Crusaders stay on top

The Crusaders remain on top of the Super 14 standings after beating the Hurricanes 20-13 in what was a physical New Zealand derby encounter on Friday.

The Crusaders dominated the first half and it showed after the Hurricanes were left trailing 3-17 at half-time in their Super 14 clash in the capital.

It was the perfect start for the visitors who scored in the opening two minutes thanks to a turnover in the first ruck of the game by skipper Richie McCaw after snatching the ball from Jason Eaton.

The Crusaders sent the ball wide to Leon MacDonald who put boot to ball and gained valuable metres before winning a free kick, which was taken quickly by Andrew Ellis.

The men in red and black controlled possession well inside the Hurricanes' 22, before the ball shot out the side of a ruck for hooker Corey Flynn to pick up and crash over near the posts.

Dan Carter added the simple conversion and the Crusaders had a 7-0 lead inside three minutes.

Dominance

Carter's opposite number Jimmy Gopperth had a chance to narrow the gap a few minutes later, but was off-target with the boot. It would be the start of a torrid match for the Hurricanes' pivot who missed four shots at goal.

The Crusaders stretched their lead to ten points through another Carter penalty in the 20th minute after Chris Masoe played the ball while off his feet.

Three points was all the visitors could muster up after sustained pressure on the Hurricanes' line following a powerful break from Casey Laulala - the centre bouncing off Conrad Smith's attempted tackle for a 30m burst.

Gopperth finally opened the Hurricanes' account with a successful penalty of his own, which took the scores to 3-10 in the 31st minute.

The Crusaders replied back almost immediately when Scott Hamilton sent a pass out to big number eight Mose Tuiali'i on the wing.

Hurricanes skipper Rodney So'oialo then found out just how cruel the bounce of a rugby ball can be when he seemed to have a grubber kick sent through by Tuiali'i covered.

A nasty bounce left So'oialo helpless and chasing Crusader lock Ali Williams collected the backwards bounce to score his team's second converted try of the first half.

Gopperth had another chance to narrow the gap slightly before the break, but missed his second kick of the half - the decision to go for points on the stroke of half-time backfiring against the home side.

The crowd's jeers soon turned to cheers early on in the second half after Piri Weepu was handed over kicking duties to narrow the deficit to eleven points.

Jerry Collins was lucky not to see yellow after a high tackle on Kieran Read was dismissed for a penalty instead.

Carter missed the ensuing kick at goal, but made up for it with another opportunity five minutes later with a well-taken 45m shot that took the Crusaders to a commanding 6-20 lead.

Defence

With fifty minutes up on the clock, the two sides were sharing the possession and the territory, however the Hurricanes had no way around the red and black wall.

But when a hole on the wall in the 66th minute opened after Tuiali'i was sin-binned for slowing down the ball, the home side took full advantage when Andrew Hore barged over from a line-out and drive.

With Weepu replaced by Alby Mathewson, the kicking duties were handed back to Gopperth and the fly-half made no mistake with the conversion.

Ten minutes left on the clock, the tired Crusaders a man down and the Hurricanes in full swing with just seven points the difference, suddenly it was game on.

Gopperth was instructed to narrow the gap some more, with 71 minutes up on the clock, the Hurricanes still had time to claw their way back.

But the once reliable goal-kicker crumbled under pressure and pushed his kick wide much to the dismay of the home support.

With the clock winding down, the Crusaders held on to the ball long enough to prevent the Hurricanes from winning the match - though a draw was still inevitable after MacDonald missed a kick in the 80th minute.

Jane collected the wayward penalty attempt and started a counter from behind his line, but that was as far as the Hurricanes could go with the Crusaders defence pinning them back.

After nine phases, Mathewson decided enough was enough and banged the ball into the departing crowd for birthday boy Steve Walsh to blow the final whistle.