Crusaders deliver Stormers their second defeat in Super XV – Rugby news
Crusaders kick started their short tour of South Africa impressively as they beat the Stormers in their second loss in super xv in Cape Town. The Stormers hosted Crusaders today on Saturday May 7, at Newlands Rugby Stadium.
Saturday’s win is the Crusaders eighth win of the season and has helped them retain fourth place in the super xv combined table and second place in the New Zealand conference.
During the length of the game, both teams focused more on ball possession rather than playing attacking and open rugby. Stormers, playing in front of the home crowd, started the match strongly as they were able to carry the ball and gained some territory.
During the fourth minute of the game, Dewaldt Duvenage intercepted a pass and was all set to score the try for the Stormers but referee Chris Pollock from New Zealand called the teams back for a full line out.
Meanwhile, Crusaders suffered a major blow as their star full back, Israel Dagg, slipped and injured his leg and had to come off the field. Tom Marshall substituted for Israel Dagg as Crusaders attack weakened further.
Crusaders were also without the services of Dan Carter and Richie McCaw. However, Crusaders were first to score points in the match courtesy of their prop Wyatt Crockett’s eighth minute try.
Crusaders center Sonny Bill Williams gathered the ball and passed it to Sean Maitland at wing, who relayed it to Crockett to score the first try of the game. Crusaders fly half, Matt Berquist, followed with a conversion to leave the hosts trailing by seven
points.
Stormers came back strongly as they pressured the Crusaders defence by keeping the ball in their 25 for five minutes and ended up winning a penalty in the 13th minute. Stormers’ fly half Lionel Cronje kicked the penalty to put Stormers first points
onboard.
Stormers were enjoying a good passage of the play, as they were able to maintain ball possession and were able to gain ground. Stormers centre, Jaque Fourie’s, 17th minute try put the hosts in lead.
Crusaders were quick to respond and Berquit’s 22nd minute penalty again left hosts trailing by two points. Crusaders suffered another blow as their scrum half Kahn Fotuali'i left the field and Willie Heinz replaced him. Cronje’s 34th
minute penalty took the scorecard reading 11 – 10 in favour of th ehosts and it remained the same until the end of the first-half.
Both teams started the second half strongly as both teams’ fly halves traded penalties during the 43rd and 46th minute of the game.
Crusaders were enjoying good possession as they kept the ball and territory possession. On top of it they did not made any errors and the Stormers had to work hard to win ball possession.
Meanwhile, Crusaders extended their lead as Crockett scored his second try of the game during the 63rd minute of the game. Berquist followed by his conversion to give Crusaders a six points lead.
The Stormers tried their best to penetrate through the Crusaders defence but they failed to do so as Crusaders held on with their impressive defencive game plan and coupled it with occasional attack to deliver Stormers their second defeat in super rugby
2011 championships.
Crusaders will play their next match against the Cheetahs at Vodacom Park on Saturday, May 13, as favourites.
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