Rugby
1News

Liam Squire's shoulder charge changes momentum of quarter-final as Crusaders eliminate Highlanders

June 21, 2019

Relive 1 NEWS NOW's live coverage of tonight's first Super Rugby quarter-final between the Crusaders and Highlanders in Christchurch.

FULLTIME - CRUSADERS 38 HIGHLANDERS 14

The Crusaders are through to next week's Super Rugby semi-final after eliminating the Highlanders 38-14.

80 mins:  CRUSADERS 38 HIGHLANDERS 14

The Highlanders manage to work their way into a try-scoring position but the Crusaders show their grit on defence and turn the ball over, before the kick the ball into touch. 

69 mins:  CRUSADERS 38 HIGHLANDERS 14

TRY! George Bridge puts in sneaky chip kick just outside of the Highlanders' 22, and the ball bounces awkwardly for Highlanders' utility back Mart Banks. Crusaders' first-five Richie Mo'unga gives chase and Banks can't control it.

George Bridge of the Crusaders passes the ball to Whetukamokamo Douglas of the Crusaders during the Super Rugby Quarter Final, Crusaders V Highlanders at Orangetheory Stadium, Christchurch, New Zealand, 21st June 2019.Copyright photo: John Davidson / www.photosport.nz

Mo'unga gets his hands on the ball and snatches it out of the grasp of Banks and seals the win for the home side. He has no issues converting his own try.

65 mins:  CRUSADERS 31 HIGHLANDERS 14

NO TRY! The Crusaders butcher a try after about the ball almost went through every single pair of hands in the entire XV players on the field. All Jordan Taufua needed to do was catch and pass but he fumbles the ball backwards.

55 mins:  CRUSADERS 31 HIGHLANDERS 14

TRY! Again the Crusaders power their way up towards the Highlanders' goal-line before Jordan Taufua goes himself and is tackled five metres short of the try-line. Reserve prop Michael Alaalatoa grabs the ball from the back of the ruck and puts his head down and grounds the ball on the try-line and the that is the home team's fourth try of the match.

Richie Mo'unga is on target with his conversion attempt.

48 mins:  CRUSADERS 24 HIGHLANDERS 14

TRY! Codie Taylor finds his man at lineout time - Kieran Read - and the Crusaders power their way up field. The Highlanders are not even competing and the Crusaders forwards drive 20m towards the try-line and score their third try of the match.

Whetu Douglas is the last man up with the ball and his teammates celebrate big with him.

Richie Mo'unga makes no mistakes with his shot at goal.

45 mins:  CRUSADERS 17 HIGHLANDERS 14

YELLOW CARD! Liam Squire has been sent to the bin for a no-arms tackle on Crusaders loose forward Whetu Douglas. There were several big hits from the Highlanders during the lead-up to that hit and they had the home team going backwards.

40 mins:  CRUSADERS 17 HIGHLANDERS 14

And we are back underway! The Highlanders kick off short towards the home team and the comfortably regather the ball.

HALFTIME - CRUSADERS 17 HIGHLANDERS 14

The Highlanders have come to play, trailing the home team by just three-points. The tactics by the visitors has caught the Crusaders by surprise after two cross-field kicks by Josh Ioane almost turned into tries for Waisake Naholo.

36 mins: CRUSADERS 17 HIGHLANDERS 14

TRY! Teihorangi Walden manages to get around Jack Goodhue and he goes charging towards the try-line from 20m out. Not sure whether the ball touched the ground or not, but the ref goes in for a closer inspection and he blows his for a Highlanders.

34 mins: CRUSADERS 17 HIGHLANDERS 7

NO TRY! The Highlanders are finding some success on attack as they are haapy to hold onto the ball and grind their way up field.

28 mins: CRUSADERS 17 HIGHLANDERS 7

Jack Goodhue of the Crusaders.
Crusaders vs. Highlanders. 2019 Investec Super Rugby. Christchurch Stadium, Christchurch, New Zealand. Friday 12 April 2019. © Copyright Photo: Martin Hunter / www.photosport.nz

TRY! The Crusaders shift the ball from right to left and it is their star winger George Bridge who cuts back in field around the Highlanders' 22 and creates the opportunity.

Who manages to get an offload away to another teammate before Mo'unga gets his hands on the, he manages to get himself in better poisition to score the try closer to the in-goal.

He converts his own try. 

22 mins: CRUSADERS 10 HIGHLANDERS 7

TRY! Richie Mo'unga threads the needle, holds the ball up enough and throws the perfect skip pass to David Havili who goes into score under the goal-posts.

It began with a well executed driving line-out maul from the Crusaders forward pack and the backs finshed it off.

Mo'unga makes no mistake with his kick at goal. 

17 mins: CRUSADERS 3 HIGHLANDERS 7

TRY! Sio Tomkinson dives over to score down the left edge. The Highlanders spread the ball from left to right and it was Rob Thompson that created the opportunity.

He took on Sevu Reece one-on-one and the Fijian star winger couldn't stick with him, Thompson throws a miracle offload to Ben Smith who just needs to draw and pass as Tomkinson dives over to score.

Josh Ioanes nails his conversion attempt from the sideline.

15 mins: CRUSADERS 3 HIGHLANDERS 0

CROSS-FIELD KICK! The Highlanders opt to try a wipers cross-field kick from just inside their own half and they almost pull it off! Waisake Naholo regathers the ball but his just tackled into touch inside the Crusaders' 22.

12 mins: CRUSADERS 3 HIGHLANDERS 0

PENALTY! Aaron Smith throws the ball straight into Crusaders' lock Scott Barrett who was retrieving back into his side's defensive line and the referee awards the Highlanders a penalty.

MISS! Josh Ioane's attempt at goal from 37m out on a slight angle and hits the left hand goal post.

5 mins: CRUSADERS 3 HIGHLANDERS 0

NO TRY! The Highlanders are given a short arm penalty at scrum time after the Crusaders are ruled to have pushed early. Luke Whitelock gets his hands on the ball and he charges up field.

The Highlanders forward keep the ball in close and inch closer to the Crusaders goal-line. Jackson Hemopo has a go and looks to be over. Replays showed that the Highlanders lock grounded the ball short of the try-line before having another illegal go at the line.

Crusaders are awarded a penalty five metres from their own try-line with the ref penalising Hemopo for a double movement.  

3 mins: CRUSADERS 3 HIGHLANDERS 0

THREE! Richie Mo'unga has no problems with his first penalty kick at goal from in front of the sticks and the Crusaders go up 3-0 over the visitors.

CRUSADERS 0 HIGHLANDERS 0

KICK-OFF! And we are underway! As Richie Mo'unga gets things started with a short kick-off which lands just outside of the Highlanders' 22.

PRE-MATCH:

The Crusaders finished the regular 2019 season on top of the New Zealand conference ladder and were the first overall leaders in the entire competition.

Last time the Highlanders played in round nine in April against the Crusaders, they were thumped 43-17.

An interesting match-up will be Richie Mo'unga of the Crusaders up against Highlander young gun Josh Ioane who has had an outstanding season as the regular starter at number 10.

The Crusaders have 12 All Blacks in their starting XV while the Highlanders have just seven All Blacks players in their starting XV.

Crusaders: 1.Joe Moody, 2.Codie Taylor, 3.Owen Franks, 4.Scott Barrett, 5.Sam Whitelock (captain), 6.Whetukamokamo Douglas, 7.Matt Todd, 8.Kieran Read, 9.Bryn Hall, 10.Richie Mo'unga, 11.George Bridge, 12.Ryan Crotty, 13.Jack Goodhue, 14.Sevu Reece, 15.David Havili.

Reseves:  19.Luke Romano, 20.Jordan Taufua, 21.Ere Enari, 22.Brett Cameron, 23.Braydon Ennor.

Highlanders: 15 Ben Smith (cc), 14 Waisake Naholo, 13 Rob Thompson, 12 Teihorangi Walden, 11 Patelesio Tomkinson, 10 Josh Ioane, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Luke Whitelock(cc), 7 James Lentjes, 6 Liam Squire, 5 Tom Franklin, 4 Jackson Hemopo, 3 Tyrel Lomax, 2 Liam Coltman, 1 Daniel Lienert-Brown.

Reserves: 16 Ash Dixon, 17 Ayden Johnstone, 18 Siate Tokolahi, 19 Josh Dickson, 20 Shannon Frizell, 21 Kayne Hammington, 22 Marty Banks, 23 Elliot Dixon.

SHARE ME

More Stories