Crusaders beat Hurricanes 39-25 in Super Rugby Aotearoa
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — The Crusaders scored a try inside the first minute and went on to beat the Hurricanes 39-25 in a Super Rugby Aotearoa match on Sunday which ultimately wasn’t decided until minutes from fulltime.
Playing their first match in the New Zealand professional competition after a bye in last weekend’s first round, the Christchurch-based Crusaders scored five tries to one but needed late tries to Richie Mo’unga and center David Havili to shake the tenacious Hurricanes.
All Blacks flyhalf Mo’unga amassed 19 points from his game-breaking try, two penalties and four conversions. His opposite, Jackson Garden-Bachop, kicked 20 points for the Hurricanes who hung into the match through goalkicks, re-emphasizing the importance of penalties.
There were almost 30 in the match in a count which went in the Hurricanes favor in the first half and the Crusaders’ in the second.
The Crusaders scored three first half tries to none but led by only four points at halftime as Garden-Bachop’s goalkicking kept the Hurricanes in the match. Even when the penalty count became more balanced in the second spell, the Wellington-based Hurricanes managed to stick with the Crusaders and leveled the game at 25-25 with their only try, to replacement hooker Asafo Aumua, after 65 minutes.
The Crusaders brutally shut down any chance of a further revival from the home team. A defensive error by Matt Proctor yielded Mo’unga’s try and Havili dashed through a broad gap in defense to score the clincher in the 75th minute.
Hooker Codie Taylor, leading the Crusaders for the first time, said his teammates had learned how difficult it is to avoid giving up penalties under the strict regime referees are enforcing in Super Rugby Aotearoa.
“We were caught in our own half a lot, giving away penalties,” Taylor said. “We watched last week knowing that was the case but when you’re in the mix it’s difficult not to do.”
The Hurricanes’ lineout was defective throughout the match and cost a try in the opening minute when the Crusaders capitalized on an over-throw and created a try for winger Sevu Reece.
Centers Braydon Ennor and Jack Goodhue added first half tries for the Crusaders while the Hurricanes kept in touch through a string of penalties and a dropped goal by Garden-Bachop.
Mo’unga was forced to kick for goal to increase the Crusaders lead to 25-18 before Aumua leveled the scores. Proctor’s wild in-field pass when caught in the right corner in the 68th minute conceded the try to Mo'unga that gave the Crusaders a debut win.
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