Chiefs edge Suva thriller to go top
The game, played in testing conditions with monsoon-like rain before the match and a strong wind adding to the difficulty factor, produced numerous exciting passages of play.
In the end the Chiefs won the crucial exchanges and used their chances better when playing with the wind in the first half – taking 17-10 lead into the half-time break, after leading 17-3 just past the half-hour mark.
The Chiefs scored two tries to one in front of an ecstatic crowd at the first Super Rugby match ever played in Fiji, with Damien McKenzie adding two conversions and three penalties.
The fullback's final kick in the 80th minute prevented the Crusaders gaining a consolation bonus point, meaning the Chiefs now lead the ladder by one point on 46.
It could prove a key advantage in the battle to win the ultra-competitive New Zealand conference and gain a crucial home play-offs berth.
Even though the Crusaders are the second-best performing team in the competition, they now drop to fifth behind the four conference leaders.
The Suva showdown was billed as a home game for the Chiefs, who said it acknowledged the contribution Fijian players have made to New Zealand rugby.
The Crusaders team included two Fijian wings, Nemani Nadolo and Jone Macilai-Tori, while the Chiefs fielded Fiji-born All Black centre Seta Tamanivalu.
The sell-out 20,000 crowd went wild every time one of their local heroes touched the ball.
With the competition resuming after a month-long break for international fixtures, the Crusaders looked rusty despite throwing their returning All Blacks into the fray.
They committed 10 handling errors and conceded 18 turnovers in rainy, humid conditions.
A fired-up Nadolo helped them build some early pressure but they failed to break the Chiefs' line and had to settle for a Richie Mo'unga penalty.
The Chiefs countered through Tamanivalu, whose perfectly weighted kick put James Lowe into space for the opening try in the 21st minute.
Brad Weber added another 10 minutes later after Damian McKenzie set him up with a scintillating run past four opposition defenders.
Macilai-Tori closed the gap to 17-10 right on half time, capping after a slick attacking move that saw the ball go through 12 pairs of Crusaders' hands.
The match became bogged down in the second half as the heat took its toll, with only three penalties scored, including McKenzie's calmly taken effort at the death.
Man of the match: Israel Dagg continued the impressive form he displayed while on duty with the All Blacks and Richie Mo'unga also had some neat touches, while Kieran Read- as you have come to expect – put his body on the line. Brodie Retallick, apart from his usual high workrate, produced the moment of the match when he ripped the ball from a Crusaders maul and was already 30 metres up-field before the bulk of the players (who were still trying to maul it over the Chiefs line) realised what had transpired. Brad Weber was a bundle of energy and scored a great try. However, our award goes to Chiefs fullback Damian McKenzie, who was again a huge influence in the game and produced the crucial play that resulted in Weber's try.
The scorers:
For the Crusaders:
Try: Macilai
Con: Mo'unga
Pens: Mo'Unga 2
For the Chiefs:
Tries: Lowe, Weber
Cons: McKenzie 2
Pens: McKenzie 3
Teams:
Chiefs: 15 Damian McKenzie, 14 Toni Pulu, 13 Seta Tamanivalu, 12 Anton Lienert-Brown, 11 James Lowe, 10 Stephen Donald, 9 Brad Weber, 8 Tom Sanders, 7 Sam Cane (captain), 6 Taleni Seu, 5 Brodie Retallick, 4 Dominic Bird, 3 Hiroshi Yamashita, 2 Hika Elliot, 1 Kane Hames.
Replacements: 16 Nathan Harris, 17 Siegfried Fisi'ihoi, 18 Atu Moli, 19 Mitchell Brown, 20 Lachlan Boshier, 21 Tawera Kerr-Barlow, 22 Aaron Cruden, 23 Sam McNicol.
Crusaders: 15 Israel Dagg, 14 Jone Macilai, 13 Kieron Fonotia, 12 David Havili, 11 Nemani Nadolo, 10 Richie Mo'unga, 9 Andy Ellis, 8 Kieran Read (captain), 7 Matt Todd, 6 Jordan Taufua, 5 Samuel Whitelock, 4 Scott Barrett, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Codie Taylor, 1 Wyatt Crockett.
Replacements: 16 Ben Funnell, 17 Joe Moody, 18 Mike Alaalatoa, 19 Jimmy Tupou, 20 Jed Brown, 21 Mitchell Drummond, 22 Mitchell Hunt, 23 Sean Wainui.
Referee: Andrew Lees (Australia)
Assistant referees: Rohan Hoffmann (Australia), Will Houston (Australia)
TMO: George Ayoub (Australia)
