Chiefs Storm to Dominant Victory Over Crusaders with 32 Unanswered Points in Statement Win for Super Rugby Pacific Title Contenders

This article was originally published on Stuff and is reproduced with permission

A crushing defeat at the hands of the Chiefs may not be the Crusaders’ most significant blow this weekend.

As if squandering a 16-point lead wasn’t distressing enough, the sight of All Blacks fullback Will Jordan limping off the field due to a leg injury added to the disappointment of the hosts’ 35-19 defeat in Christchurch on Saturday evening.

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It must have been a painful sight for Jordan as the Chiefs turned around a 19-3 deficit, scoring three tries within six minutes to take a 22-19 lead early in the second half.

This turnaround not only deflated the majority of the 17,000-strong crowd at the sold-out Apollo Projects Stadium—except for one enthusiastic supporter in the southern stand with a cowbell—but it also rattled the home team.

Initially, the Crusaders were dominating, thanks to tries from Tom Christie, Scott Barrett, and Antonio Shalfoon, the latter two showcasing their brute strength close to the line as the red and blacks asserted their superiority.

However, after racing to an early lead, the Crusaders struggled to make any further impact and succumbed to the Chiefs for the second time this season.

There’s no denying it now—the Chiefs, now four points clear at the top of the table, are the frontrunners to clinch the Super Rugby Pacific title.

After a shaky first 38 minutes, they seized their chance when the Crusaders faltered, notably after Shalfoon’s try, which followed a failed restart and a high tackle by Braydon Ennor that gifted them an attacking lineout.

Emoni Narawa quickly capitalised with a try out wide, and shortly after, a misjudged box kick from Noah Hotham allowed Shaun Stevenson to execute a 50/22 kick.

Damian McKenzie, who would later land crucial penalties to maintain the Chiefs’ lead, scored after loose forward Simon Parker fell short on a powerful run.

If that didn’t deflate the home side, Leroy Carter’s brilliant try, following a confusion over a David Havili grubber kick near the Chiefs’ line, certainly did.

Carter’s effort, marked by his deft sidestep past Dallas McLeod, was a standout moment on the night.

It’s a lapse Havili will wish to correct, but it wasn’t the only blunder the Crusaders made.

There were significant issues with their lineout, which failed three times, while they appeared disoriented during restarts and struggled to gain ground.

With Jordan out, they also struggled in the kicking department as McKenzie and Cortez Ratima consistently bombarded them with precise kicks.

As Crusaders captain Havili acknowledged post-match, the Chiefs not only triumphed in physicality but were also superior defensively, stifling every attack the Crusaders attempted in the latter stages.

Having lost eight out of their last ten matches in Christchurch, Chiefs No.8 Wallace Sititi delivered the final blow in the 73rd minute, powering over to extinguish any lingering hope for the hosts.

If there’s a silver lining for the Crusaders, it’s that they hold a game in hand over the Chiefs as they prepare for their away clash with the Waratahs on Friday.