Match Reports

The Hurricanes came out on top 30-24 against the Crusaders tonight, but the defending champions, behind on the scoreboard all game, almost stole it at the end.

In front of a lively crowd of almost 17,000 at AMI Stadium, a try from former Hurricane Thomas Waldrom with four minutes to go narrowed the gap to six points but the Crusaders couldn’t quite pull off what would have been a stunning victory.

They got two bonus points out of the match and outscored the Hurricanes four tries to three, and head coach Todd Blackadder was happy with that at least, but more injuries have struck a team already hurting.

Casey Laulala, a try scorer again tonight, went off in the second half with a badly bruised elbow. Also to leave the field were wing Kade Poki, lock Brad Thorn and prop Ben Franks.

Poki rolled an ankle and Thorn and Franks have niggling foot problems.

Blackadder said afterwards: “Our ill-discipline kept letting them in and we kept giving the ball away. We kept putting ourselves under pressure. We played in that final 20 minutes how we should have played in the first 60.”

Blackadder and captain Richie McCaw, who was sinbinned at the end of the first half for offside in a ruck, said the Hurricanes shaded the match at the breakdown.

McCaw added: “We’re disappointed because we didn’t start playing until we were desperate.”

Hurricanes first-five Piri Weepu opened the scoring for the Hurricanes after four minutes with a 47m penalty after the Crusaders were caught offside in the backs.

And he doubled his and the Hurricanes’ tally with another penalty five minutes later for the same offence.

Crusaders first-five Colin Slade had a chance to cut the gap but his penalty attempt from 49m hit an upright and bounced away.

He missed another from a handy angle in the 20th minute but the Crusaders were getting into the game.

Jared Payne made a great break, passed to Kieran Read and from the ruck the ball found McCaw and Slade for Laulala to score in the corner. It was the centre’s fourth try in three games and it was converted from the sideline by Slade, who showed great hands in putting the centre away for the try.

The Hurricanes struck back straight way when Zac Guildford scored in the corner despite Poki’s tackle after a good break by Conrad Smith. After much deliberation by the TMO, the try was awarded. Weepu converted to make it 13-7 to the Hurricanes.

More trouble for the Crusaders came in the form of McCaw’s sinbinning in the 29th minute, referee Stuart Dickinson making his presence felt.

A Weepu penalty after another offside offence added to the Crusaders problems and the score was 16-7.

The Crusaders did well to limit the damage with McCaw off the field, conceding only the Weepu penalty.

However, the Hurricanes were fully into the game and keeping the ball in hand – unlike during their narrow win over the Highlanders in Wellington last weekend after which they were criticised for kicking too much. Their ball runners were making good breaks, with Rodney So’oialo, Ma’a Nonu and Smith dangerous, but the Crusaders defence scrambled well.

For the Crusaders, Payne was always a threat with his running from broken play and Thomas Waldrom was having a good game against his brother Scott.

The Crusaders made the perfect start to the second half when Brad Thorn scored in the left corner following a break by Laulala.

However, the Hurricanes struck back straight away when Kahn Fotuali’i passed the ball to Alby Mathewson when a promising Crusaders move looked on the cards. Instead, halfback Mathewson scored under the posts. The conversion by Weepu made it 23-12.

The Crusaders seemed to have learned their lesson and started to hang on to the ball, but again the Hurricanes scored - Nonu going over under the posts in the 60th minute to effectively seal it for the visitors.

Weepu converted to make it 30-12. Laulala went off with his elbow injury and Thorn and Franks followed.

Crusaders fullback Stephen Brett made a great break and chipped through but Payne knocked it on with the try line open.

He soon made amends - the wing scoring after a brilliant break from substitute lock Isaac Ross to narrow the gap to 30-19 thanks to a conversion from Brett.

Then it was So’oialo’s turn to be sinbinned for a similar offence to McCaw’s.

It was desperation time for the Crusaders and after finally putting some pressure on the Hurricanes line, Waldrom took a quick free-kick and went over to set up a thrilling final two minutes but the Hurricanes held on.

After last week’s heartbreaking loss to the Brumbies in Canberra, the Crusaders will want to get back to winning ways against the Highlanders in Dunedin next Saturday.

There were some positives in the defeat. Hooker Jason Macdonald did well in his first full game for the Crusaders and Ryan Crotty, Tyson Keats and Dan Perrin, who came on at centre, halfback and hooker respectively, earned their first Crusaders caps.

Adam Whitelock also showed up well on the left wing when he came on for the injured Poki.

Crusaders – Tries: Laulala, Thorn, Payne, Waldrom. Cons: Slade, Brett.

Hurricanes – Tries: Guildford, Mathewson, Nonu. Pens: Weepu 3. Cons: Weepu 3.

HT: Hurricanes 16-7

Crusaders

    Wyatt Crockett
    Jason Macdonald (16. Dan Perrin 76 minutes)
    Ben Franks (17. Bronson Murray 40)
    Brad Thorn (18. Isaac Ross 60)
    Ross Filipo
    Kieran Read (19. George Whitelock 68)
    Richie McCaw (c)
    Thomas Waldrom
    Kahn Fotuali’I (20. Tyson Keats 79)
    Colin Slade
    Kade Poki (22. Adam Whitelock 30)
    Tim Bateman
    Casey Laulala (21. Ryan Crotty 60)
    Jared Payne
    Stephen Brett