The battle for Super Rugby power - The Crusaders just taught the Hurricanes a lesson in wet weather rugby

In a battle for Super Rugby power, the Crusaders delivered a crushing blow to the Hurricanes, claiming a 24-13 win and denting their opponents’ title hopes with it.

Injuries to several high profile Crusaders were supposed to rob the match of its competitiveness. The Hurricanes, riding a 10-game winning streak, were supposed to roll through Christchurch and take pole position on the Super Rugby ladder. Instead, the under-siege Crusaders fought for one of their most valuable wins in recent history.

“In the context of it, yeah probably, it was right up there,” head coach Scott Robertson said after the win.

“Because you would say with the changes and experience we lost it would probably be stacked against us, but I love it. I love this sort of week. You just have got to get the boys ready, clear their heads. You have one training and then you play. It is quite old school.

Going into the sheds 7-6 at halftime showed there was not much between the two sides, but there were signs the Crusaders were on top. The conditions were a great leveler and put the basics under the spotlight while taking away the athletic advantages of the Hurricanes backs.

The Hurricanes phase play looked shoddy in the wet conditions. The carry-clean game they rely on heavily to generate momentum was going backward. The slippery surface made footwork difficult and the Crusaders line speed hammered predictable forward targets.

The depth of the first receiver in the Hurricanes system contributed to the gain line woes, they didn’t flatten up and paid for it. They tried to play width from the deep second level a number of times and were shut down by the suffocating Crusaders defence. The Crusaders – who play much flatter anyway – didn’t have the same issues.

TJ Perenara and Beauden Barrett’s passing skills were found out in the wet. They put the side under pressure at times with lame-duck, off-target passing. Balls were hitting the deck or going behind the player and they kept losing enormous chunks of real estate before having to hoist the ball into the air.

Ill-discipline really cost the Hurricanes. Jordie Barrett gave the Crusaders 100 metres of territory with two back-to-back penalties – a late shot on the exit kicker and a choking tackle around the neck. His brother, Crusaders lock Scott Barrett, scored from the ensuing 5-metre lineout.

The Crusaders weren’t perfect either – contributing a number of errors and showing ill-discipline of their own in the first half. They continued to play for a damaging knockout punch, opting to kick for the corner three times in the last minute of the first stanza, turning down three points. Their failed lineout maul kept the game close.

The second half was a lesson in wet weather rugby.

Every time they made it into the opposition 22, the Crusaders went tight with forward-dominant play to break the Hurricanes down. They almost cracked them out wide through David Havili, but only after earning advantage and a guaranteed three points by drawing them offside in tight.

They repeated the formula five minutes later and Michael Alaalatoa crashed over from close range stretching the scoreline to 17-6 11 minutes into the second half.

The Hurricanes continued to try and play their pattern from the middle of the field, instead of driving the Crusaders deep into their own half with a good kicking game. Once that went nowhere, they put up bombs that were defused and returned.

When Mo’unga put the Hurricanes down into their own five, it spelled their end. Mo’unga drove a pinpoint kick long directly off a midfield scrum, which led to a poor exit by Ihaia West. Heiden Bedwell-Curtis put the nail in the coffin by scoring from the back of the scrum to take the lead to 24-6.

The Crusaders came with a better plan and far better execution in the conditions and now sit in the box seat, five points clear of the Hurricanes on the competition ladder. The Crusaders pack stood up and taught their opponents a lesson in playing to the conditions, while Bryn Hall and Richie Mo’unga completely outplayed Perenara and Barrett.

The Hurricanes still have a chance to secure home field advantage if results fall their way, but if they have to go back to Christchurch in the playoffs and play in bad conditions the Crusaders will be licking their lips.

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