Crusaders notch first Super Rugby win

Coach Rob Penney labelled the Crusaders’ first win of the Super Rugby season a “turning point” after the defending champions swept aside the Chiefs.

The try-laden 43-33 victory in Hamilton on Saturday evening was the first meeting of the two powerful New Zealand sides since the Crusaders won last year’s grand final 16-12.

Penney’s side had opened their campaign with losses to the Highlanders and Brumbies and he admitted his players did not savour the prospect of a third defeat.

“It was always going to be a bit of a turning point for us, we had to front,” Penney told reporters.

“It’s just a natural human instinct to want to do better if you’ve had a couple of knockbacks.

“You wouldn’t want that losing to go on for another couple of weeks. There would have been some spotlight on us emerging and that wouldn’t have been healthy.”

All Blacks back-rower Christian Lio-Willie crossed for three of the Crusaders’ six tries as they overcame an early 14-0 deficit, producing some scintillating attacking play to score 36 unanswered points through the middle stages.

With the Crusaders missing a number of All Blacks, including injured forwards Scott Barrett and Codie Taylor, Penney said he admired how his young players responded.

“The belief and the knowledge that they can beat good teams away from home, it does something, it galvanises groups,” he said.

“To beat the Chiefs here is a great honour. We’ve just got to make the most of this.”

Penney singled out hooker George Bell for a “commanding performance” and was unclear how serious a leg injury was for the four-test All Black, who was assisted off late in the game.

It was a first defeat for the Chiefs, who host Moana Pasifika next week, while the Crusaders face the Blues.

Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham hailed his side’s “mental resolve” after they keep their cool to score two late tries in a thrilling 30-27 defeat of the Blues.

The rousing victory in Canberra on Saturday evening kept their flawless start to the Super Rugby season intact, leaving them top of the table after three rounds.

“It was intense. We haven’t had a big challenge where we’ve been behind on the scoreboard,” said Larkham.

“So that was a really good test of our mental resolve. Lots of mistakes, lots of turnovers, some really hard passages, both in attack and defense.

“And I think when you come out of a game like that, you can build a lot of belief from the fact that we just go back to what we know we do well and that can put us in a position to win the game.”

The Blues were in the box seat with 10 minutes left, leading by nine points after a brace from All Blacks winger Caleb Clarke and a try apiece to AJ Lam and skipper Dalton Papali’i in his 100th game.

But the hosts never gave up.

The Blues were backing up from a gritty 42-32 defeat of Western Force in Perth.

“I thought the boys put in a real gutsy effort,” said coach Vern Cotter.

“We lost a couple of players early, finished with the yellow card, and just didn’t quite have that bit at the end to get over the line.

“It’s simply disappointing.”

The Brumbies host the Reds next week while the Blues return home to face the Crusaders -SuperSport.