Rugby: Crusaders end on a high

Nemani Nadolo was again amongst the tries for the Crusaders tonight. Photo / Getty Images

Brumbies 24
Crusaders 37

A classy ending from the Crusaders - shame about the beginning and the middle of their campaign.

Even if they had got one of those periods half right, the Crusaders would still be in the mix, still have another week of rugby to look forward to.

Not that any side left in the playoffs will be anything but super happy the Crusaders haven't made it.

They finished one point off the playoffs and with almost certainly the highest points-for tally but finally proved, once and for all, they have turned the corner. Finally, having put together three impressive wins on the trot, they look to be playing at the sum of their collective parts.

And if they had another week and another chance to sneak into the top six, they would be odds-on favourites to do it and a good bet to push on and claim the title. Nemani Nadolo would just about get them there on his own.

The big Fijian is about the best thing Super Rugby has - a giant with these crazy-good deft touches that makes it feasible he could play at first-five.

But of course the Crusaders won't be playing next week, because for too long this season they couldn't play with the depth and penetration they did today. They couldn't regularly emulate today's transition from powerful pick and drive to sweeping backs moves.

Their lineout and scrum were top-notch in Canberra, too, as was their work at the breakdown and aggression around the fringes of the rucks. It was the totality of the performance that most impressed.

There was urgency and belief about the Crusaders. They never let up, never drifted out of the game the way they so often have this season.

Even when they were down to 14 men after Sam Whitelock was sinbinned and a bit shabby around the edges, they scrambled and worked for each other and kept the contest under control until Whitelock came back.

As a consolation of sorts, they did at least make sure Dan Carter, Richie McCaw and Tom Taylor were sent off in appropriate style and a handful of important All Blacks were played that little bit closer towards their best form.

And what they have to do over the next few weeks is question why they waited so long to play Carter at first-five. Is it really a coincidence that the Crusaders found their feet when Carter shifted into his preferred No 10 jersey?

With Carter at No 10, they have found their shape and rhythm and surely now he's done enough to persuade everyone he's ready for the next venture - that he's ready to take back the All Blacks No 10 jersey and do what he wanted to do in 2011 and prove he's still the man with all the answers.

His all-round contribution was again tidy and effective and his goal-kicking superb. There were a couple of crucial kicks that needed to be made - a couple of times when the Brumbies were threatening to get back into the game. And Carter nailed them and that is what makes him such a critical asset.

Brumbies 24 (D. Pocock, J. Butler, Penalty tries; C. Leali'ifano 2 cons, pen)
Crusaders 37 (N. Nadolo (2), M. Todd, Penalty tries; D. Carter con, 5 pens).
Halftime: 10-21.

For all the latest Super Rugby stats go to:

nzherald.co.nz/rugby/statscentre