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You couldn’t wipe the smile off Scott Robertson’s face when he addressed the media earlier this month and spoke about the road to the All Blacks coaching job.
It’s unlikely his beaming smile and laugh would have been seen nor heard on Friday evening in Christchurch, as his champion Crusaders side suffered a surprise defeat to the Chiefs at home.
Despite running out to a 10-0 lead and a 10-7 lead at half-time, the Chiefs scored an unanswered 31 points to suffer an upset loss in what shapes as Robertson’s final year in charge of the kings of Super Rugby.
Indeed, since Robertson took over from Todd Blackadder in 2017, the Crusaders have won six titles in as many years, including last year’s brilliant victory over the Blues at Eden Park.
(Photo by Joe Allison/Getty Images)
The victory showcased all that is great about the Chiefs; brilliant, elusive running, a strong set-piece, quick ruck speed and playmakers Damian McKenzie and Josh Ioane.
It also signalled to the competition that 2023 – the first season since 2019 that is a fully-fledged competition after three years of Covid headaches – promises to be one of the most exciting and competitive in years.
Cortez Ratima’s try in the 69th minute – the Chiefs’ fourth of the match and third of the second half – was the icing on the cake for the visitors.
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Replacement livewire Ioane ran to the line with the ball in both hands and fooled the defence before finding his speedy halfback on the inside who managed to fend away Leicester Fainga’anuku brilliantly to score a stunning try.
Captain Sam Cane, who was yellow carded in the first half for clumsily picking up the ball in an offside position but later scored the first try of the second half from close range,
“I thought we hung in there really well in the first half. We actually put ourselves under a lot of pressure – our lineout wasn’t as sharp, scrum time, all the fundamentals – and I thought in the second half we got a lot of that right,” Cane said.
“We looked really good when we started dominated collisions and using the ball and we started exiting really well, so really pleased with the second half.
“I’ve got a lot of belief in this squad. I feel like we’ve been building for a few years.”
The Crusaders missed the experience and calm head of Sam Whitelock, who was ruled out earlier in the week because of a concussion sustained in their trial against the Hurricanes.
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Captain Scott Barrett, who replaced Whitelock as captain last year, lamented his side’s start after half-time.
“I think we were a bit off there,” he said.
“Not a great start from us.
“I think that critical part, the 20 after half-time, they won the arm-wrestle in terms of territory, we couldn’t quite exit and they just mounted pressure and that equated into points.”
Japan-bound playmaker Richie Mo’unga scored the opening points of the night when he slotted a field goal in the 12 minute when the Crusaders were playing under advantage.
Cane’s yellow card near his own goal was capitalised on by the Crusaders, who scored moments later when David Havili scored next to the posts in the 19th minute to help the home side run out to a 10-0 lead.
Brodie Retallick, who was one of the Chiefs’ best, banged over from close range in the 33rd minute.
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Cane’s try early in the second half put the wheels in motion before Alex Nankivell’s try a minute after a yellow card to Ethan Blackadder meant the visitors were well on their way to an upset victory.
Ratima’s late try sealed the deal, as Ioane continued to dazzle on a ground very few come away with the last laugh.
The Chiefs will be confident of extending their run when they travel to Melbourne to play Moana Pasifika next Saturday night for Super Round while the Crusaders will play the Highlanders to kick off the festival of rugby on Friday night.
