Rugby: Courage under fire - Crusaders and Highlanders show way for Blues

Quinten Strange (L) and Michael Alaalatoa congratulate each other after another Crusaders win. Photo / Photosport

After the Blues muddled their way to a new low against the Jaguares at Eden Park, two fellow New Zealand teams displayed perfectly how teams can and should cope with adversity.

The Crusaders conceded a try within two minutes against the Brumbies in Canberra; Wallabies wing Henry Speight taking advantage of a rare defensive mishap down the right wing to go in near the posts.

In response, the Crusaders dominated territory and possession for the rest of the half, Tim Bateman and Manasa Mataele (two) scoring three converted tries in 14 minutes to put the visitors in control.

This was despite them losing Israel Dagg to a high tackle by Brumbies wing Chance Peni, for which Peni has been cited by Sanzaar. Dagg, in only his second match back from a knee injury, was belted across the jaw by Peni, the force sufficient to send the Crusaders wing backwards with his right leg trapped under him.

It was a horrible act of foul play which looked worse than the yellow card handed out by referee Jaco Peyper, and Sanzaar feel the same way – Super Rugby's organisers have decided Peni's tackle met a red-card threshold and he is likely to face further punishment.

Dagg failed a head injury assessment and took no further part in a match unfortunately marred by further acts of foul play by the Brumbies, who were disappointed with the roughhouse tactics meted out by the Highlanders in Dunedin recently and have clearly decided to fight fire with fire.

But the best display of succeeding despite adversity was halfway through the second half when the Crusaders were defending their line without the sinbinned Scott Barrett (off for tackling a lineout jumper in the air) and Ryan Crotty (offside).

Some on social media noted the irony of Crotty going to the bin for offside after being the target of a late, no-arms tackle in the first half for which the offender conceded only a penalty. Crotty was a late starter for the second half after passing a head injury assessment.

Scott Robertson's men showed their commitment to each other when, despite repeated scrums (and penalties) on their own line the Crusaders held firm and didn't concede a point then or in the rest of the second half.

It is difficult to envisage this current Blues team being able to do the same, or showing the required patience and discipline displayed by the Highlanders who came from behind to beat the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld.

With four minutes remaining, and the Highlanders 28-26 down, the visitors controlled possession to the extent that they won a penalty inside the Bulls' half, which Lima Sopoaga kicked from a reasonably difficult angle, after the final siren to win the match.

It was significant too that the Highlanders had to cope with a penalty try and sinbinning of fullback Fletcher Smith (for tackling a player without the ball) in the first half which put them 14-7 down. Smith is usually a first-five; Ben Smith played on the right wing.

It is that ability to deal with problems on the field in a cool-headed and composed way which sets the New Zealand teams apart from the Blues and the rest of the competition. It is also why the Crusaders, Hurricanes, Highlanders and Chiefs are in the top six and why the Blues are 14th.