Hurricanes prevail over Crusaders

Sat 2nd May

The Hurricanes held on to beat the Crusaders 29-23 and maintain their lead at the top of the overall Investec Super Rugby standings in their match at Westpac Stadium on Saturday night.

The Hurricanes seized their chances to score two decisive second half tries that broke a 17-17 halftime deadlock, taking maximum points from the match and recording their ninth win of the season.

Loosehead prop Reggie Goodes (55th minute) and replacement loose forward Blade Thomson (62nd) scored key second half tries to put the Hurricanes ahead, and they kept their noses in front for the remainder of the match.

Once more, this win was built upon tremendous character and resolve under pressure and outstanding teamwork and counter-attacking play with ball in hand.

The Hurricanes soaked up pressure, particularly in the first half when the Crusaders dominated possession, while the support play and continuity between the Hurricanes backs and forwards was outstanding.

Individually, first five-eighth Beuaden Barrett was electric - before leaving the field with about 15 minutes to play with a suspected knee injury - while backline generals Ma'a Nonu and Conrad Smith and tyro fullback Nehe Milner-Skudder all turned in big performances.

In the forwards, Goodes, lock James Broadhurst, flanker Ardie Savea, No. 8 Brad Shields and replacements Thomson and Dane Coles all contributed to a well-deserved win over a powerhouse New Zealand based side.

The Hurricanes return to Westpac Stadium next Saturday night to host South Africa's Sharks in their next match.

It was the Crusaders who opened the scoring early with a converted try to second five-eighth Daniel Carter, running off the shoulder of first five-eighth Colin Slade.

Hurricanes first five-eighth Barrett hit back with a 70 metre runaway try, scooping up a dropped pass and out-sprinting the Crusaders chasers to score under the posts and making it 7-7 after 10 minutes.

This was followed barely two minutes later by a stunning Hurricanes try, to No. 8 Shields.

Shields' try was started when left wing Julian Savea made a bullocking run up the touchline. Savea's inside pass was recovered by the Crusaders but they kicked it straight back to fullback Milner-Skudder.

Milner-Skudder broke the Crusaders first line of defence, setting up a passing rush on the far side of the field between captain and centre Conrad Smith, openside flanker Ardie Savea and the try-scorers Shields. Barrett's conversion put the Hurricanes ahead 14-7.

Slade missed two consecutive penalties for the Crusaders, before Hurricanes second five-eighth Ma'a Nonu was sin-binned for the Hurricanes after a short side raid by left wing Nemani Nadolo and halfback Andy Ellis.

This time Slade kicked the penalty, cutting the Hurricanes' lead to 14-10.

Slade then punched through a hole in midfield and weaved his way to the try line to score a seven-pointer, putting the Crusaders ahead 17-14.

Barrett made a similar break in midfield from a turnover, leading to an opportunity for Hurricanes lock Broadhurst in the corner, but the hard running lock spilled the ball forward over the line in a desperate tackle.

After a series of scrums in the corner, Barrett had the final say of the first half, kicking his first penalty to see the teams locked up at 17-17 at halftime.

Restored to 15 players with the return of Nonu, the Hurricanes made a concerted start to the second half with a strong passage of play with ball in hand. Left wing Julian Savea crossed the whitewash but was ruled to have made a double movement.

The Crusaders regrouped, won a penalty at a ruck and Slade put them back in the lead, 20-17.

The run of play remained tight, before replacement Hurricanes flanker Blade Thomson made a big bust in midfield, carried on by Ardie Savea. Once again the Crusaders rallied and cleared the ball. But only as far back as the Hurricanes who attacked again in a long passage of play.

Sustained pressure saw loosehead prop Reggie Goodes drive over the line to score a try. Barrett's conversion saw the Hurricanes ahead 24-20 with almost 25 minutes still to play.

More electric counter-attacking by Barrett and tremendous support play led to Thomson scoring the Hurricanes' bonus point try.

Barrett fielded a high kick 10 metres on his own side of halfway and took off. He linked up with lock Broadhurst and halfback TJ Perenara, who found Thomson ranging on the left wing to gallop through to score in the corner.

The Hurrricanes lost Barrett to injury, but collectively held firm to fulltime to maintain their six point lead at the head of the New Zealand Conference.

Scores:

Hurricanes 29 (Brad Shields, Reggie Goodes, Blade Thomson, Beauden Barrett tries, Barrett 3 con, pen)Crusaders 23 (Dan Carter, Colin Slade tries, Colin Slade 2 con, 3 pen). HT: 17-17

The scoring action (by minute):

2nd: Daniel Carter try. Crusaders 5-0

3rd: Colin Slade conversion. Crusaders 7-0

9th: Beauden Barrett try. Crusaders 7-5

10th: Beauden Barrett conversion. Hurricanes 7-7

13th: Brad Shields try. Hurricanes 12-7

14th: Beauden Barrett conversion. Hurricanes 14-7

30th: Colin Slade penalty. Hurricanes 14-10

32nd: Colin Slade try. Crusaders 15-14

33rd: Colin Slade conversion. Crusaders 17-14

40th (first): Beauden Barrett penalty. Hurricanes 17-17

45th: Colin Slade penalty. Crusaders 20-17

55th: Reggie Goodes try. Hurricanes 22-20

56th: Beauden Barrett conversion. Hurricanes 24-20

59th: Colin Slade penalty. Crusaders 24-23

62nd: Blade Thomson try. Hurricanes 29-23

The Hurricanes team was:

1.Reggie Goodes Replaced by Chris Eves, 60th minute
2.Motu Matu'u Replaced by Dane Coles, 45th minute
3.Ben Franks Replaced by Jeffery Toomaga-Allen, 60th minute
4.Jeremy Thrush Replaced by Mark Abbott, 75th minute
5.James Broadhurst
6.Callum Gibbins Replaced by Blade Thomson, 53rd minute
7.Ardie Savea
8.Brad Shields
9.TJ Perenara
10.Beauden Barrett Replaced by James Marshall, 71st minute
11.Julian Savea
12.Ma'a Nonu
13.Conrad Smith (c)
14.Cory Jane Replaced by Matt Proctor, 64th minute
15.Nehe Milner-Skudder