Japan’s Sunwolves yesterday stunned the New South Wales Waratahs for only their second away victory ever, and first in Australia, as the Crusaders emphatically bounced back from a rare Super Rugby loss to crush the Hurricanes.
It was a timely message from the struggling team, who a week ago learned they would be axed at the end of next season as the sport’s bosses revert the competition to 14 teams.
Winger Semisi Masirewa bagged a hat-trick of tries and Hayden Parker booted five goals as Michael Hooper’s men were beaten 31-29, bringing them crashing back to earth after upsetting the reigning champions Crusaders last week.
Photo: AFP
In Wellington, All Blacks skipper Kieran Read marked his first game of the season by overseeing the Crusaders in a 32-8 romp with normal service resumed after their 19-match win streak was ended.
Playing in Newcastle for the first time, the Waratahs raced to an early two-try lead and looked to be in charge before the Sunwolves battled back.
“It’s been a tough couple of weeks on the field and off, but the boys just put it behind them and dug deep tonight,” Sunwolves skipper Dan Pryor said. “I said to them: ‘Keep working, keep working’ and it paid off.”
Hooper admitted that his team did not play well enough.
“We settled into a pace that wasn’t world class standard and I’m very disappointed,” he said.
The last time the Tahs faced the Sunwolves in Australia last year, they won 77-25.
However, it was a much closer affair in Tokyo last month, when they scrapped home 31-30, showing how much progress they have made.
The Crusaders’ scoreline included a double for David Havili in a match that saw Read start, but sit out the second half with an apparent thigh strain.
“We looked at ourselves pretty heavily, our decisionmaking and how we play,” Crusaders captain Sam Whitelock said about last week’s loss. “I thought tonight we controlled the ball better and it allowed us to play when we wanted.”
The Hurricanes dominated the early exchanges, but the Crusaders scored the first try when Will Jordan chased down Bryn Hall’s cross-field kick in the corner.
Winger Havili then gathered his own kick after Hurricanes defender Ben Lam fumbled his catch to cross for the Crusaders’ second.
Ngani Laumape pulled one back for the Hurricanes, but a Richie Mo’unga penalty gave the Crusaders a 17-8 halftime advantage.
Havili scored his second soon after the restart and Braydon Ennor added another as the Crusaders took control, with a Mo’unga penalty sealing the win.
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