JOHANNESBURG, August 5 (ANA) – The Crusaders powered to a 25-17 win over a 14-man Lions side to clinch an eighth Super Rugby title at Ellis Park on Saturday.
The Saders were ultimately the far superior team on the day, but the context of the clash was swayed on a moment just before half-time when Lions flanker Kwagga Smith was red-carded for playing an opponent in the air.
At that stage, the Lions were already trailing by nine points, and it left them with a mountain to climb. One that they were ultimately unable to successfully summit.
In the end, the Crusaders comfortably claimed a win that sees them secure their first Super Rugby title since 2008, while the Lions were left to lament a second successive loss in a title decider.
The Johannesburg-based side came into this clash knowing that they needed to make a far better start to proceedings. In both of their previous two playoff fixtures against the Sharks and Hurricanes, the Lions trailed by a considerable margin and required late second-half surges to come out on top.
Yet, there was always a feeling that they would not be able to produce another miraculous escape should they once again fall behind against the clinical Crusaders.
Unfortunately for the home fans, though, the Lions once again made an error-riddled start, which allowed the Crusaders to race into a 12-0 lead early on after opportunistic tries to Seta Tamanivalu and Jack Goodhue.
Although the Lions did work their way back into the contest, with momentum looking to be swinging in their favour after a 27th-minute penalty to Elton Jantjies, they then made a strange decision to turn down a kickable penalty soon after.
As it was, the Crusaders managed to repel that Lions’ subsequent attack, and once again surged onto the attack soon after.
Then came a match-defining moment that the Lions and Smith won’t want to see again, with the flanker taking out Crusaders fullback David Havili in the air in the 38th minute.
After consulting the TMO, referee Jaco Peyper had no hesitation in sending Smith from the field, while Saders flyhalf Richie Mo’unga slotted a penalty just before the break to hand the visitors a 15-3 lead.
It only went from bad to worse for the hosts as the Crusaders made the perfect start to the second half when Kieran Read barged over to score in the 43rd minute, with the conversion sending the seven-time champs into a virtually unassailable 22-3 lead.
The Crusaders kept the scoreboard ticking over as Mo’unga slotted a penalty in the 53rd minute, while the visitors continued to defend with immense determination that meant any Lions fightback seemed highly unlikely.
Even when Malcolm Marx and Corné Fourie went over to score in a 10-minute spell after the hour mark, there was just too much ground for the Lions to make up.
From there, the Saders closed out a win that sees them become the first Super Rugby side to cross the Indian Ocean and win a final.
Scorers: Lions 17 (3): Tries: Malcolm Marx, Corné Fourie. Conversions: Elton Jantjies (2). Penalties: Elton Jantjies.
Crusaders 25 (15): Tries: Seta Tamanivalu, Jack Goodhue, Kieran Read. Conversions: Richie Mo’unga (2). Penalties: Mo’unga (2). – African News Agency (ANA)
