Super Rugby: Crusaders ease past Rebels in 85-26 win
By Associated Press and AFP
Last Updated: 09/07/16 12:13pm
The Canterbury Crusaders produced a Super Rugby 13-try spectacular, including a Johnny McNicholl hat-trick, to thrash an understaffed Melbourne Rebels 85-26 in Christchurch on Saturday.
The one-sided encounter kept the seven-time champions one point behind the Chiefs, who also collected maximum points when they whipped the Queensland Reds 50-5 on Friday, and ensured the New Zealand conference will go down to the wire.
Despite Richie Mo'unga's off-day with the boot the Crusaders romped into the break with a 43-7 lead over the injury-hit Rebels, crossing the whitewash seven times in the process.
They added a further six tries in the second half and were threatening competition records until their relentless scoring pace tapered off in the final quarter.
The Crusaders set the record for the highest score in Super Rugby when they beat the NSW Waratahs 96-19 in 2002. They scored a record 14 tries in that match which was equalled by the Central Cheetahs earlier this year when they beat the Sunwolves 92-17.
Stung by their loss to the Chiefs last week, and losing their place at the top of the table, the Crusaders were determined to make amends as they thrived on audacious offloads against a brittle defence.
Sam Whitelock, playing in his 100th Super game and captaining the side in the absence of Kieran Read, set the tone when he scored the opening try after 90 seconds.
In addition to McNicholl's triple, Ryan Crotty and Codie Taylor both scored two tries, while Whitelock, Scott Barrett, Alex Hodgman, Nemani Nadolo, Pete Samu and Matt Todd also crossed the line. Mo'unga landed seven conversions and Nadolo two.
Nic Stirzaker scored the Rebels' only try in the first half with Reece Hodge, Culum Retallick and Sefa Naivalu scoring after the break. Jack Debreczeni landed three conversions.
The win kept the Crusaders within a point of the Chiefs as the contest continues for first place in the New Zealand conference with one regular-season round remaining.
From the second minute, when All Blacks lock Whitelock marked his landmark match with a try, the Crusaders were rampant, scoring more than a point a minute before half-time.
Whitelock fielded the opening kick-off, barged downfield through insipid defense, then reappeared to score the night's first try and unleash an avalanche of scoring. So rapidly did the Crusaders accumulate tries that they led 21-0 after only 10 minutes, 28-0 after 14 minutes, and 38-0 after 28 minutes.
Nor did the pace of scoring relent after half-time. Hooker Taylor scored twice in the first five minutes before the Crusaders' lead briefly stalled at 78-12 in the 64th minute.
The Rebels managed to score four tries as both teams fell off tackles in a match in which a combined 111 points were scored.
The win kept the Crusaders within a point of the Hamilton-based Chiefs as the contest continues for first place in the New Zealand conference with one regular season round remaining.
The Crusaders finish off the regular season next Saturday by hosting the Wellington Hurricanes in a rare afternoon match and just ahead of the Chiefs' clash in Dunedin against the defending champion Otago Highlanders.
The Rebels, who are well out of contention in the Australian conference, play the Queensland Reds on Friday.
