A rampant Canterbury Crusaders yesterday thrashed the Melbourne Rebels 66-0 to ensure top spot in the Super Rugby standings, while the ACT Brumbies booked a home quarter-final by toppling the New South Wales Waratahs.
After a shock loss in their previous match against the Waikato Chiefs, the Crusaders produced an incredible display of attacking rugby to run in 10 tries against an error-ridden Rebels, who badly missed rested scrumhalf Will Genia.
It was one of the Melbourne team’s worst results and leaves them facing a must-win clash against the Chiefs at home to keep alive their hopes of qualifying for the finals.
Photo: AP
In Sydney, the Brumbies were also in charge, making it five wins in a row for the first time since 2007 by battling past the Waratahs 35-24.
The win, in their penultimate game of the regular season, made certain that they would finish top of the Australian conference, meaning a home last-eight clash in Canberra.
The Waratahs’ playoff dreams are over, barring an unlikely set of results.
Photo: EPA-EFE
The Crusaders were untouchable, with Sevu Reece and Braydon Ennor both bagging hat-tricks, while David Havili (2), Bryn Hall and Ryan Crotty also grabbed five-pointers. Richie Mo’unga added seven conversions.
Their exploits guaranteed the nine-time Super Rugby champions finish top of the overall table and will host the eighth-placed team in the quarter-finals at home.
“It’s awesome,” Crusaders captain Sam Whitelock said.
“Obviously last week the pressure came on a little bit” after the side’s loss to the Chiefs, he said.
Rebels skipper Dane Haylett-Petty said that their defense was “all over the show.”
“The disappointing thing is we didn’t play our game,” he said.
“Defense was poor, we’re obviously very disappointed. Our defense was a little bit all over the show today and you can’t do that against a quality attacking outfit.”
Meanwhile, New Zealand Rugby chief executive Brent Impey said that the Crusaders would retain their name next year, despite calls for change after a terrorist attack on mosques in their home city of Christchurch.
Impey told Radio Sport that the process toward a name change could not be rushed and “there is going to be a team called the Crusaders in 2020.”
“The reality is ... there’s merchandizing and that sort of stuff,” Impey said. “You can’t just change the name of a professional team when there are existing contracts. So definitely not. There’s no intention and never has been any intention that the Crusaders’ name would change in 2020.”
Calls for the Crusaders to change their name arose after 51 people were killed in shootings at two mosques in Christchurch in March. The name is seen as a reference to the religious clashes between Muslims and Christians in the eastern Mediterranean beginning in the 11th century.
The Crusaders have said there is no connection to the religious wars, although the team’s logo incorporates an image of a knight carrying a sword and wearing a St George’s cross, an emblem of the crusaders.
Crusaders fans have strongly opposed a name change.
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