By Louis Anderson-Rich
Hello and welcome to Christchurch where the Crusaders are looking to make it into the semi finals when they take on the Bulls in Super Rugby action.
The winner of the match will likely face the Chiefs in next week's semifinals which would be the Crusaders' 13th semifinal appearance and for the Bulls their seventh. It’s all on the line tonight so expect this to be plenty of feeling in this one.
We’ll bring you video live updates throughout the match, including video highlights of all the big plays and tries.
Make sure you refresh your page occasionally. We’ll add VIDEO COMING SOON when we’re cutting the highlights and VIDEO UP when it’s ready to be viewed.
---------------------------
LIVE COMMENTARY… Crusaders 28 – 13 Bulls
80 Min: Carter with a penalty attempt after the Bulls were pinged for offside…from right out in front and he lands it, and that is fulltime!
77 Min: Conversion missed.
76 Min: Bulls with a final attempt at the line it’s Kirchner out on the left side…he’s tackled and now they come back into a central position, they’re 5 metres from the line…Vermaak goes to Spies who’s on the backfoot…The Bulls aren’t reall going anywhere at all but now it’s Kirchener, he’s wrapped up, offloads to Olivier who goes over the line! TRY! VIDEO UP
75 Min: Flurry of substitutions from the Crusaders bench, I think they know that they have this in the bag and will be looking to next week.
71 Min: Carter converts the penalty.
70 Min: Another penalty against the Bulls and Carter will have a go from out in front…
68 Min: Francois Venter intercepts from inside his own 22 and races away up field, he’s brought down just past the halfway line though…Bulls pinged for offside though.
64 Min: Steyn can’t land the extras from the sideline.
63 Min: Bulls win the lineout and form a maul…they push and push…and are awarded the try as Potgiete goes over the line! TRY! VIDEO UP
62 Min: Crotty gives away a penalty for not rolling away, Morne Steyn kicks for the corner and gives the Bulls a lineout in a promising situation.
61 Min: Bulls low that chance though as the Crusaders win the lineout against the throw.
59 Min: Carter’s penalty hits the posts and the Bulls clear fantastically, as Sam Whitelock fumbles the catch and it comes off him to dribble into touch. Bulls with a chance right back down the other end.
58 Min: bulls clear after winning the lineout but the clearance only goes as far as Guildford who shifts it out to the other side…Adam Whitelock has a go and almost gets through…now Ellis to Sam Whitelock but they’re going nowhere so the ref will come back for a previous penalty…Carter to have a shot at goal…
56 Min: Bulls opt for the scrum and they go at the line but once again the Crusaders have turned it over! Adam Whitelock charging the ball upfield! Now Carter, he kicks to Kirchener who gives it straight back to Dagg who puts a low kick ahead and it finds touch inside the Bulls 22. Great kick.
55 Min: Crusaders still under the pump though it’s the Bulls who are five metres from the line…taking it in is Juandre Kruger…now Vermaak looks to go open side to Pogiete…Advantage being played to the Bulls…Vaermaak to Steyn who gives it to Engelbrecht who slips and the ref will go back to the initial penalty.
54 Min: Bulls on the attack until Jano Vermaak picks and goes and offloads it into the path of Corey Flynn who gives it to Carter who clears.
52 Min: Carter hits the post but the ball goes through the posts anyway.
51 Min: Crusaders with a lineout inside the Bulls half…George Whitelock wins it and gives it off to McCaw…now Carter turns it inside to Todd…Crowd are roaring for a high tackle…and the ref eventually gives the penalty and warns Morne Steyn about the tackle…Carter to have another kick at goal.
48 Min: Carter makes the kick.
47 Min: Big defence from the Crusaders as Richie McCaw makes a great tackle on Pierre Spies and the Crusaders have turned it over as well…Andy Ellis tries to go himself but is wrapped up…ref eventually pulls play back for the penalty and Carter will have a kick at goal.
44 Min: Bulls make their way into the Crusaders 22 with Jacques Potgiete…he goes down 5 metres from the line…Crusaders have turned it over though and the balls been shovelled out to Guildford who has a crack down the line. He is eventually put into touch just short of the halfway line.
43 Min: Carter hasn’t found touch with the penalty kick and so it’s kicked back to the Crusaders by Kirchener…Carter kicks again which is claimed by Hougaard who alos kicks down to Ellis who goes for a chip and chase but the ball goes out on the full instead.
42 Min: Now the Bulls look wide and it’s Kirchener but he is tackled by Fruean and the Bulls eventually concede a penalty.
41 Min: Morne Steyn with the restart…Carter with a little weighted kick over the top which is fielded nicely by Kirchener…Bulls starting the half strongly as they stampede over the halfway line…
Teams are back out on the pitch…let’s get the second half underway!
40 Min: There goes the siren and Morne Steyn kicks it out to signal halftime.
38 Min: Bit of confusion from the restart as the Bulls knock it back which is pounced upon by Guildford…Carter tries to slip through, but is tackled…ball is turned over and the Bulls clear from danger.
37 Min: Morne Steyn puts the first points on the board for the Bulls.
36 Min: Pierre Spies has received the ball from the lineout and has slipped through! He’s inches from the line! But again the Crusaders turn it over! But they’ve also been penalised for not releasing and Morne Steyn will line up a shot at goal.
35 Min: Bulls pass up an opportunity for 3 to go for 7 with a lineout inside the Crusaders 22 which they win…Another penalty to the Bulls which they again put into touch to have a crack at the line…
32 Min: Crusaders probing down the right side at the moment, they’ve made their way into the Bulls 22…Andy Ellis gives it off to George Whitelock…Ellis now to Luke Romano who gains some more ground…now Carter out on the left, inside to Fruean who almost makes his way through…Crusaders back in centrefield and it’s Ellis…advantage being played for the Crusaders…Drop kick attempt from Dan Carter on his right foot and it’s gone over!
31 Min: Crusaders have again turned the ball over with some ease though and Kirchener has been penalised.
30 Min: Bulls with a scrum just inside the Crusaders half…
29 Min: Kirchener with a big up and under from halfway, but Carter gets up brilliantly to take it away from Akona Ndungane…
28 Min: Bulls with a real opportunity and the Crusaders turn it over just like that. Excellent defence.
27 Min: Bulls restart and Guildford has gone from hero to villain after fumbling the ball into touch…
26 Min: So Crusaders scrum in a good position…Carter with the ball, passes to an oncoming Guildford who’s gone right through the middle! TRY! VIDEO UP
24 Min: Scrum to the Bulls. Off the back it goes to Steyn who tries to play a flat, low kick across the offensive line which has been picked up JJ Engelbrecht, but no he’s lost out to Crotty who runs it through the line! Offloads to Fruean! But it’s been intercepted! Play called back for a knock-on though.
23 Min: Andy Ellis has botched the scrum which has been stolen out the back by Francois Hougaard, who gives it off to Steyn who clears from danger.
22 Min: Crusaders right back in the Bulls 22 with a great chance from a scrum…
21 Min: Carter puts the kick to the right of the posts.
20 Min: Adam Whitelock with the ball standing still, he gives it off to Guilford who weaves his way through a gap. He’s put into touch but play will come back for a previous Bulls penalty…another shot at goal for Carter.
18 Min: Bjorn Basson fields a box kick from Ellis and does well to skip away from two oncoming Crusaders but is eventually shuffled into touch…
16 Min: Crusaders lose their first lineout and now it’s Hougaard who crashes up the middle, back to Steyn who goes high with a kick down the middle himself which Dagg fields…bit of back and forth kicking until Steyn finally puts it into touch deep in the Crusaders half.
15 Min: Crusaders still in possession metres out…Forwards all having a crack…but the Bulls have turned it over and Steyn gets rid of it as far as he can…pressure off…for now.
14 Min: Crusaders lineout taken down by George Whitelock who gives it to Richie McCaw who makes some ground smashing into Dewald Potgieter abd now it’s Carter who puts a good pass in for Crotty who is metres away from the line!
13 Min: Scrum to the Crusaders just behind halfway…Bulls pinged for spinning the scrum.
12 Min: Ellis with a nice show and go from halfback…doesn’t get far though, this time it goes to Dagg who kicks it straight down the centre which is fielded by Wynand Olivier…but again the Bulls concede another penalty for a collapsed maul…
11 Min: Carter with another penalty attempt…right down the middle.
10 Min: Crusaders with a long passage of play…and the Bulls eventually concede a penalty for offside, it was Dean Grayling completely on the wrong side of the ruck.
9 Min: High ball from Dagg put ahead, Kirchener is under it and he takes but is met by a rampant Fruean! Crusaders turn the ball over!...they’re up to the Bulls 22 now…Ellis away to Crotty who gets an offload to Maitland! Crusaders pushing hard…
8 Min: Bulls wit5h possession just over the halfway line…Francois Hougaard storming onwards…now Zane Kirchener and it’s been turned over…Crusaders looking to for a way out of their own 22…
6 Min: First chance for Dan Carter to put some points on the board…it’s a toughie from the sideline…Which he just gets inside the posts.
5 Min: Bulls first lineout is too long and it’s picked up by Crotty…Carter turns it back inside to George Whitelock who gives it to Andy Ellis now Ben Franks…Fruean tries to slip through but can’t, Dagg kicks ahead and the Bulls have been penalised for not releasing.
3 Min: First scrum for the Crusaders from their own 22…Crusaders go early though and Bulls have a penalty which will be kicked into touch…but it’s skewed by Steyn and Dagg catches it and calls mark.
2 Min: Crusaders with a turn over on their own 22, and they’ve gone out to Zac Guilford on the far touch line…Carter to Crotty who puts in a grubber but it’s fielded by Steyn and he is away! No pulled back for a knock on from Steyn.
1 Min: Dan Carter kicks off and we are underway…ball taken down inside the Bulls 22 and Morne Steyn gets his first booming kick of the the night but it hasn’t found touch…Ellis now to Crotty who tries to duck under a few tackles…Carter with a kick downfield on the full…Bulls lineout.
Both teams are out on the pitch and we are moments away from kick-off…
While you wait for kickoff, watch highlights of the Crusaders match last week.
------------------------------
Teams
Crusaders
1. Wyatt Crockett 2. Corey Flynn 3. Owen Franks 4. Luke Romano 5. Samuel Whitelock 6. George Whitelock 7. Matt Todd 8. Richie McCaw (c) 9. Andy Ellis 10. Dan Carter (vc) 11. Zac Guildford 12. Ryan Crotty 13. Robbie Fruean 14. Adam Whitelock 15. Israel Dagg.
Reserves: 16. Quentin MacDonald 17. Ben Franks 18. Tom Donnelly 19. Luke Whitelock 20. Willi Heinz 21. Tom Taylor 22. Sean Maitland.
Bulls
15. Zane Kirchner 14. Akona Ndungane 13. JJ Engelbrecht 12. Wynand Olivier 11. Bjorn Basson 10. Morne Steyn 9. Francois Hougaard 8. Pierre Spies (captain) 7. Dewald Potgieter 6. Jacques Potgiete 5. Juandre Kruger 4. Flip van der Merwe 3. Werner Kruger 2. Chiliboy Ralepelle 1. Dean Greyling.
Reserves: Willie Wepener, Frik Kirsten, Wilhelm Steenkamp, Deon Stegmann, Jano Vermaak, Louis Fouche, Francois Venter.
Pregame banter:
The memory of a past slight and some fresh controversy will add an edge to Saturday's Super 15 rugby playoff between the Crusaders and Pretoria-based Bulls, teams that have shared 10 of the 16 Super rugby titles.
In Christchurch, many fans are still irritated by the allegations of eye gouging leveled by the Bulls against the Crusaders after their meeting in the seventh round of the regular season.
The Bulls claimed two of their players had been gouged during their 32-30 win at Pretoria in April, but no video evidence could be found to support the claims and the charges were dismissed.
Crusaders coach Todd Blackadder demanded an apology from the Bulls but none was offered the incident was still smoldering when the Bulls landed in New Zealand.
Bulls coach Frans Ludeke, who has never lost a playoff match to the Crusaders, tried to soothe any lingering bad feeling.
"Relationships are vital for us, especially our relationship with the Crusaders," he said. "They're a team through the years that have showed they're professional on and off the field and I think nothing came from it." Blackadder agreed the issue should be left to rest.
"We've had a good relationship with the Bulls for a long time, well before my time," he said. "Certainly, both parties weren't happy with (the eye-gouging claims) but we've had a good chat on the phone and we've put it behind us."
However, just as one issue died this week others flared. The Crusaders' last three matches in the regular season - against the Wellington Hurricanes, Waikato Chiefs and Western Force - all featured contentious decisions by television referees and Blackadder admitted he is concerned further errors could mar the playoffs.
"We've just got to get those things right because it does determine where teams can finish, but one thing I do know is there's nothing you can do once the decision is made," Blackadder said.
"It's just something I hope doesn't creep into play, especially with the finals on the line now and these big games and big moments."
The Crusaders benefited from errors by the video referee in matches against the Chiefs and Force, when they were erroneously awarded tries to scrumhalf Andy Ellis (twice) and fullback Israel Dagg. Errors were also made by television officials in favor of the Hurricanes in their matches against the Crusaders and Chiefs.
Those issues may have subsided by match day, when 18,000 people will cram into the Crusaders' new home ground in hope of seeing the team sustain its challenge for an eighth Super rugby title. The Crusaders' live, streaming forward - that's what the fans are turning up to see.
The Crusaders won titles in 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2005, 2006 and 2008 while the Bulls were champions in 2007, 2009 and 2010. Canterbury beat the Bulls in the semifinals in Christchurch in 2006 but lost semifinal matches in Pretoria in each of the Bulls championship seasons.
The winner of the match will likely face the Chiefs in next week's semifinals which would be the Crusaders' 13th semifinal appearance and for the Bulls their seventh.
3 News