Crusaders 43 Cats 15
Coach Robbie Deans was forced to use his insurance cards early last night to guarantee the Crusaders kept their Super 14 supremacy.
They were struggling for their usual poise, combination and direction until regular captain Richie McCaw and Chris Jack were summonsed from the substitutes bench.
They added some clout, the Crusaders raised their intensity and eventually secured the victory which should have been a lay down misere against a side of the Cats quality.
It was the perfect chance to rest some of the topline Crusaders from injuries or the repetitive rigours of this competition. Deans clearly took that view when he gave six of his stars a spell.
Just in case the coach kept them in the reserves - and was no doubt glad of that decision with the Crusaders struggling through the first half.
The altered side was disrupted in the setpieces or close to the rucks and mauls where the Cats used all the power of their high veldt beef.
Deans resisted going to the bench, perhaps backing a halftime pep-talk as the catalyst for a change. His patience did not last much longer.
This match was a must-collect bonus point before the Crusaders had their bye and in the 47th minute Deans summonsed their cavalry in what was a huge compliment to the Cats.
The visitors were unsophisticated but they brought some serious attitude to this fourth game of their road trip, one they will look to build on next week in Invercargill.
For the first 15 minutes it looked as if the sides had swapped jerseys and traded abilities. The Cats camped in the Crusaders' territory, controlling the play and keeping it close to the power of their massive pack. It was all the Crusaders could do to hang on and ride out the inquisition.
They conceded one try to the visitors' industrious captain Wickus van Heerden when he latched onto one of his side's beefcake drives after a lineout. Several other times, the Cats were denied within a carry of the line.
When Leon MacDonald scored at the end of a counter-attacking chain movement and Aaron Mauger sped over from some loose play normal transmission appeared to have returned to Jade Stadium. But the Cats were resilient, far more resolute than they were last week when they folded badly against the Waratahs.
After several more snipes from Enrico Januarie and Jaque Fourie, raids which severely tested the defence, feisty lock Kleinjan Tromp regathered and ploughed across for another try.
That doubled the Cats' tally from their previous five games and had kicker Earl Rose not hit the posts twice, they would reached halftime with a deserved lead.
Instead they had to endure a much greater second-half exam as MacDonald and Mauger scored their second tries, Jack touched down after a lineout scramble and Andrew Ellis scored.
Crusaders 43 (L. MacDonald 2, A. Mauger 2, C. Jack, A. Ellis, tries; D. Carter 5 con, pen).
Cats 15 (W. van Heerden, K. Tromp, tries; E. Rose con, T. Snyman pen)
HT: 12-12
Crusaders 43 Cats 15
Coach Robbie Deans was forced to use his insurance cards early last night to guarantee the Crusaders kept their Super 14 supremacy.
They were struggling for their usual poise, combination and direction until regular captain Richie McCaw and Chris Jack were summonsed from the substitutes bench.
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