The Super Rugby weekend again turned in a handful of surprises, and in general wasn’t a good time to be leading at halftime or late in the game. The Highlanders, Brumbies and Sharks all saw leads disappear late and with it valuable competition points.
Read our round-up of the Super Rugby Round 13 Results with descriptions from each game below:
Crusaders (58) v Reds (17)
The Crusaders turned back the clock and delivered one of their most memorable performances in recent time when they defeated the Reds at home on Friday night. In what was billed as a farewell for Crusaders legends Richie McCaw and Dan Carter, the Crusaders dominated all 80 minutes and by registering a bonus point win could fins themselves in the playoff reckoning.
The combination between Andy Ellis, Colin Slade and Nemani Nadolo was the winning of the math as the numbers 9, 10 and 11 put on a clinical display and Nadolo kept up his incredible try scoring strike rate. He also set up Ellis’ 90 second opener, before intercepting a stray James O’Connor pass for his own first try and then finally accepting a Carter pass to cross for a second.
Watching the Waratahs an Highlanders lose further rectified the likelihood of a playoff position, and will send the Crusaders into their bye week positively beaming.
Crusaders: Tries – A.Ellis, C.Slade, N.Nadolo 2, S.Whitelock, M.Todd, J.Macilai, D.Bird, Pen – C.Slade 2, Con – C.Slade 6
Reds: Tries – S.Kerevi, C.Feauai-Sautia, Pen – J.O’Connor, Con – J.,O’Connor 2
Rebels (42) v Blues (22)
The Blues again failed to win an away game. The loss is their eighth away loss of the season and means they have only won away form home twice in the last three years under John Kirwan.
In this one the Rebels were better in every facet throughout. The Rebels noticed their second consecutive win and their sixth of the season – the most they have record in their short Super Rugby history. The Rebels benefitted from the Blues keenness to throw the ball around by exploiting the copious amounts of space available and picking up several intercepts from loose passes.
Scott Higginbotham was one of the Rebels players to take his chances. He ran over for his 30th Super Rugby try – the most by a forward in the history of the competition.
Credit due to both teams for the attractive and enterprising way the game was played.
Rebels: Tries – C.Fainga’a, T.Smith, S.Higginbotham, D.Shipperley, J. Debreczeni, Pen – M.Harris 3, Con – M.Harris 3
Blues: Tries – M.Nanai, J.Gibson-Park, G.Moala, Pen – I.West, Con -I.West 2
Hurricanes (32) v Sharks (24)
Prince Harry brought good luck to the Hurricanes as they avoided a potentially trick encounter against the Sharks in the capital. Trailing 24-21 late in the game, the Hurricanes needed late tries from Reggie Goodes and Jeremy Thrush to seal the points and continue their utter domination of the New Zealand conference.
Despite trailing at half time the Sharks got the better start, and had the lead early when Bismarck du Plessis opened the scoring. However, the Canes worked themselves into the contest, and Cory Jane levelled things up prior to Conrad Smith dotting down to grab a half-time lead.
The Canes trailed twice in the second half but utilised the home crowd and their big game experience to get through the potential banana skin game by a narrow margin.
Hurricanes: Tries – C.Jane, C.Smith, R.Goodes, J.Thrush, Pen – J.Marshall 2, Con – J.Marshall 3
Sharks: Tries – B. du Plessis, S.Sithole, O.Ndungane, Pen – L.Cronje, Con – F.Steyn 3
Force (18) v Waratahs (11)
For the second time in 2015 the Western Force beat the reigning Super Rugby Champions. The Force beat the Waratahs in Round One and completed the double over their NSW opponents with a narrow win in another low-scoring match.
The Waratahs entered the game as one of the form teams of the competition, but lacked accuracy and intensity. They struggled to break through a staunch defensive effort and managed a solitary try and a solitary competition point (losing margin). Not a catastrophic result though given the Brumbies loss.
The Force won’t make the playoffs, especially considering their woeful form with the boot (they gave away 17 points in this one), but have gained plenty of admirers for their bizarre record of 10 losses, 2 wins, but both of them against the defending champions.
Force: Tries – R.Louwrens, M.Hodgson, Pen – L.Burton 2, Con – L.Burton
Waratahs: Tries – T.Naiyaravoro, Pen – B.Foley 2
Lions (28) v Highlanders (23)
The Highlanders’ inability to close their match out against the Lions at Ellis Park on Sunday morning might come back to haunt them in the race for playoff spots. The Otago men led 20-3 at halftime after Gareth Evans and Malakai Fekitoa took opportunist tries with Fekitoa’s in particular a fine 70m effort after goof work from Richard Buckman. Lima Sopoaga’s soon to be All Black boots were also on form, slotting conversions, penalties and droppies from all over the place. Probably in response to the 51m monster kicked by Marnitz Boshoff to open the scoring.
The second half was a different story. The Lions completely dominated the final 28 minutes where they edged ahead with two tries (Kriel for one and the uber- impressive Vorster the other) after a Ben Smith drop goal had pushed the Highlanders back in front. A further penalty to replacement Elton Jantjies prevented any last minute heartache and sent the Johannesburg crowd into hysterics.
Lions: Tries – Skosan, Kriel, Vorster, Pen – Jantjies 2, Boshoff, Con – Jantjies 2
Highlanders: Tries – Evans, Fekitoa, Pen – Sopoaga, Con – Sopoaga 2, Drop – Sopoaga, B Smith
Stormers (25) v Brumbies (24)
The Newlands match will be remembered only for Christian Lealliifano’s glaring miss in the closing stages that should have delivered his Brumbies side a win adjacent the Stormers. A conversion right in front of the sticks that many 12 year olds will kick today during their lunch breaks drifted wide and the Stormers were gifted the win.
Demetri Catrakilis contributed all but five of his sides points. The five came via Schalk Burger who bravely brushed off a dangerous tackle moments earlier to dive over and send the Stormers into the bye round ahead of the Bulls thanks to their superior wins.
The loss was yet another example of a narrow Brumbies defeat, a trait undoubtedly frustrating the Canberra side. It should never have been though as Lealliifano would kick that goal 9 times out of 1o, blindfolded. The Brumbies single point gets them up to third courtesy of topping the Australian conference.
Stormers: Tries – S.Burger, Pen – D.Catrakilis 5, Con – D.Catrakilis, Drop – D.Catrakilis
Brumbies: Tries – J.Tomane, D.Pocock, Pen – C.Lealiifano 3, J.Mogg, Con – C.Lealiifano
