A strong first-half showing helped the Crusaders clinch a 13th Super Rugby trophy with victory over the Blues in Auckland on Saturday.
Richie Mo’unga kicked 11 points that included a well-struck drop goal, while Bryn Hall and Sevu Reece scored tries either side of half time, as the men from Canterbury cruised to a 21-7 win in the Super Rugby Pacific final at Eden Park.
The score at the break was 13-0 to Scott Robertson’s charges, with Finlay Christie crossing the whitewash for the hosts to open their account in the 59th minute.
The Crusaders unleashed a heady mix of precision and power to beat the Blues in a decider between two fierce New Zealand rivals that many predicted would be tight.
It proved far from it as the competition’s most dominant side took command from the outset, much to the consternation of a 42,000 full house at Eden Park. Despite wet conditions, the visitors played with an accuracy that has been a hallmark of their enduring success.
They kicked precisely, were unflinching at the breakdown and utterly dominated the lineouts to hand Robertson a sixth title from his six seasons in charge.
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Two of those, in 2020 and 2021, came under the Super Rugby Aotearoa internal format, with 10 titles having been claimed in the pre-Covid era. With his pack laying the groundwork, Mo’unga was able to control the game tactically.
The Blues, chasing their fourth trophy and their first since 2003, were considered strong contenders to halt the Crusaders juggernaut. They secured a rare win in Christchurch two months ago as part of a 15-match winning streak to earn home advantage for the decider.
However, they couldn’t get enough quality possession to in-form playmaker Beauden Barrett, their handling errors and a failure to secure lineout ball counting heavily against them.
For all their early dominance, the Crusaders’ lead was just 3-0 after half an hour, via Mo’unga’s drop goal. He doubled the advantage with a penalty goal before the lead was stretched when Hall popped the ball over the tryline off the back of a ruck on the stroke of half time.
Mo’unga’s second penalty was followed by the lone try from Christie, who darted across after the ball came loose from a scrum.
It ensured the hosts wouldn’t be the first team held scoreless in a Super Rugby final, but they never come close to scoring again and conceded a late try to Reece after failing to control a kick.
© Agence France-Presse
