Second-string 'Saders cruise to win
Sat, 12 Apr 2008 09:39
Bump: Casey Laulala gets rid of Chris Jonck
The Crusaders got rid of some initial cobwebs to record a convincing 31-6 Super 14 win over the Lions in Christchurch.
The Lions started off well against the home team, and lead 6-3 at half-time, but the Crusaders went through the gears after the break, scoring four tries in the second half to leave the Lions behind.
Top played Bottom and after 40 minutes Bottom led 6-3 and deserved to be ahead. But just before the break they suffered a blow that was to have a serious carry-over into the second half and in the second half they barely had a look-in as the Crusaders swung into action.
It was a much-changed and young Crusaders side but then the Auto & General Lions are the babies of the Super 14, the youngest side of them all. They were overwhelmed for 19 minutes of the game when they saw no ball and the Crusaders rattled up 28 points. For the rest of the time they more or less competed despite a rickety scrum and a wobbly line-out that shut them out of meaningful possession.
In the first half the Lions had possession and won turnovers but not in the second.
The Crusaders were always more likely to score tries with their rangy running. The ball-carrier always had a choice of people to pass to and their judgement on the run was superb. Apart from their attack, their defence was watertight. Late in the game the Lions had chances, especially when Rayno Benjamin broke free but the Crusaders' stronghold was never in danger of falling to the attackers.
The Lions scored first when young George Whitelock was penalised for being off-side and Chris Jonck goaled the penalty. 3-0 after 4 minutes.
Five minutes later hooker Ethienne Reynecke was penalised for being a lazy runner as the Crusaders attacked down the left and came back right. New man Hamish Gard goaled. 3-3 after 9 minutes.
The Lions attacked and Doppies la Grange was close. Greg Somerville was penalised for being off-side at something vague and Jonck goaled. 6-3 after 14 minutes.
That was the half-time score but it was not a dull half. The Lions had their expansive moments and did well with quick, short passing, especially out of the tackle and Jonck had a long and promising run from a scrum. But just before half-time they suffered a telling blow.
They were on the attack but Scott Hamilton, always a threat, ran up past Benjamin. A pass came back to Benjamin who grabbed it. He was off-side at a tackle and for this was sent to the sin bin. That was costly as the win bin ran well into the second half and when he re-emerged from his penance the Crusaders were leading 14-6 and the stuffing was well and truly knocked out of the Lions.
The Crusaders attacked from the start and Gard levelled the scores when Reynecke was penalised at a tackle. Next they went wide to their right - to Benjamin's vacant space and young Sean Maitland squeezed over in the corner in Joe van Niekerk's attempt to bump him out. 11-6 after 46 minutes.
Whitelock broke out to -put the Crusaders, who were monopolising possession, on the attack. Van Niekerk was penalised at a tackle and Gard made it 14-6 after 47 minutes.
There was more to come.
Jaco van Schalkwyk, who is prodigal with possession, chipped low to Tim Bateman who ran and kicked ahead. Louis Ludik, who had an uncharacteristically uncertain game, slipped and Bateman and Caleb Ralph drove him back to concede a five-metre scrum. From the scrum Mose Tuiali'i was held up close but the referee penalised the Lions for collapsing a scrum which did not go down. The Crusaders scrummed again and battered again till hooker Ti'i Paulo slipped under Ross Geldenhuys and scored a try. 19-6 after 54 minutes.
From the kick-off to the Crusaders left, the home side scored a magnificent, breathtaking try that ended with scrobatics worthy of Beijing.
They went down the left and then spread the ball via 11 pairs of hands to the right where Maitland was stopped right at the line. A heap of tackle/ruck occurred and little Andrew Ellis picked up and dived over the high heap, feet vertically in the air, to touch down with extended fingers at the end of a stretched arm. It was a sensational try. One wonders if ever a Super rugby try deserved a bonus point more.
Gard, who had not kicked well, converted from touch. 31-6 after 61 minutes.
That was the final score. The game was decided. All possible points had been garnered. Many substitutions happened. That was that.
Man of the Match: Andrew Ellis of the Crusaders for non-stop action, life and direction.
Moment of the Match: There were two - one a tawdry one and one a scintillating one. The tawdry one was the yellow card for Rayno Benjamin which had an effect on the outcome of the match. The other was the Andrew Ellis acrobatics for the try of the 2008 Super 14.
Villain of the match: Nobody.
The Scorers:
For the Crusaders:
Tries: Maitland, Paulo, Ralph, Ellis
Cons: Gard
Pens: Gard 3
For the Lions:
Tries:
Cons:
Pens: Jonck 2
Yellow card: Rayno Benjamin (Lions, 38 - professional foul, offside)
Teams:
Crusaders: 15 Scott Hamilton, 14 Sean Maitland, 13 Casey Laulala, 12 Tim Bateman, 11 Caleb Ralph, 10 Hamish Gard, 9 Andrew Ellis, 8 Mose Tuiali'i, 7 George Whitelock, 6 Reuben Thorne (captain), 5 Ali Williams, 4 Michael Paterson, 3 Greg Somerville, 2 Ti'i Paulo, 1 Wyatt Crockett.
Replacements: 16 Corey Flynn, 17 Ben Franks, 18 Brad Thorn, 19 Nasi Manu, 20 Steve Alfeld, 21 Stephen Brett, 22 Kieran Read.
Auto and General Lions: 15 Louis Ludik, 14 Dusty
Noble, 13 Jannie Boshoff, 12 Doppies la Grange, 11 Rayno Benjamin, 10 Jaco van Schalkwyk, 9 Chris Jonck, 8 Willem Alberts, 7 Joe van Niekerk, 6 Cobus Grobbelaar (captain), 5 Gerhard Mostert, 4 Dewald Senekal, 3 Ross Geldenhuys, 2 Ethienne Reynecke, 1 Heinke van der Merwe.
Replacements: 16 Willie Wepener, 17 JC Janse van Rensburg, 18 Anton van Zyl, 19 Franco van Merwe, 20 Jano Vermaak, 21 Rudi Vogt, 22 Justin St. Jerry.
Referee: Matt Goddard (Australia)
Touch judges: Stuart Dickinson (Australia), Vinny Munro (New Zealand)
Television match official: Kane McBride (New Zealand)
Assessor: Stuart Beissel (New Zealand)
