Richie Mo'unga got the win to mark his 100th match for the Crusaders, but not before overcoming an almighty scare against the Moana Pasifika.
Indeed, a repeat of their shock loss to Fijian Drua looked on for much of the night, before the Crusaders rallied and beat the visitors 38-21 in Christchurch on last night.
They needed all the Mo'unga magic they could get, too, given they produced yet another clunky performance and never got into a groove ahead of next week’s bye.
Moana Pasifika played the better rugby last night as they led well into the second half.
Led by wrecking balls Levi Aumua and Timoci Tavatavanawai, they scored three fine tries to grab an unlikely 21-17 lead at halftime.
However, they eventually cracked under the set piece as the host dominated the scrums.
Head coach Scott Robertson sure would have been a relieved man, not that he can afford to sit back during the bye week.
Mo'unga sparked the Crusaders into gear with one of his typical jinking runs, one which ended with him putting captain Codie Taylor over for one of the two tries he scored on the night.
He also put the cross-field kick in for Macca Springer to put Dom Gardiner in for the go-ahead try in the 51st minute, and slotted all six attempts (five conversions and a penalty) at goal.
But it was Aumua who stole the show as he rumbled through the Crusaders’ line.
He had two in the space of five minutes, the second courtesy of a brilliant off-load by Tavatavanawai - the other bloke who gave the Crusaders fits, and who moments earlier split the hosts from inside his own 22.
In the other game last night the Brumbies thrashed the Reds 52-24.
In other games today, the Highlanders will face the Hurricanes at 7.05pm, and then the Rebels host the Blues at 9.35pm.
[Source: Stuff.co]
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