Match Reports

The Crusaders have scored a bonus-point 34-16 victory over the Chiefs at Mt Maunganui in a good night for the team who have been boosted with the return from injury of regular skipper Richie McCaw.

Replacement lock Luke Romano scored the Crusaders’ fourth try just before fulltime, adding to five-pointers from Robbie Fruean, Sean Maitland and Andy Ellis.

That fourth try helped the Crusaders to five competition points and they sit on top of the Investec Super Rugby table, with the Reds yet to play the Bulls this weekend.

McCaw played the final 30 minutes and he added some solidity to the Crusaders who were harassed by a Chiefs team looking to up the intensity and unsettle the visitors in front of a packed 16,500 sellout crowd at Baypark Stadium.

 The Chiefs tore into the breakdown and their defence was more physical than anything the Crusaders have faced this season. They crowded the vaunted midfield of Fruean and Sonny Bill Williams and gave them few opportunities, though Fruean did very well to score the first try of the night after only two minutes.

Fruean did well to draw two defenders and release Zac Guildford down the left touchline. The busy little wing passed infield to fullback Israel Dagg who showed good skill to quickly flick a pass to Fruean who did the rest.

Matt Berquist, who had a very good all-round game, kicked the conversion but missed with a more difficult penalty chance after 10 minutes.

The Chiefs struck back immediately, scoring a slick try through wing Lelia Masaga after good work by former Crusaders lock Isaac Ross.

Mike Delany’s conversion levelled the score at 7-7.

A Delany penalty gave the Chiefs the lead for the first and only time. A loose pass from the Chiefs first-five then allowed flying wing Sean Maitland to scamper away for his eighth try of the season.

The Crusaders flexed their muscles at scrum time and this led to another Berquist penalty, but the Chiefs were perhaps lucky to win a scrum penalty of their own on the stroke of halftime to make the score 17-13 at the break.

Delany missed a penalty shortly after the re-start and then a trio of changes for the Crusaders occurred in the form of McCaw for George Whitelock, Wyatt Crockett for Ben Franks and Ellis for Kahn Fotuali’i.

All made an impact, but none more so than Ellis, who scored a try four minutes after his arrival on to the field. His break and pass and good work from Chris Jack, Dagg and Guildford put Ellis away on the inside and the halfback dotted down for a converted try.

A Delany penalty narrowed the gap to 24-16 but with 22 minutes left, the Crusaders were looking for a bonus point try.

They decided to go for territory rather than take a long shot at goal with 12 minutes left but that failed to reap dividends and with seven minutes to go skipper Kieran Read wisely decided to let Berquist take an easy three points.

With time ticking down, a lineout drive and led to Romano and McCaw combining, with Romano scoring his first points at this level.

It was scrappy at times but it was a good result for the Crusaders, who deserved their win. The Chiefs, who were coming off the bye, wanted to play the game at pace but their set piece couldn’t live with the Crusaders.

Matt Todd was again a standout at flanker. His quickness when attacking the ball on the ground is something else. Fotuali’i played well in his first start of the season but replacement halfback Ellis added pace and bite when he came on.

Berquist played well at first-five, with Guildford, Dagg and Maitland again dangerous and busy at the back.

Maitland leads the New Zealand Super try-scoring list with eight.

Chiefs – Try: Lelia Masaga. Con: Mike Delany. Pens: Delany 3.

Crusaders – Tries: Robbie Fruean, Sean Maitland, Andy Ellis, Luke Romano. Cons: Matt Berquist 4. Pens: Berquist 2.

Crusaders
1. Ben Franks (Wyatt Crockett 50 min)
2. Corey Flynn
3. Owen Franks
4. Brad Thorn (Luke Romano 60)
5. Chris Jack
6. George Whitelock (Richie McCaw 50)
7. Matt Todd
8. Kieran Read
9. Kahn Fotuali'i (Andy Ellis 50)
10. Matt Berquist
11. Zac Guildford
12. Sonny Bill Williams
13. Robbie Fruean (Adam Whitelock 65)
14. Sean Maitland
15. Israel Dagg

Reserves not used:
16. Quentin MacDonald
21. Tom Marshall