Coming home after back-to-back losses on Australian soil, the Crusaders were patchy and inaccuracy cost them at times, while the Waratahs made them work for the result. All Blacks back Leicester Fainga’anuku continued to lift his stocks as an out-and-out hybrid player with a busy shift starting at openside flanker, while Dallas McLeod was impressive after being a late call-up to start at right wing in place of Sevu Reece, who was out because of illness.
Waratahs left wing Sid Harvey scored the first points at the new stadium with a penalty goal, before pouncing on a loose ball to turn a promising Crusaders attack into an opportunity for the New South Wales side.
That ultimately led to another Waratahs penalty goal as the visitors built a 6-0 lead inside 10 minutes.
But the Crusaders continued their endeavours into Waratahs territory and cracked their defences soon after Harvey’s second penalty when right wing Dallas McLeod crossed in the corner for the first try at the new stadium.
As the Crusaders were playing up tempo and on the front foot, there was a crucial moment from blindside flanker Dominic Gardiner, who cleaned up a loose ball after halfback Noah Hotham had darted away on his own, which allowed the hosts to maintain, then spread, possession.
Both sides struggled to put things together through the middle stages of the half and frustrations boiled over about 30 minutes in when Waratahs lock Miles Amatosero was penalised for preventing Hotham from taking a quick tap.
The Crusaders took umbrage to it and both sides came together in a scuffle. Amatosero was shown the first yellow card at the new stadium but it wouldn’t be the last of the evening.
McLeod looked to have a second try soon after but it was scrubbed off the scoreboard as midfielder David Havili was guilty of running to the line, not through the line and was penalised for obstructing a defender.
Instead it was the Waratahs who scored next, with first five-eighths Jack Debreczeni launching a cross-field kick out to Harvey, who beat McLeod for the try.
The Crusaders led at the break though, with Codie Taylor crashing over from close range just before the break.
The second half was a more open affair. Waratahs replacement hooker Ioane Moananu, a Crusader last year, was sin-binned for an infringement at the ruck, before the ever-involved Fainga’anuku bashed over from a couple of metres out.
McLeod showed his skill with ball in hand to score a second about six minutes later as the Crusaders took control.
Havili was sin-binned soon after for a high shot and the Waratahs hit back through backline replacement Teddy Wilson, but a late try to Crusaders left wing Macca Springer was enough to see them home.
Crusaders 35 (Dallas McLeod 2, Codie Taylor, Leicester Fainga’anuku, Macca Springer tries; Taha Kemara 4 cons, Rivez Reihana con)
Waratahs 20 (Sid Harvey, Teddy Wilson tries; Harvey 2 cons, 2 pens)
HT: 14-13
