struck for the Chiefs ten minutes later when lock Toby Lynn was sin-binned after playing the ball in the ruck - a repeated infringment that referee Marius Jonker had given plenty of warning about earlier.
The Crusaders were content to use the width of the field to attack but were unable to break through, something their rivals had no such problem doing.
Donald, chipping and retrieving, sent prop Simms Davison galloping towards the try-line from twenty metres out for a rare score.
The fly-half added the extras and then closed the half out with another penalty - taking him past 100 Super 14 points for the season - to give the Chiefs a handy 18-0 lead at the break.
Early try
The Crusaders hit back early in the second half against the run of play after some outrageous play by the Chiefs' forwards and Brendon Leonard saw Brett bust away before flicking a pass to scrum-half Ellis who scored an easy try.
The next 20 minutes of play was electric as the Chiefs threw everything at a sturdy Crusaders' outfit that was hell-bent on denying the home side.
The Crusaders missed out on a valuable five-pointer in the 65th minute when replacement flanker Nasi Manu lost the ball forward over the tryline on the back of some classy build-up play by Corey Flynn, Scott Hamilton, and Maitland.
Apart from Crusaders centre Casey Laulala getting stretchered off wearing a neck brace after he was involved in a head clash with Dwayne Sweeney late in the game - there was little action in the dying stages of the match.
For once, there was nothing left in the Crusaders' bag of tricks and the Chiefs were able to lock them out.
