Sat, Apr 16, 2011 page20

• Thomson scores twice, leads Otago to easy victory over stumbling Rebels

  • Reuters, MELBOURNE
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  Otago Highlanders’ Adam Thomson continued to press for a recall to the All Blacks squad with another standout performance as they beat the Melbourne Rebels 40-18 in their Super rugby clash yesterday.

  Thomson was superb all over the field and scored two tries, including one from 65m when he regathered a chip kick and outpaced the cover defense.

  Thomson also provided the final pass for another try as the Highlanders extended their surprising run of form with a sixth win of the season.

  

  Rodney Blake, left, of the Rebels knocks the ball away from Adam Thomson of the Highlanders during their Super 15 match in Melbourne yesterday.

  Photo: Reuters

  Highlanders flyhalf Colin Slade, who missed their first five matches with a broken jaw, was substituted in the fifth minute after a clash of heads with Rebels flanker Michael Lipman. Slade was holding his lower jaw and spitting blood as he walked off and was taken to hospital.

  The visitors dominated the first half with tries to flankers Thomson and Alando Soakai, who was set up by a superb jinking run by fullback Ben Smith.

  Winger Siale Piutau also scored after the Highlanders took a quick lineout and spread the ball quickly. Piutau received the final pass from Thomson.

  Replacement flyhalf Robbie Robinson added two conversions and a penalty, but also missed three other shots at goal in the first half.

  Rebels flyhalf Danny Cipriani slotted two first-half penalties, but also made crucial errors in decision making that cost his team possession and field position.

  The Highlanders also dominated after the break as the Rebels’ defense disintegrated with Piutau adding his second try just after the restart before Kade Poki scored after shrugging off eight potential tacklers in a remarkable 45m burst.

  However, Robinson’s goal kicking continued to let him down as he missed four more kicks at goal after the break.

  The Rebels got two late tries through lock Hugh Pyle and prop Greg Somerville, although it was scant consolation for a poor and disjointed performance.

  “Just throughout the game, we slipped off tackles and gave away a couple of soft tries,” Rebels captain Gareth Delve said. “We struggled with our field position... and we gave up too much possession.”

  CRUSADERS V CHIEFS

  AFP, TAURANGA, NEW ZEALAND

  The Canterbury Crusaders continued to set the pace in the Super 15 competition when they put away the Waikato Chiefs 34-16 in a high-paced game yesterday.

  The bonus-point win was a welcome return for All Blacks captain Richie McCaw, making his first start of the season after being sidelined with a broken foot.

  However, the torrid encounter was a much closer affair than the score indicated, with the lowly Chiefs playing a helter-skelter game to throw the Crusaders off their rhythm.

  The Crusaders’ four tries, two in each half, all came from turnover ball, with flyhalf Matt Berquist converting all four and adding two penalties.

  The Chiefs, who were trailing a close 13-17 at half-time, scored one try to Lelia Masaga, while Mike Delany kicked a conversion and three penalties.

  Fringe All Black midfielder Richard Kahui, vying with his opposite Robbie Fruean for World Cup selection, pulled off a series of bone-shattering tackles and the Chiefs’ forwards were quick to pounce.

  With the competition leaders unable to settle, the Chiefs spent long periods on the attack, but in the end were punished for their own handling errors.

  The injection of McCaw and fellow All Blacks Andy Ellis and Wyatt Crockett into the game with 30 minutes remaining was also a turning point.

  The Chiefs were still within touch at 13-17, but Ellis scored within two minutes of taking the field and the Crusaders looked a more settled unit from then.

  The game had hardly started when the Chiefs were punished for losing the ball in a ruck. Crusaders outside center Robbie Fruean made the initial break and then finished off the move 50m downfield.

  Midway through the half, when the Chiefs backs dropped the ball, Crusaders wing Sean Maitland snapped up the gift possession and outran All Blacks wing Sitiveni Sivivatu for half the field to score.

  Between the Crusaders’ two first half tries, Chiefs lock Isaac Ross put wing Masaga over and with a conversion and penalty by Delany, the home side briefly led 10-7.

  After turning with a four-point lead, the Crusaders were forced to defend for the first 10 minutes of the second half before showing the depth of their squad by bringing on their three All Blacks reserves.

  It brought immediate reward, again from turnover ball, and they were able to run the Chiefs from one side of the field to the other until a gap opened up for Ellis to score.

  Another Delany penalty reduced the gap to 16-24, but the Crusaders played a tighter game in the countdown to the final whistle and benefited from another Berquist penalty and a try to replacement lock Luke Romano.
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