All Blacks flyhalf Daniel Carter scored a try and kicked 10 points on Friday to give the Canterbury Crusaders a 25-19 win over the Waikato Chiefs in a Super 14 rugby match.
Carter scored within 15 seconds of the kick-off at Waikato Stadium, charging down a clearing kick from his opposite number, Stephen Donald, and winning a race to the bouncing ball behind the Chiefs’ goal line.
He added two penalties and a conversion of one of Canterbury’s two later tries, to Scott Hamilton and Mose Tuiali’i, to move to 94 points in five games this season. The first-place Crusaders have won their first five games of the season.
Donald kicked 14 points for the Chiefs, slotting four penalties and converting Sitiveni Sivivatu’s 40th-minute try, which gave the home side a 16-15 lead on the stroke of half-time.
Donald’s fourth penalty, in the 45th minute, gave the Chiefs a 19-15 lead but Carter trimmed the margin with an answering goal, and All Blacks No 8 Tuiali’i scored a 62nd-minute try.
The Chiefs threw everything at the Crusaders in the last quarter but were denied by stout defence and vital refereeing decisions.
Sivivatu seemed to have scored a second try in the 58th minute but the video referee ruled he had not grounded the ball. Replays were not conclusive.
Vital penalties went against the Chiefs, and referee Kelvin Deaker ruled that a Chiefs throw-in to a line-out on the Canterbury goal line in the dying moments was not straight, giving the Crusaders a critical reprieve.
”It’s always tough to come up here and win,” Crusaders captain Richie McCaw said.
”We had to get up for a tough match last week against the Blues and we had to get up again this week. The Chiefs threw everything at us and we had to defend all night, but we got away with a win.
”You can’t ask any more than five wins from five games, but the guys all agree we can still improve.”
The Chiefs won 20 turnovers from Canterbury possessions but halfback Byron Kelleher kicked away useful attacking ball. He also took a rash tap penalty and lost possession, leading to Tuiali’i’s winning try. — Sapa-AP
Scores
Canterbury 25 (Daniel Carter, Scott Hamilton, Mose Tuiali’i tries; Carter 2 conversions, 2 penalties)
Waikato 19 (Sitiveni Sivivatu try; Stephen Donald conversion, 4 penalties)