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Watch: Richie Mo'unga's stunning individual try rivalled by Brumbies fullback Tom Banks' 'worldly' effort
By Sam Smith
A sloppy opening half full of scrums in the Crusaders opening Super Rugby Trans-Tasman game against the Brumbies was quickly brought to life by flyhalf Richie Mo’unga, who managed to skip past four Brumbies defenders.
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Some slick Crusaders passing opened the scoring through Ethan Blackadder early, offering viewers the impression that the floodgates would open after the opening two Trans-Tasman contents.
However, the game quickly descended into a slow and laborious game of scrum and scrum resets enabling the Brumbies to keep things close, even taking the lead when Scott Sio crashed over from close range.
On the half hour mark, Richie Mo’unga sparked the Crusaders into life with some individual brilliance, side-stepping past multiple Brumbies on the way to a clear path to the try line.
Faking a kick, Mo’unga pivoted off the right foot as the Brumbies’ blind side contingent overcommitted breaking off the scrum, slicing through straight up the middle.
? It’s Richie’s world, we just live in it.. #CRUvBRU #SuperRugbyTT
MATCH CENTRE: https://t.co/1RyOXQ8gJP pic.twitter.com/xatB2MShMH
— RUGBYcomau (@rugbycomau) May 15, 2021
First five Noah Lolesio, halfback Ryan Lonergan and blind side flanker Henry Stowers were all left behind without putting a finger on the Crusaders’ 10.
Richie Mo'unga's acceleration of the mark is crazy.
Switches to the blindside of the scrum to create a 1v1, ends up having an extra defender follow him across and still beats 4 defenders to score with the backrow coming off the scrum.#CRUvBRU #SuperRugbyTransTasman pic.twitter.com/DQRrh36klD
— EK Rugby Analysis (@ek_rugby) May 15, 2021
#CRUvBRU This game is using the 80/20 rule. 80% for scrum/scrum resets and the other 20% is Mo'unga running the show. ?????
— ?? Joe (@joenotaverage) May 15, 2021
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Richie Mo’unga is so good it’s actually a joke ? #CRUvBRU
— Mark Docherty (@mark_docherty99) May 15, 2021
Mo'unga is playing a different game from everyone else at the moment.
Someone has passed him the cheat codes. #CRUvBRU
— Matt (@M0_wen) May 15, 2021
It looked like the Crusaders would then pile up a big score on the Brumbies as second five David Havili snatched an intercept minutes before the half to extend the lead to 19-7.
The Brumbies fought back, scoring first in the second half and coming within two points with a Noah Lolesio penalty goal.
Two more tries to the Crusaders seemed like the game was dead and buried at 31-17 before some magic from Wallaby fullback Tom Banks gave the Australians a sniff.
The Brumbies fullback produced a stunning long-range effort from a set-piece play, rivalling Richie Mo’unga’s own effort from the first half by shaking off three would-be tacklers.
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After beating centre Braydon Ennor one-on-one on the outside, Banks looked to link up with his support but ended up crashing through the two cover tackles of George Bridge and replacement halfback Ere Enari, coming out the other side of the collision as the only one on his feet.
? Banks delivers the goods #CRUvBRU #SuperRugbyTT
MATCH REPORT: https://t.co/1RyOXQ8gJP pic.twitter.com/JDAmZIw2Ob
— RUGBYcomau (@rugbycomau) May 15, 2021
Former All Black Justin Marshall claimed that ‘you won’t see too many better than that’ after Banks’ solo effort put the Brumbies back in the game.
The Brumbies scored a last-minute try through Rob Valetini which gave them a chance to salvage a draw, but the sideline conversion from Noah Lolesio failed to find it’s mark leaving the visitors two points shy.
TRY! @BrumbiesRugby strike…. Great set peace move and Tom Banks rips the @crusadersrugby defence to shreds. 7 point game now with 6 min to go. Game on #SuperRugbyTransTasman #CRUvBRU
— Andrew Maseko (@NqobileMaseko) May 15, 2021
That's an absolute worldy by Banks #CRUvBRU
— Jack Counsell (@JackCounsell) May 15, 2021
that was impressive from tom banks and keeping the saders from a bonus point (for now) #CRUvBRU
— kirst ? (@fornairobi) May 15, 2021
