Super Rugby Pacific: Crusaders edges Blues; Hurricanes gather winning momentum

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — The Christchurch-based Crusaders scored a single try in each half to beat the Auckland-based Blues 15-3 in a pivotal match in Super Rugby Pacific on Saturday.

The match between the fourth-placed Blues and fifth-placed Crusaders was much-anticipated and watched by a capacity crowd of 17,000 in Christchurch. But while it was physically intense, it provided little in terms of excitement.

The Crusaders hogged possession, especially in the first half when the few shreds the Blues obtained, usually in their own half, were wastefully kicked away by flyhalf Beauden Barrett.

Possession evened out to about 60-40 in favor of the Crusaders during the second half but they retained the advantage in terms of territory and the Blues weren’t able to marshal a coherent attack.

The Blues’ defense mostly was rigid, especially in a 20-minute period in the second half when their captain Dalton Papali’i was red-carded for a high tackle on Crusaders flyhalf Richie Mo'unga. They didn’t concede a point in that period. But they missed around 25 tackles overall and that was crucial as the Crusaders punched through midfield with big ball-carrying forwards.

The Crusaders in turn didn’t have much to defend against. The Blues made only two visits to their 22 all match and any nascent attacks from further out were quickly shut down. Barrett set in motion an end-to-end kick and chase late in the match but it was shut down on the goal line by Crusaders fullback Will Jordan.

“The game was won with out defense,” Crusaders captain Scott Barrett said. “To hold them to three points was a huge testament. At times it was a bit ugly and we didn’t fire too many shots. But I think we closed down their game and a lot of their firepower didn’t get into the game.”

Thirty minutes passed before the first points came with a try to Crusaders backrower Quinten Strange. Beauden Barrett kicked a penalty and Mo’unga another and that ended the first-half scoring.

In the third minute of the second half, winger Leicester Fainga’anuku finished a long-distance try from a wayward Blues’ kick. The next 37 minutes were scoreless.

“There was plenty of defense out there tonight and some sore bodies,” Blues captain Beauden Barrett said. “They just took their opportunities. There weren’t many in that game. When we sped the ball up in the second half we started to see some opportunities through the middle. But we weren’t good enough to execute and finish.”

The scoring action came in Wellington where the Hurricanes scored their first try inside two minutes and added 10 more in a record 71-22 win over Moana Pasifika, their eighth win from 11 matches. The Hurricanes posted their highest score in a Super Rugby match, bouncing back from last week’s shock loss to the Fijian Drua.

Three of those tries went to captain Ardie Savea, whose tireless ball carrying kept the Hurricanes on the front foot.

“I’m proud of the boys’ effort tonight,” Savea said. “We knew what Moana would bring. I’m just happy the boys bounced back after last week and produced a good performance in front of our fans.”

Moana Pasifika also had a try inside five minutes and were competitive at first in a match that produced saw 48 first-half points. The Hurricanes led 29-19 at halftime then outscored Moana Pasifika 42-3 in the second spell, adding six tries including Savea’s hat trick.

The scrum was a weapon for the Hurricanes in the first half and in the second their fast passing and offloading ability was too much for Moana Pasifika.

Kini Naholo scored two tries and Billy Proctor, Jordie Barrett and Aidan Morgan also touched down for the Hurricanes in the first half. Jacob Devery, Salesi Rayasi and Caleb Delaney added to Savea’s three tries in the second half.

The most spectacular might have been Rayasi’s try. The last pass came from Morgan who tried to hurdle two defenders under the posts and was suspended in mid-air when the winger scored.