Sky Super Rugby Aotearoa: Chiefs left to rue major TMO blunder as Crusaders run rampant

Sam Cane and the Chiefs slumped to a record-tying 11th straight defeat. Photo / Photosport

Crusaders 39
Chiefs 17

Defeating the Crusaders in Christchurch is difficult at the best of times – near impossible when poor officiating hands the defending champions a major leg up.

The Chiefs will stomach the ignominy attached to equalling New Zealand's worst Super Rugby losing streak – matching the Highlanders' 11 losses in a row during their 2012-13 season.

While the Chiefs were comprehensively beaten in the end, they have every right to feel aggrieved after they were left one man short and conceded a second-half penalty try that should never have stood.

With Richie Mo'unga expertly running the cutter the Crusaders extended their dominance atop the Super Rugby Aotearoa standings with their third straight win this season.

Their vaunted scrum squeezed the life out of the Chiefs in the second half – Joe Moody a dominant force there after coming off the bench.

Four second-half tries kicked the Crusaders well clear and there can be little doubt they were the superior team.

But the Chiefs should be due an apology from the officials this week after a major blunder cost them dearly.

In the 44th minute, with the Crusaders leading by one in a competitive contest after Leicester Fainga'anuku claimed an earlier controversial try, officials butchered a decision that resulted in Brad Weber being yellow carded and a penalty try awarded.

Mo'unga, following one of his many classy breaks, threw a clear forward pass. At first it seemed Weber deflected Mo'unga's pass, but footage later revealed the Chiefs halfback hit Mo'unga's arm, not the ball.

Sam Cane used his captain's challenge to question the decision, but TMO Paul Williams failed to look at all angles, leaving Weber to be sent to the bin for making a tackle in an offside position later in the movement, and the Crusaders to collect seven points which pushed them out to lead 18-10.

From there, the Crusaders ran rampant.

Scott Robertson's men were denied a Mitchell Drummond try following a Sevu Reece forward pass but Will Jordan marked his first start of the season by scoring from a no-look Mo'unga inside ball. Whetukamokamo Douglas and Mitchell Dunshea finished the job by claiming rewards for their forwards' hard graft.

The Crusaders celebrate a try. Photo / Photosport

In maintaining their unbeaten mantle, and banking another bonus point, the Crusaders set up a highly anticipated trip to Eden Park next week while the Chiefs will attempt to snap their horror run against the Hurricanes, who are also winless after two games this season.

The Chiefs, as they did last week before capitulating at home against the Highlanders, started well with Damian McKenzie sparking the contest in the opening minutes. After receiving a long ball the All Blacks utility skipped on the outside of Leicester Fainga'anuku to stretch out and claim the first try. McKenzie's penalty strike not long after gave the Chiefs a surprise 10-0 lead.

The Crusaders, conversely, began on a scrappy note. They lost All Blacks loose forward Cullen Grace to a rib injury prior to kick-off, with Douglas replacing him at the back of the scrum, but lacked their usual cohesion early.

David Havili, shifting into second five-eighth to allow Jordan to start at fullback, ignited the Crusaders with a brilliant midfield bust. Havili pushed off Etene Nanai-Seturo and threw a superb 20 metre pass to set Fainga'anuku away for the line.

In a spectacular movement McKenzie pushed Fainga'anuku, in full flight, beyond the touch line. The Crusaders wing managed to ground the ball in the in-goal with his finger tips and was ruled to have kept his foot in the air, despite it touching the ground out of play.

Leicester Fainga'anuku of the Crusaders scores a stunning try in the tackle of Damian McKenzie. Photo / Photosport

As so often is the case when the Crusaders are on top it is near-impossible to stop the onslaught. Line breaks kept coming for the red and black machine and with referee James Doleman dishing out eight successive penalties against the Chiefs, the visitors were soon on the backfoot.

Discipline hurt the Chiefs throughout, finishing on the wrong side of a 15-10 penalty count.

The Crusaders went back to their set piece strengths – their scrum earning penalties and Scott Barrett pinching one lineout - to edge ahead for the first time after 32 minutes through Mo'unga's boot, but two breakdown turnovers from impressive All Blacks loose forward Luke Jacobson and lock Tupou Vaa'i kept the Chiefs in touch 11-10 at halftime.

The Chiefs battled gallantly on defence in the second spell but once Weber was sent to the bin, they never looked like recovering.

Crusaders 39 (Leicester Fainga'anuku, penalty try, Will Jordan, Whetukamokamo Douglas, Mitchell Dunshea tries; Richie Mo'unga 2 cons, 2 pens, Fergus Burke con)
Chiefs 17 (Damian McKenzie, Etene Nanai-Seturo tries; McKenzie 2 cons, pen)
HT: 11-10