Second-half blitz helps Chiefs to record humbling of Crusaders

A 29-point second-half blitz from the Chiefs has helped them thrash the Crusaders 49-24 in Hamilton tonight, a victory and performance which should put the rest of the competition on notice.

After coming from behind to beat the defending champion Blues at Eden Park in round one, the Chiefs blew the Crusaders away at Waikato Stadium and in the end there was a touch of humiliation about the way they sliced through the red and black defence almost at will.

It was a record score for the Chiefs against the Crusaders, beating the 40 points they scored against the red and blacks in 2019.

The home side shrugged off midfielder Rameka Poihipi’s early departure with a knee injury, and loose forward Luke Jacobson’s failed head injury assessment – a contact which was strangely not reviewed by the officials – plus lock Tupou Vaa’i’s yellow card in the first half to dominate the Crusaders after the break.

It was a tit for tat first half, with wing Emoni Narawa bursting over the line from a quick tap for the Chiefs, a try countered by Crusaders halfback Kyle Preston, who now has four in two matches.

Vaa’i then departed for 10 minutes after a high tackle on Crusaders prop Fletcher Newell, who later failed an HIA and did not return after halftime.

But the Chiefs hardly missed a beat. Xavier Roe skirted around a maul to score the Chiefs’ second against some more slightly soft Crusaders’ defence, only for Ethan Blackadder replying for the visitors after excellent work from Sevu Reece, the wing who was probably the Crusaders’ best on the night.

It gave the Chiefs a 17-14 halftime lead, but it was tied up five minutes after the break via James O’Connor’s penalty for the Crusaders, although why Josh Lord wasn’t sinbinned for pulling back the replacement first-five in a cynical piece of defending is anyone’s guess.

Regardless, O’Connor’s intervention merely served to open the floodgates, with Leroy Carter, Samipeni Finau, Josh Jacomb and Quinn Tupaea (twice) scoring in succession, an onslaught which coincided with the virtual disintegration of the Crusaders’ scrum.

Lock Antonio Shalfoon's try with a few minutes remaining was a consolation score for the Crusaders, with Damian McKenzie adding a penalty from 40 metres out on the 80-minute mark for good measure.

After a meritorious comeback victory against the Hurricanes in Christchurch in round one, the Crusaders were humbled and will head into next weekend’s bye looking for answers in virtually ever facet.

Their defence leaked alarmingly against a Chiefs team which ran hard and straight, with perhaps their only success a slight edge in the aerial kicking battle.

It was a significant win for the Chiefs, who relied on forward grunt to beat the Blues at their own game last weekend and, after making seven changes, suggested they have the flair and depth to match it with any team and in virtually any style.

Narawa was a constant threat on the wing, with loose forward Simon Parker a standout in the second half.

They play Brumbies in Hamilton next Saturday in round three.

Chiefs 49 (Quinn Tupaea 2, Emoni Narawa, Xavier Roe, Leroy Carter, Samipeni Finau, Josh Jacomb tries; Damian McKenzie 3 cons, 2 pens)

Crusaders 24 (Kyle Preston, Ethan Blackadder, Antonio Shalfoon tries; Taha Kemara 2 cons, James O’Connor pen, con)

Halftime: 17-14