RugbyU: Crusaders put Chiefs to the sword

Dan Carter (L) was crucial to the Crusaders performance

The Canterbury Crusaders adapted best to the conditions to beat the Waikato Chiefs 26-19 in a tense Super 14 rugby clash in Hamilton yesterday.
With the wind behind them and a dry ground, the Crusaders ensured the game was played at a frenetic pace in the first half and turned with a 23-16 lead as they outscored the Chiefs two tries to one.
But when the rain came down at halftime, and the Crusaders faced the wind, they switched to a dogged pick-and-drive style as they slugged out the final 40 minutes in which the only rewards were a penalty apiece.
The telling difference in the match was the work rate of the Crusaders loose trio featuring All Blacks Richie McCaw, Kieran Read and George Whitelock.
They dominated the fierce battle for possession at the breakdown and Read’s bullocking runs in the second half kept the weakened Chiefs backpeddling as they struggled without Liam Messam, who left the field early with a hip injury.
Flyhalf Dan Carter was also crucial to the Crusaders performance, directing the side into wave after wave of attacks, which stretched a Chiefs’ backline which boasted six All Blacks.
The Crusaders were one All Black down in the backs, with regular halfback Andy Ellis injured, but it was his replacement Kahn Fotuali’i who delivered for the southerners with two tries.
Both tries were just reward for his ability to always remain in support of the ball carrier.
The second in particular ended a spectacular period of play that began with a Crusaders counter-attack from their own line and swept up and down the field five times before Jared Payne made the eventual telling break for Fotuali’i to finish off.
That try put the Crusaders ahead 20-9 after 30 minutes with the Chiefs coming back just before the break with their only try to centre Richard Kahui off a barging run by backrower Colin Bourke.
Chiefs flyhalf Stephen Donald, Carter’s understudy in the All Blacks, converted the try and added four penalties.
Carter, who converted both of Fotuali’i’s tries also landed four penalties for a personal match haul of 16 points to give him a career tally of 996 in Super rugby.
It lifted him past former Crusaders pivot Andrew Merhtens into second place behind the Brumbies Sterling Mortlock on the all-time Super points scorers list.
It was the fourth win from five outings for the seven-times champion Crusaders while for the Chiefs, who started the year with three wins on the road, have now lost two in a row at home.
The Crusaders next week are back at their home stadium in Christchurch to play the Lions while the Chiefs have the bye.