The Crusaders showed their class when they overcame a difficult week to defeat the high-riding Cheetahs 47-28 in a one-sided Super 14 match played in Bloemfontein on Saturday night. The half-time score was 20-11 to the visitors.
The defending champions showed that without their All Black stars they could come back from a surprising loss to the Lions and dent the Cheetahs’ aspirations to head the log.
The Crusaders pressed early on, but flyhalf Steve Brett missed an easy penalty attempt in the second minute. He was not so wayward a few minutes later as he slotted the three-pointer from a similar position. But the Cheetahs hit back immediately when eighthman Darron Nell intercepted on his halfway line and outstripped the Crusaders defence to score in the corner.
Meyer Bosman missed the conversion and the hosts led 5-3.
The Cheetahs then extended their lead when Herkie Kruger snapped over a smart drop goal. The Crusaders then nearly scored a try after a quick turnover following the restart, but a grubber by Casey Laulala went over the dead-ball line.
The score increased in the 14th minute when Bosman landed a long penalty.
The Crusaders came back with an excellently executed back-line move, with inside centre Rua Tipoki delaying his pass to send centre partner Laulala through to score under the poles, with Brett completing the seven-pointer, to take the score to 11-10.
The Crusaders had a great chance to score after Brett chipped from his half, chased and was brought down by a late tackle by Ronnie Cooke just metres from gathering his kick and scoring. The resultant penalty soared over and the Crusaders led 13-11. The Crusaders hit top gear as the half neared closing, scoring another try through winger Caleb Ralph, neatly converted by Brett to take the half-time score to 20-11. The Cheetahs came out for the second half in determined mood and narrowed the gap when Bosman landed his second penalty.
But these Crusaders were in no mood for charity as Ralph scooped his second try in the corner from the kick-off and after three phases. The conversion was good and the visitors led 27-14. They then sealed the result with their bonus-point earning try through fullback Scott Hamilton to take the score to an unassailable 35-14.
Hamilton then scored his brace really to rub it in, but the Cheetahs managed to get their noses dirty when Nell completed his brace minutes later. The Cheetahs got back into the game somewhat when Kruger forced his way over, and after Bosman’s conversion the score was narrowed to 42-28.
But the Crusaders ended all hope when Brett finished off a superb match with a try and a final conversion to take the final score to 49-28. — Sapa