Crusaders blow Hurricanes away
May 24, 2008
THE Crusaders powered into the Super 14 rugby finals, flattening the Wellington Hurricanes 33-22 with a near-complete performance in their semi-final.

The 11-point winning margin, and three tries apiece scoreline, did not do justice to the total domination of the Crusaders throughout the match.

The most successful side in the history of Super rugby and gunning for their seventh title, Crusaders enjoyed 61 percent of possession and an overwhelming 76 percent territorial advantage.

It was a stunning return of confidence and form by a side which only a week ago was humbled by the Hurricanes in the last round before the play-offs and they will now be at home in next weekend's final.

Although 30 minutes into the match the Hurricanes led 8-6, it was against the run of play as the Richie McCaw-led Crusaders enjoyed total command up front.

It was inevitable that cracks would appear in the Hurricanes defence and the Crusaders scored just before half-time to lead 13-8 at the turn, then raced to a 33-8 advantage before allowing the Hurricanes two soft tries at the end.

"We knew we had to take a big step up from where we've been in the past couple of weeks," McCaw said.

"We didn't allow them to get too much going, apart from right at the end, and we capitalised on our chances."

Raking kicks down the middle by Dan Carter, Leon MacDonald and Scott Hamilton kept the Hurricanes on the back foot and the fast-chasing Crusaders forwards secured a constant supply of turnover ball.

The Crusaders' fortress at AMI Stadium has never been a happy hunting ground for the Hurricanes, whose only win in 11 attempts in Christchurch was seven years ago.

Without inspirational skipper Rodney So'oialo, who was ruled out by a rib injury, the Hurricanes forwards never threatened, which left their potent midfield pairing of Ma'a Nonu and Conrad Smith starved of possession.

From the kick-off the Crusaders were immediately on attack, although just as quick they were down 0-5 after the first minute when teenage Hurricanes wing Zac Guilford scored from a solo performance.

The 19-year-old kicked deep down field, charged down Carter's casual clearing effort and won the race to the ball as it rebounded over the try line.

Carter made amends with two penalties to put the Crusaders ahead 6-5, before a Piri Weepu penalty regained the lead for the Hurricanes in the 30th minute.

The constant pressure from the Crusaders eventually paid off late in the half when MacDonald found a gap to scamper over by the posts with Carter adding the conversion.

Guilford went close to scoring a second try soon after the resumption but was forced out in the right-hand corner by Kade Poki who had raced across from the left wing.

The Crusaders responded immediately, forcing the Hurricanes back up field and ending a series of forward drives by sending the ball wide for MacDonald to score his second try.

Carter converted, added a penalty and then converted Kieran Read's try when the blind-side flanker muscled his way over for the Crusaders to lead 33-8 with 10 minutes remaining.

As coach Robbie Deans emptied the bench the Hurricanes came back with tries to Jeremy Thrush and Neemia Tialata, with replacement fly-half Jimmy Gopperth landing one conversion and Jerry Collins the other.

The one negative outcome for the Crusaders was the loss of senior hooker Corey Flynn with a suspected broken arm early in the match and his understudy Ti'i Paulo left the field with a leg injury just before full-time.


Waratahs hit form at right time
May 24, 2008

NEW South Wales will be gunning for their maiden Super 14 title next Saturday after sinking the Sharks 28-13 in a one-sided semi-final at the Sydney Football Stadium.

The rampant Waratahs ran in four tries to one to set up a rematch of their 2005 final showdown with six-times champions the Crusaders.

The Waratahs have only ever beaten the Crusaders once in New Zealand but will cross the Tasman oozing confidence after dominating the Sharks in virtually all facets.

Apart from the tryscoring flurry, the Waratahs won the battle at the breakdown, stole five lineouts from the Sharks and led by powerhouse performances from back-rowers Rocky Elsom and Phil Waugh and lock Dean Mumm, physically destroyed the South African forwards.

Just like his entire team at halftime and fulltime, Waugh received a standing ovation from the 37,378-strong crowd when replaced in the 62nd minute of his 100th match for the Waratahs.

The Waratahs' only concern was another poor display of goalkicking from five-eighth Kurtley Beale.

After landing just three from seven attempts against Queensland last week, the youngster could only manage two from seven this evening.

Beale's inaccuracy was the only thing which kept the Sharks in the match until midway through the second half and another off night next week could prove very costly for the Waratahs.

The Waratahs haven't beaten the Crusaders since 2004 and will need everything to go their way to score a rare win in New Zealand's second-largest city.

In addition to losing their last five encounters with the Crusaders, the Waratahs have won just once in eight attempts in Christchurch since the tournament's inception in 1996.

Among their seven defeats there was a 35-25 loss in the 2005 final and a 34-7 humbling in round six this season.

But, as evident once again tonight, the Waratahs are far more accomplished outfit two months on from their last-up capitulation to the Crusaders.

After falling behind to an early drop goal to Sharks flyhalf Ruan Pienaar, the Tahs' utterly outplayed last year's losing finalists.

Tries to winger Lote Tuqiri in the 26th minute and teenage centre Rob Horne on the half hour, plus a conversion and penalty goal to Beale, gave NSW a 15-6 halftime lead.

The Waratahs skipped further ahead a minute after the break when Beale crossed, with Elsom throwing the final pass just as he had for Horne's five-pointer.

The match was as good as over when halfback Luke Burgess intercepted a pass from the base of the Sharks scrum to run in NSW's fourth try in the 45th minute and stretch the home side's lead to 25-6.

The Sharks added a consolation try to replacement hooker Craig Burden nine minutes from time before Beale had the final say, nailing a drop goal in the dying stages to give him a full set of try, conversion and penalty goal.

The comprehensive victory completed an unbeaten home campaign for the Waratahs, leaving Waugh delighted.

"Defence has been a big part of our game this year and we stood up again," Waugh said after the Tahs' seventh win from seven at the SFS in 2008.

"Off to Christchurch next week and we'll freshen up and it's obviously a big week.

"Our execution could have been a lot better, but it's obviously a very pleasing result.

"The Crusaders have been the form team all year and they deserve to have a home final.

"It's a big week (ahead of us).

"We've got a lot of inexperienced guys here and they've done really well all year, so I guess it's a matter of freshening up and making sure we get ready to play."