Vodacom Super Rugby: Highlanders (30)* v Crusaders (32)* F/T

Come on Landers the Sharks softened them up for you!!!! Comment 1, posted at 24.05.14 07:16:11 by JD

Good start by the Crusaders…excellent phase play…ultimately Slade misses the penalty from the touch line… Comment 2, posted at 24.05.14 07:40:42 by pastorshark

More great play by the Crusaders…before McNichol knocks the ball badly just short of the line… Comment 3, posted at 24.05.14 07:42:20 by pastorshark

And good play by the Crusaders again…Nadolo scores…but the TMO confirms that the final pass is forward…still 0-0 after 9 mins… Comment 4, posted at 24.05.14 07:47:58 by pastorshark

All Crusaders so far…but after 15 odd phases there is turnover at the ruck… Comment 5, posted at 24.05.14 07:49:15 by pastorshark

After 12 minutes of relentless pressure the Crusaders score through Deysel’s mate Taufua…0-7… Comment 6, posted at 24.05.14 07:51:22 by pastorshark

Just for the record…on a Saturday I’m still stuck on the couch with flu… 🙂 Comment 7, posted at 24.05.14 07:52:15 by pastorshark

First bit of possession and good play by the Highlanders earns them a penalty…but Sopoaga misses…boy, this little Fekitoa can play! Comment 8, posted at 24.05.14 07:55:03 by pastorshark

The Crusaders are pummeling the Highlanders at the breakdown! The Landers have done well to limit it to 0-7… Comment 9, posted at 24.05.14 07:58:10 by pastorshark

Highlanders now doing brilliantly…cynical play by the Crusaders…and then there is a huge blarney!! There must be a yellow for a cynical foul…and there is…and it’s McCaw!!! Well done Glenn Jackson. That’s exactly the right call…has that ever happened to McCaw?! Comment 10, posted at 24.05.14 08:02:28 by pastorshark

Highlanders opt for the scrum…and end up scoring through Ged Robinson (damn, why did I bench him in my fantasy league)…Sopoaga misses a much easier kick and it’s 5-7 after 26 mins…unreal! Comment 11, posted at 24.05.14 08:06:11 by pastorshark

What a Highlanders try…WOW! Fekitoa and Smith combine to get it to Osborne…and what a finish!! WOW! Sapoaga nails the toughest kick from the touchline…12-7… Comment 12, posted at 24.05.14 08:09:34 by pastorshark

The Crusaders clearly can’t play with 14 men… Comment 13, posted at 24.05.14 08:10:13 by pastorshark

McCaw back on… Comment 14, posted at 24.05.14 08:12:40 by pastorshark

Last 10 minutes when McCaw was off 70% possession to the Highlanders… Comment 15, posted at 24.05.14 08:13:42 by pastorshark

Crusaders get some phases strung together…earn penalty…and Slade nails it…12-10…38 mins… Comment 16, posted at 24.05.14 08:18:54 by pastorshark

Hectic play from side to side, both sides throwing everything into attack…ends in another bout of “How’s your mother?!” After the TMO checks, Jackson sticks with his original penalty to the Crusaders… Comment 17, posted at 24.05.14 08:22:55 by pastorshark

Accidental offsides brings a hectic half to an end…12-10 at half-time… Comment 18, posted at 24.05.14 08:24:01 by pastorshark

Crusaders score straight after halftime on the back of a great Nadolo run…Slade with a shocker! 15-12… Comment 19, posted at 24.05.14 08:38:53 by pastorshark

Now the Highlanders crunch the Saders at scrum time…and get a penalty which they kick to touch… Comment 20, posted at 24.05.14 08:43:02 by pastorshark

Another penalty…Sapoaga nails it…15-15… Comment 21, posted at 24.05.14 08:44:44 by pastorshark

Try time Crusaders…both props have scored now…and Glen Jackson has had his cheek gashed open…surely the ref has to go for a blood bin and concussion test :)! Slade nails the conversion…22-15 after 51 mins… Comment 22, posted at 24.05.14 08:48:16 by pastorshark

Jackson was head butted by Chris King…another suspension for the Landers prop? 🙂 Comment 23, posted at 24.05.14 08:49:02 by pastorshark

Now all Crusaders again…but Smith gets to the chip ahead first and it’s a 22…Jackson doesn’t go back to the penalty? Maybe he’s been intimidated by the head-butt? Comment 24, posted at 24.05.14 08:51:03 by pastorshark

Still all Crusaders…some great runs by Slade…Nadolo almost scores…but a Highlander gets in the way of the pass…again attack from side to side with some great skills…ends up with a Highlanders scrum… Comment 25, posted at 24.05.14 08:55:19 by pastorshark

And a scrum penalty to the Landers…they are still in this…just… Comment 26, posted at 24.05.14 08:56:06 by pastorshark

Second half territory 80% Crusaders…but now a kickable penalty to the Highlanders. Hayden Parker now kicking…nails it…18-22… Comment 27, posted at 24.05.14 08:58:24 by pastorshark

Good exit by the Highlanders… Comment 28, posted at 24.05.14 08:59:25 by pastorshark

There are still 18 minutes left…this is a cracker! Comment 29, posted at 24.05.14 08:59:59 by pastorshark

Nadolo has been awesome tonight…a big break…and then a few phases later he’s in at the corner… Comment 30, posted at 24.05.14 09:02:27 by pastorshark

Slade converts from touch…18-29 after 65 mins… Comment 31, posted at 24.05.14 09:04:00 by pastorshark

geez, can you imagine if Fekitoa and Nadolo were on the same team? Comment 32, posted at 24.05.14 09:06:06 by robdylan

And the Highlanders strike right back…TMO checking for obstruction…try awarded to Fekitoa…Parker hits the upright…23-29…12 mins to go… Comment 33, posted at 24.05.14 09:07:43 by pastorshark

Turnover by McCaw…penalty…Slade nails the kick…23-32…10mins to go… Comment 34, posted at 24.05.14 09:09:32 by pastorshark

And the Highlanders score again through Ben Smith…this is incredible stuff…Parker tries for the extras from touch…and nails it…30-32 with mins to go…unreal!! 5 mins to go… Comment 35, posted at 24.05.14 09:14:41 by pastorshark

Highlanders now ratcheting up the pressure…lineout in the 22… Comment 36, posted at 24.05.14 09:15:35 by pastorshark

Slade clears to the 22…lieout miss by the Landers… Comment 37, posted at 24.05.14 09:16:38 by pastorshark

Landers now all over the Saders…3 mins to go… Comment 38, posted at 24.05.14 09:17:16 by pastorshark

Phase after phase for the Landers…3 minutes on the Saders line…sensational defence…TMO to check… Comment 39, posted at 24.05.14 09:19:56 by pastorshark

Oh my word…so close…elbow on line before or after the ball is down? Comment 40, posted at 24.05.14 09:20:57 by pastorshark

Sooooo close…more angles… Comment 41, posted at 24.05.14 09:21:19 by pastorshark

I reckon it’s a try…TMO still looking…oh my word…no try!! Comment 42, posted at 24.05.14 09:22:07 by pastorshark

I reckon the Highlanders were robbed there!! Absolutely robbed…TMO says the ball touched the tryline and touchline simultaneously! The ball didn’t touch the touchline…it was a question of the elbow…I’m convinced the ball was down first. Tough on the Landers…Crusaders very lucky…but what a game… Comment 43, posted at 24.05.14 09:24:26 by pastorshark

Final score…30-32…5 log points for the Crusaders and 2 for the Highlanders. Comment 44, posted at 24.05.14 09:25:26 by pastorshark

Wow what a game! Comment 45, posted at 24.05.14 09:25:43 by RuckingFun

What a game!!! Comment 46, posted at 24.05.14 09:25:47 by pastorshark

John Mitchell agrees…simultaneous? Dicey… Comment 47, posted at 24.05.14 09:27:02 by pastorshark

The Highlanders are amazing…very few stars…but they play a nice game, they hang in there and just keep coming back. Respect… Comment 48, posted at 24.05.14 09:28:43 by pastorshark

@robdylan (Comment 32) : Super impressive…the combined running meters of Fekitoa, Nadolo and Slade in this game must be enourmous… Comment 49, posted at 24.05.14 09:34:20 by pastorshark

@pastorshark (Comment 48) : they nearly did it at the end! Pity that a few millimetres cost them the game. Comment 50, posted at 24.05.14 22:16:34 by JD

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