The Blues took on the Crusaders in the first of this years Super Rugby semi finals.
Video / Sky Sport
The road to this year’s Super Rugby Pacific title runs through Christchurch. But, boy, did the Crusaders have to fight for their lives to reach another big dance.
In a gripping dogfight that followed a familiar tight, tense script from the Blues’ last two visits to the garden city, theCrusaders booked an eighth home final and a crack at a 15th title after preserving their fortress with a knife-edge 21-14 victory over the Blues.
Will Jordan’s second strike with 10 minutes remaining broke the second half deadlock and seemed destined to push the Crusaders into this year’s decider after the locals scored 21 unanswered points to overcome a dream start from the Blues.
At that point, the Blues appeared down and out. An unfortunate yellow card for Hoskins Sotutu – after an accidental head clash with Chay Fihaki – left the Blues scrapping for their season one man short for the closing stages.
On the wrong side of a 16-9 penalty count, seemingly out on their feet, the Blues again summoned resilience to launch raid after raid – over 40 phases - at the Crusaders line.
One metre short, the ball popped out the back of the Blues ruck, Crusaders No 8 Christian Lio-Willie pounced, and that was all she wrote.
Crusaders wing Sevu Reece had the last laugh by shushing the Blues at the finish.
Victory maintains the Crusaders’ 27 year, 31 match unbeaten home playoff record. And with it, favouritism whether they meet the Chiefs or Brumbies in a potential farewell to Apollo Projects Stadium next week.
Defeat for the Blues spells the end of their quest to defend last year’s breakthrough title and the time at the franchise for departing servants Mark Tele’a, Harry Plummer, Ricky Riccitelli and Adrian Choat, all of whom are moving abroad.
A contest that featured blood and passion between these arch rivals, and multiple flare ups off the ball, finished with the Crusaders squeezing their fourth win in a row against the Blues.
After the horrors of last year, when the Crusaders missed the playoffs for the first time since 2015 with four wins and 10 losses during their regular season, they now have a shot at the ultimate redemption.
Six days after stunning the Chiefs in Hamilton with an 84th minute Josh Beehre try, the Blues arrived in Christchurch embracing their underdog mentality.
Having scraped into the playoffs in sixth place after an underwhelming season that featured eight losses, the defending champions have been playing with house money.
Defending the maul, stealing a lineout, applying pressure through their accurate kicking game, forcing errors through aggressive defence and converting their chances, the Blues couldn’t have started any better. They had the Crusaders rattled, with several experienced figures making uncharacteristic mistakes.
Tries to Tele’a and chief protagonist Rieko Ioane, who became the Blues’ all time try-scorer, built a 14-0 lead but yellow cards to Crusaders centre Braydon Ennor and Blues prop Joshua Fusitu’a for head clash tackles swung the momentum.
Rieko Ioane of the Blues scores a try in the tackle of Noah Hotham during the Super Rugby semifinal in Christchurch. Photo / Photosport
Riding James Doleman’s whistle – an 8-3 penalty count in their favour in the first half – the Crusaders worked their way into the grind and, indeed, back into the contest. Tom Christie crashed over to help regain composure and who else but All Blacks fullback Jordan with a piece of twinkle toed brilliance to step two Blues defenders and level the ledger.
Midway through the second half both sides refused to take kickable penalties, instead squandering the intent to break the deadlock with tries as resolute defence forced errors.
Adversity hit the Blues with prop Marcel Renata leaving with a shoulder injury. Renata’s departure promoted Kurt Eklund off bench and forced Ricky Riccitelli to switch from hooker to the unfamiliar loosehead prop. The Blues scrum was under serious heat but Jordan Lay’s return from an HIA helped stabilise the shaky platform.
Grimly holding on at the death, dogged defence propels the Crusaders into another final.
This gruelling war of attrition proves once again that whoever travels to Christchurch next week will need to overcome the weight of history – and seize every chance they get.
With more line breaks, carries, turnovers won and post contact metres, the Blues will rue not taking theirs.
Crusaders: Tom Christie, Will Jordan 2 tries, Rivez Reihana con 3
Blues: Mark Tele’a, Rieko Ioane tries, Beauden Barrett con 2
