Record-breaking Crusaders show champion qualities to down Lions

The Lions produced their best defensive effort of the season but it wasn’t enough to beat the champion Crusaders who repeated their 2017 Super Rugby Final win in Johannesburg with a 14-8 triumph at the same venue on Easter Sunday.

It was also the first time the Crusaders had won four successive matches in South Africa.

The Lions led 5-0 at half-time but were fortunate that the Kiwi visitors had two tries disallowed for forward passes.

The defensive line speed and intensity of the Lions was unsettling the Crusaders but to their credit they regrouped at half-time and produced an inspired opening five minutes of the second half to score a converted try. They would score again through Jack Goodhue after a powerful burst from replacement winger Manasa Mataele.

Elton Jantjies kicked a late penalty to give the Lions a losing bonus point, at worst, and a chance to edge the fame in the final two minutes. But the Crusaders were equal to the challenge and proved worthy victors.

Matt Todd was named Man of the Match and he said there was no better place to play than Ellis Park.

• The Crusaders had won nine of their last 10 games against the Lions, including last season’s Final. The Lions haven’t beaten the Crusaders in a regular season clash since February 2007.
• Before Sunday, the Lions had won 18 of their last 20 games on home turf, failing to pick up competition points only once in that time.
• The Crusaders have won seven of their last eight games in South Africa, including each of their last four; which is a record for them in South Africa.

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Clinical Crusaders master Lions again 

Commentary

• It’s all over! The referee has blown his whistle to end the game.
• 77‘Matt Todd has made 10 good tackles so far this game.
• 77‘Crusaders sub Tim Perry comes onto the field.
• 77‘Wyatt Crockett departs for Crusaders.
• 76‘Elton Jantjies has kicked a penalty goal.
• 74‘Sam Whitelock has made 10 good tackles so far this game.
• 74‘Lions have won 60 rucks so far this game.
• 72‘Corne Fourie comes on for Lions.
• 72‘Cyle Brink leaves the field.

• 68‘Quinten Strange comes on.
• 68‘Scott Barrett comes off.
• 66‘Chris King comes on.
• 66‘Michael Alaalatoa comes off.
• 65‘Crusaders have won 80 rucks so far this game.
• 65‘Shaun Reynolds comes on.
• 65‘Michael Tambwe comes off.
• 63‘Crusaders decide to make a substitution, with Ben Funnell getting some game time.
• 63‘Crusaders decide to make a substitution, with Codie Taylor being replaced.
• 63‘Crusaders make a substitution with Mitchell Drummond coming on.
• 63‘Crusaders make a substitution with Bryn Hall coming off.
• 63‘Trouble here as George Bridge breaches the defence.
• 63‘Lions sub Howard Mnisi comes onto the field.
• 63‘Sylvian Mahuza departs for Lions.
• 63‘Marnus Schoeman comes on for Lions.
• 63‘Kwagga Smith leaves the field.
• 62‘This is dangerous for the defence as Codie Taylor bursts through to advance the Crusaders attack.
• 56‘Lions have won 40 rucks so far this game.
• 55‘Mike Delany comes on.
• 55‘Jack Goodhue comes off.
• 54‘Lourens Erasmus comes on.
• 54‘Andries Ferreira comes off.
• 54‘Marvin Orie comes on.
• 54‘Hacjivah Dayimani comes off.
• 54‘Lions decide to make a substitution, with Jacques Van Rooyen getting some game time.
• 54‘Lions decide to make a substitution, with Dylan Smith being replaced.
• 54‘Lions make a substitution with Jacobie Adriaanse coming on.
• 54‘Lions make a substitution with Ruan Dreyer coming off.
• 53‘Mitch Hunt converts the try.
• 52‘That’s a great try assist by Manasa Mataele.
• 52‘A series of passes by Crusaders results in a try for Jack Goodhue.
• 52‘A gap opened in the defence and Manasa Mataele took full advantage.
• 51‘Crusaders sub Tom Sanders comes onto the field.
• 51‘Jordan Taufua departs for Crusaders.
• 50‘Mitch Hunt has kicked a conversion.
• 49‘Crusaders are only a few metres out, surely they must score! And they do with Sam Whitelock touching down.
• 48‘Franco Mostert has made 10 good tackles so far this game.
• 48‘Malcolm Marx has made 10 good tackles so far this game.

• 43‘The defensive line has been broken as George Bridge goes through the gap.
• 41‘What a run here by David Kaetau Havili as they gets over the gainline!.
• 41‘Crusaders have won 60 rucks so far this game.
• 40‘Manasa Mataele comes on for Crusaders.
• 40‘Ryan Crotty leaves the field.
• 40‘Wyatt Crockett comes on.
• 40‘Tim Perry comes off.
• 40‘The second half is underway.
• 40+3‘The half-time whistle blows and both teams’ head for the dressing rooms.
• 40‘Crusaders have won 40 rucks so far this game.
• 32‘Michael Tambwe makes the break as the defence re-enacts the parting of the red sea.
• 31‘Lions have won 20 rucks so far this game.

• Fabulous play by Crusaders has led to George Bridge being able to wriggle through a gap.
• 22‘Trouble here as Michael Tambwe breaches the defence.
• 22‘Crusaders have won 20 rucks so far this game.
• 14‘Elton Jantjies has hooked the conversion to the left of the posts.
• 13‘This is dangerous for the defence as Malcolm Marx bursts through to advance the Lions attack.
• 13‘Malcolm Marx sets up the try.
• 13‘Great hands by Lions leads to a try for Michael Tambwe.
• 12‘A gap opened in the defence and Andries Coetzee took full advantage.
• 6‘The defensive line has been broken as Franco Mostert goes through the gap.
• 5‘Mitch Hunt steps up to take the penalty but pulls it wide and to the right.
•  We are underway as the referee blows his whistle.

SUNDAY, APRIL 1

Lions v Crusaders, Johannesburg – 14:30

Lions

15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Sylvian Mahuza, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Madosh Tambwe, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Dillon Smit, 8 Hacjivah Dayimani, 7 Cyle Brink, 6 Kwagga Smith, 5 Franco Mostert (captain), 4 Andries Ferreira, 3 Ruan Dreyer, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Dylan Smith

Substitutes: 16  Corne Fourie, 17 Jacques van Rooyen, 18 Jacobie Adriaanse, 19 Lourens Erasmus, 20 Marvin Orie, 21 Marnus Schoeman, 22 Howard Mnisi, 23 Shaun Reynolds

Crusaders

15 David Havili, 14 Seta Tamanivalu, 13 Jack Goodhue, 12 Ryan Crotty, 11 George Bridge, 10 Mitchell Hunt, 9 Bryn Hall, 8 Jordan Taufua, 7 Matt Todd, 6 Heiden Bedwell-Curtis, 5 Sam Whitelock (captain), 4 Scott Barrett, 3 Michael Alaalatoa, 2 Codie Taylor, 1 Tim Perry

Substitutes: 16 Ben Funnell, 17 Wyatt Crockett, 18 Oliver Jager, 19 Quinten Strange, 20 Tom Sanders, 21 Mitchell Drummond, 22 Mike Delany, 23 Manasa Mataele