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The crucial mistake that cost Crusaders certain win over Waratahs
Former Wallaby Stephen Hoiles thought Rivez Reihana was always “going to kick this early” as the Crusaders first five lined up a shot at goal with the match all but won against the Waratahs on Friday.
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The Crusaders, who were searching for what would’ve been their second win from seven starts this season, seemed to snatch it late when replacement Christian Lio-Willie scored in the 79th minute.
Lio-Willie picked up the ball at the base of an attacking scrum five metres out from the try line before running through tackle attempts from backrower Lachlan Swinton and halfback Teddy Wilson.
Mitchell Drummond, Cullen Grace, Macca Springer and Reihana were the first to flock to their try-scoring teammate, but the five-pointer still had to be confirmed by referee Nic Berry and the TMO.
A remarkable comeback for Will Harrison and a night to remember for @nswwaratahs 🙌#SuperRugbyPacific #WARvCRU pic.twitter.com/8iuJ8KcRGv
— Super Rugby Pacific (@SuperRugby) April 12, 2024
Once the try was given the green light, and as the Crusaders grouped in a huddle with captain Tom Christie doing the talking, Reihana lined up the shot at goal. But it didn’t need to go over.
The shot clock was ahead of the game clock. Reihana could’ve let time elapse for the Crusaders to win, but after taking the attempt with a second left, the Waratahs seized their chance to send the thriller to extra-time.
“The Tahs-Crusaders, there’s always something unique about those games,” former Wallaby Stephen Hoiles said on Stan Sports’ Between Two Posts. “Great one to be a part of sitting in the crowd and watching the game finish as it did.
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“At no stage was I convinced that either side was clear favourites or had the game lost. It was open the whole entire way.
“I always had a feeling that no matter what happened… I was watching the whole time thinking, ‘He’s going to kick this early, he’s gonna kick this early.’
“Once you set up your kick, your time to delay is in the setup of the kick. Kickers have their routine, they’re not gonna hold back another 20 seconds.
“He should’ve delayed his setup of his kick. Once you’ve set the ball up and you’re ready, you’re going through your same motion otherwise you compromise your kick.
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“I thought (the Tahs) were going to get another chance.”
The Waratahs managed to retain possession off the restart as they prepared to march their way up the field. To the delight of the crowd, they began to look like a real chance of doing something special.
As they spread the ball wide, Crusaders wing Johnny McNicholl was penalised and shown a yellow card for an international knockdown. That gave the Waratahs a golden opportunity to tie it.
Playmaker Will Harrison sent the match to golden point with a clutch long-range penalty goal, and the replacement was the hero once again with a drop goal to win it 43-40 just a few minutes later.
Match Summary 
4
Penalty Goals
3
4
Tries
5
4
Conversions
3
1
Drop Goals
0
119
Carries
127
6
Line Breaks
6
15
Turnovers Lost
13
5
Turnovers Won
6
Harrison, who returned to Super Rugby Pacific this season after more than 700 days away following a horror run of injuries, was the man of the moment on a famous night at Allianz Stadium.
“I watched the setup and there were two, three, maybe four players that rushed to his left side on his final instruction. That was the thing that’s most important – he had time,” Hoiles explained.
“I knew he was going to get a clean strike out of it because of the way he set the guys up.
“I thought they’d gone a phase or two too long but then when they came back to the other side I was like, at least he’s got his guys in front of him.”
Comments on RugbyPass
I bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
19 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
7 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
19 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
9 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
9 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
28 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
19 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
28 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
19 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
90 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
4 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
9 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
19 Go to comments