The Crusaders' Super Rugby Pacific season of struggle added another chapter of woe on Friday night.
Having taken a three-point lead in the final minute, the Crusaders gave up a game-tying penalty after time was up and then a match-winning drop-goal in golden-point extra-time to lose 43-40 to the NSW Waratahs at Sydney's Allianz Stadium.
LATEST HEADLINES: * Gray, Leslie swim Paris qualification times * Two more out of Black Caps' Pakistan tour * Fox in lead early at The Masters, four back * Import duo guide Bay Hawks to NBL victory * Ford NZ's first woman wrestler at Olympics
Replacement No 8 Christian Lio-Willie charged to the short side off the back of a 5m scrum to score what looked like the match-winning try at 79:01.
Reserve first-five Rivez Reihana booted the conversion from out-wide but for a 40-37 lead, but took the kick a second or two too early, meaning there would be a restart despite the clock ticking past 80 minutes.
The Crusaders failed to corral the kick-off, with the Waratahs taking it over halfway and then attacking to the left. Crusaders wing Johnny McNicholl was yellow-carded after deliberately knocking down a pass.
Replacement Waratahs first-five Will Harrison stepped up, extending the match with a 40m penalty and then winning it with a drop-goal from the 22 in the fourth minute of the extra session.
In an instant classic that featured 12 lead changes, the two teams combined for nine tries and scored at a point a minute.
An expansive first half set the tone for the night and All Blacks wing Sevu Reece was in everything for the Crusaders. The right wing opening the scoring inside a minute after Dylan Pietsch had the ball raked out of his hands from the kick-off.
With his second try, Reece joined Caleb Ralph atop the Crusaders' try-scoring list with 52 tries, and then set up the visitors' third try for second-five Dallas McLeod by breaking free down the right, putting them up 19-13.
The Waratahs' best set play of the first half, a driving maul, helped Ned Hanigan to a try of his own and the hosts nearly scored the same way again just before the break, taking a 23-22 lead into the sheds.
The Crusaders took a 28-23 lead after 57 minutes on the back of two Riley Hohepa penalties, and again 33-30 when Mitchell Drummond scored in the 63rd minute.
In Round 9, the Crusaders (1-0-6, seven points) head to Perth to face the Western Force (1-0-6, five points) in another bottom-of-the-table clash next Saturday (kick-off 9.35pm).
Earlier in the night, Moana Pasifika moved into the top-eight for the first time with a 17-14 victory over the Queensland Reds, who had two players red-carded in the second half, at Whangarei's Semenoff Stadium.
Comments