The Cell C Sharks threw everything at the Crusaders in a pulsating Vodacom Super Rugby clash at AMI Stadium in Christchurch, New Zealand on Friday morning, but ultimately the home side managed to steal the draw in extra-time.
With the Cell C Sharks leading 21-14 with time almost up on the clock, the Crusaders hammered away in the dying moments before finally having the belief to snatch the draw, 21-all.
There was a good start for the Cell C Sharks who dealt with the kick-off well and then from the resultant Crusaders’ effort, forced a mistake to deliver a strong attacking effort. Although the home side were able to snuff it out in their 22, it was a strong early statement of intent.
Just inside the opening 10 minutes, a penalty attempt hit the uprights and although the Crusaders managed to regain the deflection, they were dispossessed of the ball, then turning into defence, gave away a penalty which Bosch made no mistake in converting.
The Crusaders were quickly off the mark, playing the continuity game with aplomb as they took the ball from their 22 into our before a series of pick and drives was rewarded with a try under the posts, the conversion from in front taking them into a 7-3 lead.
A good period of attack kept the Crusaders under pressure and a penalty on the first quarter at scrum-time allowed Bosch to take us to within one point.
The Crusaders continued to remain under the pump, but all credit to their defence for holding out under immense pressure. Ruan Botha was immense in this game and earned a penalty for competing for the ball at the tackle. Although it was on the halfway line, Curwin Bosch stepped up and calmly sent it 50m through the posts as we regained the lead.
There was a tense finale to the first half when the Crusaders, finding themselves in a good attacking position and looking to strike just before the half-time break, but they couldn’t maul an attacking line-out through our defence and the ball was turned over to close out the half.
The first half had been a veritable test match of tense, uncompromising rugby, both sides digging deep when it mattered, although it was the Cell C Sharks who shaded the Crusaders, leading 9-7 at the break.
It was important that the pressure from the Cell C Sharks wasn’t allowed to abate and a second scrum penalty proved that the team were still up for it. This intensity allowed Bosch the opportunity to add a fourth penalty inside the opening five minutes of the second half to extend the lead to 12-7.
Bosch was proving to be a real thorn in the Crusaders’ side, punishing their every indiscretion, and he added a fifth penalty to push the lead beyond a converted try when the home side were pinged for not rolling away at a tackle around 40m out. Their indiscipline was proving costly, it was their ninth to the Cell C Sharks three.
The Crusaders finally got on the scoreboard for the first time in the half after 15 minutes of play, a good effort at the scrum to take momentum into attack from close quarters for their second converted try to trail 15-14 with 25 minutes remaining.
In an arm-wrestle such as this game, it was all about the little victories. Forcing the Crusaders into errors added to the pressure which allowed us to add points continuously throughout the game. When scoring opportunities presented themselves, we took them. A scrum penalty to get us out of our half before another, this time in a kickable position, allowed Bosch to put us into an 18-14 lead with an exciting 10 minutes left to play.
A seventh penalty, with five minutes to go, pushed us 21-14 ahead, this after Thomas du Toit won the advantage for competing for the ball at the tackle.
Unfortunately, there is no writing off a New Zealand side and 30 seconds after the final hooter and following numerous mauls and penalties, the Crusaders finally managed to score in the final act of play with a score-equalling conversion to come.
Under pressure but with supreme calmness, the kick was good and the home side had rescued a draw.
Crusaders captain Matt Todd paid tribute to his team’s effort afterwards, saying: “We’re happy to get the draw, but we made a lot of mistakes and gave away a lot of silly penalties. But good character from the boys to come back and get the draw. Defensively the Sharks were good, credit to their D. And when they got the opportunities, they took the points. Our discipline wasn’t good enough.
Cell C Sharks captain Louis Schreuder was the more disappointed of the two captains, although he was a proud leader.
“I’m very pleased with the boys performance, although we were a bit unlucky not to get the win. It was a mental approach that was the difference, facing the Crusaders in Christchurch is a difficult challenge and I think we got it spot on, the boys were up for it.”
The post High Drama in Christchurch appeared first on Sharks Rugby.
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