JULIAN LINDEN, Canberra | Saturday 1.45pm.
NEW Zealand’s Canterbury Crusaders confirmed their status as rugby union’s top provincial team by winning the Super 12 competition for the third year running on Saturday.
The Crusaders, surprise winners the previous two years, beat the ACT Brumbies 20-19 in the final to restore a measure of pride to their country after last year’s disappointing World Cup campaign.
”There were two heavyweight teams slugging it out and it was a shame one of them had to lose,” Canterbury coach Robbie Deans said. ”There was really very little in it but our guys just had the resolve and depth of belief in themselves.”
All Black fly half Andrew Mehrtens was again Canterbury’s hero, kicking five penalties, including the decisive goal with less than three minutes remaining.
The Brumbies, beaten finalists in 1997, looked as though they were about to pinch the match when they took the lead for the first time five minutes from the end.
The Australians went into the match as strong favourites after beating Canterbury a fortnight ago but found themselves 12-0 behind midway through the first half and 17-6 down with 15 minutes to go before storming into the lead.
Replacement flanker George Smith darted through a hole to score under the posts in the 65th minute for Stirling Mortlock to convert.
Mortlock, who had a horror night with the boot, missing four easy penalty shots, regained his composure to land a difficult attempt from 38 metres out to put his side 19-17 ahead.
Two minutes later though, the unflappable Mehrtens lined up a shot from 40 metres, then calmly slotted the ball between the uprights to give his team another amazing win in front of a capacity crowd of 27000 at Canberra’s Bruce Stadium.
The Crusaders got off to a perfect start, racing to a 12-0 lead within the first 20 minutes, with Mehrtens kicking four penalties.
The Brumbies insistence on running the ball at every opportunity cost them dearly. In the heavy, wet conditions, they were unable to break down the Crusaders defence and got stuck in their own territory, trailing 12-3 at halftime.
They reduced the deficit to six points when Mortlock kicked a second penalty shortly after the re-start, before Canterbury number eight Ron Cribb scored from a kick and chase to put his side 17-6 ahead.
New Zealand teams have now won all five editions of the Super 12, with Auckland victorious in 1996 and 1997 and Canterbury in 1998, 1999 and 2000. — Reuters