Crusaders show early form to blitz Blues

The Crusaders lifted themselves to a 21-12 pre-season Super 14 rugby win over the Blues at Sports Park Motueka yesterday – a big step up from the previous week's 20-12 loss to the Reds in Brisbane.

Coach Todd Blackadder said the team had made a "lot of strides in a lot of areas".

"Last week we lost a lot of ball and I thought particularly in that first half [yesterday] we held our structures.

"There's still a little bit of rustiness out there, of course, but it was the first hit-out for a lot of guys and I was really pleased that we came through the game with no injuries."

The game was played in an opening 40-minute half followed by two 20-minute quarters, with the Crusaders producing all their points-scoring in the first 40-minute spell.

Tries to halfback Andy Ellis, flanker Kieran Read and finally to first five-eighth Dan Carter on the break, all converted by Carter, helped push the Crusaders to a deserved 21-5 halftime lead.

Wing Joe Rokocoko scored the Blues' first-half try to cut the Crusaders' early lead to 7-5, with the Blues' other wing, Rene Ranger, scoring the only second half try, converted by former Cantabrian Stephen Brett.

The Crusaders deserved their halftime lead as both teams showed positive intent with the ball.

The Crusaders had a better attacking rhythm during the first half but were cast in a more defensive role during the second as players from both sides put in some big defensive hits.

Blackadder said: "Everyone's got a little bit more used to the intensity and the physicality of what's to be expected next week. So all in all I'm really pleased and we still made the changes to look after a few guys to keep them fresh for next week and I thought the guys out there were really Crusaderish.

"There were some massive hits, and I suppose that comes from not having the ball."

The breakdowns and tackled ball areas inevitably attracted the highest penalty count, with referee Chris Pollock also attracting abuse from the crowd after he sinbinned Crusaders and Tasman Makos' prop Ben Franks midway through the first half for a restart infringement.

However, Pollock found an unlikely supporter in Blackadder – particularly with regard to his strict policing at the breakdowns.

"I'm actually quite pleased," Blackadder said. "If anything, I thought it was quite good he was a little bit hard on us. Last week, we probably didn't feel like we'd been refereed in the new tackle area like we'd been focusing on – and we've got Chris Pollock [again] next week.

"So if anything, it'll be good because our players will learn and they'll adjust."

Blackadder praised the efforts of midfielders Adam Whitelock and Robbie Fruean who were forced to play 80 minutes because of injuries to other players.

They enjoyed Carter's guiding hand for the 50-odd minutes he was on the field, although his replacement, Colin Slade, showed more of an eye for the gap with some penetrative running.

Kieran Read brings intensity to any contest, and scored with his first touch of the ball just moments after replacing Joe Wheeler in the 30th minute.

It was a significant day for Blues' replacement first five-eighth Stephen Brett – the first time he had taken the field against his former Crusaders and Canterbury team-mates.

"It's good to have that bogey off my back now," Brett said, after a steady second-half performance which included one clean breach of the Crusaders' defence.

"Now I can concentrate on playing against other teams. It was always going to be tough playing against your old team-mates. I just had to make sure I was staying away from the late hits."

The Crusaders open their Super 14 campaign against the Highlanders in Christchurch next Saturday, while the Blues take on the Hurricanes in Albany next Friday.

Crusaders 21 (Andy Ellis, Kieran Read, Dan Carter tries, Carter 3 cons) Blues 12 (Joe Rokocoko, Rene Ranger tries, Stephen Brett con) HT 21-5. Fairfax

- The Marlborough Express