Crusaders get a fright before winning

The Cats, one of the teams without any semifinal hopes in the Super 12 rugby competition, gave hot favourites the Crusaders a big fright before going down by just four points in a high-scoring match tonight.

The Crusaders won 40-36 to snatch back second position in the competition after being temporarily displaced in the spot by the Highlanders, who beat the Hurricanes last night.

However the Cats, who were second from the bottom going into the match, won praise for the attacking rugby which saw them earn two points from the game for scoring four tries at least and finishing within seven points of the winners.

"We put in a lot of work into our defence this week and I thought we defended quite well around the fringes -- one of our weaknesses this season."

The Cats led 8-3 by the end of the first quarter when winger Conrad Jantes scored the first of his two tries, and after trailing for most of the next 48 minutes, shot back to the front again -- 29-28 -- when Andre Pretorius converted their third try by lock Barrend Pieterse.

The Crusaders typically hit back almost immediately with No 8 Mose Tuali'i ripping the ball off a teammate in a maul and diving over for a try.

A few minutes later a clever run by Daniel Carter, who had replaced the competition's highest points scorer Andrew Mehrtens at first five-eighth, allowed winger Rico Gear to cross for his second try.

At 40-29 it appeared the Crusaders were home and dry but the Cats, with just one win this season, forced the home side on the backfoot with some quick rucks and passes. A superb pass from hooker Schalk Brits, who was hitting the ground in a tackle, cleared the way for Jantes' second try, which Pretorius converted for a personal haul of 16 points.

The Crusaders had an uncharacteristically error-filled first half.

They dropped passes in the slippery conditions, turned over possession rather easily by their standards and their defence leaked each time the Cats showed some determination on attack.

However, they led 13-11 at the break after Mehrtens kicked two penalties and flanker Johnny Leo'o was driven over for a try.

Mehrtens became the competition's highest points' scorer when he slotted the game's first points from a penalty goal in the fifth minute. He had been tied with Australian Matt Burke on 959 points going into the match.

"That's brilliant he got the record here (Jade Stadium). What an achievement," Mehrtens longtime inside back partner Justin Marshall said.

Marshall played his 100th Super 12 game tonight.

Another Crusader earning a milestone tonight was captain Reuben Thorne, who marked his 200th first-class match with one of Crusaders' five tries.

"We struggled a bit in the conditions," Thorne said.

"We made a lot of basic errors in the first half, which was very disappointing, but these guys (Cats) played great. They've always been a good set-pieces team and they had a good scrum and a good lineout tonight. But it was good to get a win, particularly for Justin."

"We're always disappointed to lose but we had nothing to lose out there tonight," Cats captain Wikus van Heerden said.

A Mehrtens penalty and Thorne's try stretched the Crusaders lead to 21-11 11 minutes into the second half.

Jantes closed the gap with a second penalty before No 8 and one of the stars of the night Juan Smith chased Jantes' chip to score one of the finer tries of the match.

The Crusaders, uncomfortable with the Cats at striking distance, speeded up the game and Casey Laulala provided the break from which Marshall sent a great pass for Gear's first try.

Merhtens kicked the conversion for a nine-point cushion but Pretorius added a penalty and converted Pieterse's try to have the Cats ahead 29-28 12 minutes from the end.

The best of the Crusaders was seen then, with Tuali'i and Gear scoring a try each in quick succession and Carter adding a penalty from the Crusaders' 40 points.

Crusaders 40
(Rico Gear 2, Johnny Leo'o, Mose Tuali'i, Reuben Thorne tries; Andrew Mehrtens 3 pen 2 con; Dan Carter con)

Cats 36
(Conrad Jantes 2, Juan Smith, Barrend Pieterse tries; Andre Pretorius 3 pen, dropped goal, 2 con).

Halftime: 13-11.

- NZPA