Match Reports

The Chiefs have handed the Crusaders their second loss of the season, in a match that was riddled with penalties and dominated by the battle upfront. The Chiefs scored two tries to the Crusaders’ one, winning the game at Napier’s McLean Park by 24 points to 19.

First fives Tyler Bleyendaal and Aaron Cruden were kept busy in the first twenty minutes, with a trading of penalty shots.  Cruden put the first three points up for the Chiefs just two minutes into the match.  Bleyendaal missed his first attempt at goal, but evened things up for the Crusaders on his second attempt a few minutes later.

The next three penalties were against the Crusaders, but Cruden only managed to capitalise on one of them, putting the Chiefs up 6 points to 3 in the twentieth minute.

The Chiefs foward-pack showed its worth, helping to drive loose forward Liam Messam over the line to score the first try of the match. A successful conversion by Cruden gave the Chiefs a ten point lead.

Crusaders halfback Andy Ellis looked like reciprocating with his own try minutes later, but it was disallowed by the referee who judged Ellis was offside when he intercepted the ball.

Pressure from the Crusaders led to the Chiefs conceding a penalty, putting the score at 13-6.  However the Chiefs soon regained their ten point lead with a successful penalty conversion of their own.

Crusaders hooker Corey Flynn got agonisingly close to the tryline just before halftime, but was pushed into touch.  So it was a frustrated Crusaders side that went into the halftime break with just 6 points to the Chiefs’ 16.

Early in the second half the Crusaders finally managed to get a seven pointer on the board.  The Crusaders forward pack forced a turnover, and Kieran Read made the most of it with a run towards the try line and then an inside pass to Robbie Fruean, who secured the five points.  Bleyendaall made it seven, and the Crusaders were within three points of the Chiefs again.

Ten minutes later, the Chiefs forwards helped to set up a try for their own team though, and prop  Arizona Taumalolo made it over for a TMO confirmed try.  Cruden failed to convert, so the score sat at 21-13 to the Chiefs.

Bleyendaal’s boot chipped away at the deficit, with two more penalties bringing the Crusaders to within two points of the Chiefs.  But a penalty shot by Cruden with four minutes to go sealed the Crusaders’ fate.