Match Reports

The Crusaders have lost the final match of their Australia and South Africa tour, going down 33-20 to the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein.

The physical demands of last week’s epic victory over the Stormers appeared to catch up with the Crusaders in this match. They made many unforced errors and didn’t seem as urgent as the home side, who won this fixture two years ago.

One good piece of good news for the Crusaders was the fact skipper Richie McCaw came through the match unscathed. It was his first game back from a concussion injury which ruled him out of the Stormers match.

Dan Carter went off as planned in the 50th minute but he played well, scoring a try and kicking three goals for a haul of 12 points.

Sonny Bill Williams didn’t return to the field for the second half but he merely got a bang on the knee which shouldn’t bother him too much. He was replaced by Brent Ward, who joined the team as cover during the week and last played for the Crusaders in 2007.

Sias Ebersohn put the Cheetahs ahead with a penalty after four minutes but the Crusaders struck back straight away, Robbie Fruean going on blockbusting run from behind the advantage line to set up flying wing Zac Guildford for a try.

Robert Ebersohn scored a try for the Cheetahs after the Crusaders fluffed a high kick, his twin brother Sias kicking the conversion and two penalties for a 13-7 lead.

But five minutes before halftime, Carter scored following a good sustained period of attack by the Crusaders, his dummy 10 metres from the line enough to fool two tight forwards.

So the Crusaders took a 17-16 lead into halftime and would have expected to build on this in the second half.

The Cheetahs had other ideas. Sias Ebersohn kicked a penalty then scored a try down the blindside following good hands from flanker Ashley Johnson, which Ebersohn converted.

Matt Berquist, Carter’s replacement, kicked a penalty to narrow the gap to 26-20 and the Crusaders were still well in it.

With 12 minutes to go, the Crusaders had a long-range penalty but elected to kick for touch and attempt a seven-pointer. Perhaps they should have gone for goal as the points were on offer and the lineout drive failed to come to fruition.

As they tried to force the play again, a fumble allowed flanker Johnson to steal in and run uncontested to the line for a converted try which rubbed salt in the wounds.

The Crusaders tried desperately to score a late try to earn a bonus point but their efforts came to nothing through more mistakes.

The Cheetahs defence was a far cry from their efforts earlier in the season in which they regularly leaked 40-plus points in matches.

This was a tough loss to take for the Crusaders, who had the chance to join the Blues at the top of the New Zealand conference.

Cheetahs - Tries: Sias Ebersohn, Robert Ebersohn, Ashley Johnson. Cons: Sias Ebersohn 3. Pens: Sias Ebersohn 4

Crusaders - Tries: Zac Guildford, Dan Carter. Cons: Carter 2. Pens: Carter, Matt Berquist

HT: Crusaders 17-16

1. Ben Franks (Wyatt Crockett 51min)
2. Corey Flynn
3. Owen Franks
4. Luke Romano (Joe Wheeler 75min)
5. Chris Jack
6. George Whitelock (Matt Todd 55min)
7. Richie McCaw (c)
8. Kieran Read
9. Willi Heinz
10. Dan Carter (Matt Berquist 50min)
11. Zac Guildford
12. Sonny Bill Williams (Brent Ward 40min)
13. Ryan Crotty
14. Robbie Fruean
15. Tom Marshall (Steve Alfeld 75min)
Reserve not used:
16. Quentin MacDonald