The Canterbury Crusaders scrambled to a scrappy 11-7 win against the Western Stormers in their Super 14 mid-table clash yesterday.
Both sides could only manage a try apiece and the injury-hit Crusaders were a shadow of the try-scoring machine that won the title last season.
They dominated possession for long periods of the game, but were unable to build pressure in a performance peppered with mistakes.
Captain Kieran Read was relieved his side had returned to their winning ways after just two victories in their first six games.
“It’s good for us to win a close one like that, it was backs against the wall a little bit,” a relieved Read said. “We needed to be patient and build pressure and we couldn’t do that. We would have liked a few more tries, but we’ll take the win.”
The match was scrappy and shapeless, with both sides responsible for a welter of mistakes, including sloppy passing, poorly aimed kicks and problems in fielding the high ball.
Each side’s errors canceled the other’s out and this was reflected in the slim 8-7 lead the Crusaders took into the halftime break.
But the New Zealanders were guilty of wasting the most opportunities, squandering a two to one advantage in possession by losing control at crucial times.
The Stormers were first on the scoreboard after 11 minutes when No.8 Luke Watson spun and fended his way through four tackles in a 25m run to the line converted by fly-half Willem de Waal.
A big cutout pass by Crusaders flanker Read put winger Adam Whitelock into the corner for a 33rd minute try.
Fly-half Stephen Brett missed the conversion, but an earlier successful penalty gave the home side a one point lead at the break.
The second half was a continuing tale of wasted opportunities, with neither side able to build momentum or to cross the try line. Both sides had their chances, but Stormers skipper Jean de Villiers said it was difficult for his side to make an impression when they were so far behind on territory.
An easy penalty kicked by Brett — who generally had a night to forget — in the 75th minute at least cut off the option of a drop goal for the Stormers to snatch a late victory.
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