Rugby videos of tackles, tries, funny incidents and more: Crusaders prove too strong for the Stormers at Newlands

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Crusaders prove too strong for the Stormers at Newlands

The Crusaders came away from Newlands on Saturday with a hard fought 20-14 win over the much fancied Stormers in front of their capacity home crowd in Cape Town. It was only the second defeat in ten games for the Stormers.

Sonny Bill Williams ignited the game early on with yet another piece of magic that had the locals scratching their heads as to how their much talked about defensive unit were split right open. The offload, with Williams sucking in two tacklers, allowed support runners to break free.

It ended with prop Wyatt Crockett scoring the first of his two tries on the day, with combined with the kicking of Matt Berquist, gave them the deserved win.

In the last day we've been in the middle of another Peter De Villiers controversy, this time surrounding comments he recently made about Sonny Bill Williams' technique. Crusaders coach Todd Blackadder was full of praise for the league convert though after the match.

"Sonny did provide some special moments. There is no doubt that he is a quality player. He really is, and we’ve got a lot of quality players. There had been a lot of media attention. As we drove in here, the whole crowd were chanting his name outside the bus!

"It’s not easy when you are in the spotlight, and there has been a lot of attention on the midfield battle too. But he always plays well for this team, and the team play really well for him too. He was outstanding tonight, and he did a great job for us, and really showed what potential and abilities he’s got. He’s a game-breaker, there’s no doubt about that.

"It’s too early to talk about the World Cup, as the All Black side is not selected. But I think he’s got some great skills with his offloading and he certainly creates some awareness in space. He puts guys into gaps," Blackadder said. Stormers captain Schalk Burger echoed the sentiment.

"Ja, he can offload, hey! I must get some of that glue that he’s got stuck on to his hands."

Time: 04:44

second!

By Anonymous, at May 11, 2011 4:18 pm
Real story here is how dominant the Crusaders were upfront. Owen Franks is a monster, and Crockett had a blinder too. Crockett is really putting his hand up for the ABs.

PDV's comments on SBW are hilarious, just shows how narrow-minded he is. After this performance, he still can't see just how unique SBW's skillset is. His loss.

By Douglas, at May 11, 2011 4:19 pm
After Williams had outplayed the incumbent Springbok #12, PDV decides to criticize. What planet does that man live on?

By Anonymous, at May 11, 2011 4:29 pm
I wonder how many people out there (not from SA) realise that Pieter DeVilliers was selected as a racial quota.

That the man had never coached a top tier Provincial, Currie Cup or Super Rugby side (he coached u21's). That he was selected only on the basis that the minister of sport insisted on a black or coloured coach.

And the pity is there are actually good black and coloured coaches out there (Alistair Coetzee).

So whenever he spews ridiculous comments the majority of SA rugby fans also roll their eyes.

By Molmo, at May 11, 2011 4:39 pm
I've always thought that SBW can lapse into quiet phases during a game, especially when the defence is particularly fierce. But dear god the man has skill to burn. How do you stop those offloads??

Douglas - I was seriously impressed by Crockett when i watched the Crusaders/Sharks game at Twickers. He had the Sharks front row in a load of trouble, was great in the loose and the team looked diminished when he came off. I'd be very suprised if he's not in the AB world cup squad

By Paolo, at May 11, 2011 4:46 pm
It's nice to see how much faster the game moves down South now that they've gotten rid of that pesky rule about staying on your feet at the ruck.
God forbid a team might actually be challenged for possession at some stage.

By H, at May 11, 2011 4:47 pm
Is it just me or does SBW's defence give the Stormers the break for their try? That's not to knock the guy's other skills - he's a freak - but it definitely looks like he causes the dogleg

By Chuck, at May 11, 2011 4:51 pm
What I thought was awesome about this match was that the Crusaders were almost playing a second string team for much of it. No Carter, no McCaw, no Ellis, Dagg off, Maitland off. Eventually Todd had to go into the backline as far as I can remember, due to a lack of subs.

By wow-jiffy-lube, at May 11, 2011 5:01 pm
Can anyone tell me at 0.27, is that GLUE sprayed onto the players hand ? I thought that was only a myth or a sort of joke we players make to ourselves on the field... so they really do now ? Where get ? :D

By Anonymous, at May 11, 2011 5:01 pm
Chuck - agree on both points - SBW is just awesome, but he did seem to race out of the line and create a gap.

What I want to know is why did the Stormers #14 not back himself??? Not that it mattered, but is he just unselfish or lacking in confidence?

Not defending PDV at all here, but didn't he make his SBW comments before the game? Must have done, surely...

By Von, at May 11, 2011 5:21 pm
I think the last moments of the clip show the commitment of the Crusaders when the scrum half throws himself on the loose ball and actually snaps it away from opposition. Top game

By Anonymous, at May 11, 2011 5:39 pm
Von -- he made comments both before and after the game. Guess he wasn't happy that SBW made a bigger impact than JDV.

By Anonymous, at May 11, 2011 5:39 pm
@Paolo

The problem is GH has always been firm that Woodcock is his starting loosehead. For the bench, he prefers props who can play both sides of the scrum, which is why Afoa and Ben Franks have been his choice in this area. As well as Crockett has played -- he's probably the form loosehead in Super 15 -- he still may not make his way into the ABs.

By Douglas, at May 11, 2011 5:47 pm
berqvist is moving to leinster next year. as a fan can anybody tell me what sort of a player he is. he was supposedly brought in as a back up because hes a solid place kicker but he looks agile as well

By Anonymous, at May 11, 2011 5:54 pm
i can't see why berquist would go to leinster to be backup to jonny sexton.the man looks like a quality player,he can hold his own on the super 15 stage,which is no mean feat.
surely he could find a club up north where he would be first choice?

By Leeners93, at May 11, 2011 6:02 pm
Peter DeVillers is such a chop. SBW is single handedly changing the way people play. PDiv needs to wake up and realise what a powerful weapon a good offload is. It irks me how conservative SA rugby is sometimes. Teams like the All Blacks are perpetually driving the game forward, what does SA do? "Play to our strengths" i.e. our physical strength - when are we going to wake up and smell the coffee - everyone has size and strength now. We need skills too. Don't diss someone who is displaying awesome skill week in week out. - If SBW played for the Boks PDiv would probably tell him to work on chasing kicks.

By codescalpel, at May 11, 2011 8:46 pm
WHO ELSE WANTS CHEERLEADERS AT UK MATCHES!!!!

By Anonymous, at May 12, 2011 12:59 am
PDV is a retard.
SBW has lived up to the hype. The only issue is that teams he plays with have to adapt to his ability to offload. If you have the ability to have support runners off both his shoulders (and they have good handling to take the passes), you are garunteed line breaks and tries off of his runs.
He can make two, sometimes three defenders commit to a tackle and still offload right into the breadbasket half of all runs he makes.

By Jono, at May 12, 2011 2:15 am
^Well, I wouldn't mind it, but they might have to import them.

Not sure I would want a typical-looking Leicester woman dancing around in a bikini in front of me...

By alf, at May 12, 2011 2:17 am
haha, too pasty?

By Anonymous, at May 12, 2011 2:41 am
Peter Grant out and replaced by the 3rd string rookie seeing as GA is also injured. Coach then puts Ricky Januarie on in the 64th minute... game over.

Oh and despite the Bok centers getting the ball 30 meters behind the gainline thanks to the rookie flyhalf they still busted the Crusaders open multiple times, especially Jaque Fourie. Jean de Villiers created the Stormers try and Jaque Finished it. But I suppose it wasn't as flashy as the SBW offload so the common fan/the maori cocksuckers won't appreciate it.

By Anonymous, at May 12, 2011 4:03 am
The guts shown by the Crusaders in this game was just incredible. Matt Todd out on the wing? Come on. Crusaders wider training group beat the Stormers, at Newlands. Wow.

By Anonymous, at May 12, 2011 4:14 am
Hey anon, you're right both Fourie and JDV had good games, Fourie in particular. They broke the line and defended well.
No one said they didn't though, so why are you being an areshole about it?

By Jono, at May 12, 2011 4:25 am
@Anon you have a serious problem mate, also I think you were watching a differnt game.

SBW made JDV look like a chump, just the same way I'd make you crawl back to your whore of a mother if you ever confronted me on the street.

You little bitch.

By Anonymous, at May 12, 2011 4:48 am
@Anon, Maori Cocksuckers ey? Very mature.

1.SBW isn't Maori you ignorant mut

2.SBW crushed JDV

3.Fourie is a great player and had a great game.

4.Your a pussy for making a comment like that as an Anon

By Nicko, at May 12, 2011 4:54 am
Anrowa every player on the Springbok team are as versatile as the kiwis. The Springbok just prefer their style of play, just as the ABs prefer to run the ball most of the time.

By Anonymous, at May 12, 2011 5:15 am
crusaders have the fastest and strongest backline in super 15 i reckon. carter, SBW, freun, maitland, dagg except guilford have a massive frame. Maitland is super fast. strong in the tackle. a serious contender for the all blacks.

By Little Chief, at May 12, 2011 6:12 am
Maori Cocksuckers?

Typical saffa.

By Bon Jovi, at May 12, 2011 6:52 am
JdV made SBW rush out of line which created the try for Jaque Fourie, from set piece when the defense is organized.

SBW isn't a Maori? Is he just tanned then?

Look how defensive everyone gets when I praise the Bok centers instead of the Maori dream boy. I'm irish, I know what good centers are. The Bok pair outplayed the Crusaders pair. Did Fruen do anything with SBW like JdV did with Fourie? No. JdV and Fourie were getting back foot ball from a rookie flyhalf who wasn't taking the ball to the line the whole game.

People are mentioning the brave Crusaders who were injury plagued yet ignore the fact that the stormers had players of their own missing.

Habana, Peter Grant, Pieter Louw off the bench and Ricky Januarie on the field for 20 minutes.

Has anyone else noticed that the Crusaders since their little earthquake have had a NZ ref in every single game besides one?

"This week on total rugby, The Crusaders proved against all odds that despite suffering one of the worlds most devastating earthquakes they pulled through to win the Super 15 in true spirit of new zealand rugby"

Yeah, IRB horseshit more like it.

By Anonymous, at May 12, 2011 9:45 am
^You should do stand up

Sonny ain't a Maori, his father was Samoan you dopey mick

By Anonymous, at May 12, 2011 9:56 am
"SBW isn't a Maori? Is he just tanned then?"

Very subtle anonymous. Even I can tell you just wanna pick a fight.

Go pick a fight with your neighbour's dog or something.

By Jeremy, at May 12, 2011 9:58 am
Lets keep things civil and mature maybe (and drop the racist stuff)? Cheers

By Greiffel, at May 12, 2011 10:32 am
Anon your a muppet, and a racist one at that. I would ask if your a friend of PDVs, but then judging by the colour of his skin you sure as hell wouldn't be.

SBW came in as Berquist came in to cover the blindside winger then didn't recover/push SBW out on the the other winger who made the break. It's Berquist who has to make the call for him to slide out, it's as much his fault as anyones.

Anyway well worked, well taken try.

By Tim, at May 12, 2011 10:33 am
Ricky Januarie may be the worst scrummy in SA. Also, it looked to me like that overlap on Fourie's try came from Fruean getting caught drifting, not SBW. People need to realize for once in this case the hype doesn't exceed the player's talent.

By Douglas, at May 12, 2011 3:41 pm
Hahaha, the guy who said "SBW isn't Maori"....

HAHAHAHAHAAAAA guy...

So humilating. :'-)

Of course he is !

By 4LC4TR4Z, at May 12, 2011 4:34 pm
That anonymous guy having a moan needs to get a life.. What a loser.

By james, at May 12, 2011 4:47 pm
If Fruean doenst get picked for the world cup than I dont know who deserves to get picked!

By GTI, at May 12, 2011 9:26 pm
forward pass for the first try...

By Anonymous, at May 13, 2011 9:56 pm
Mr Anonymous.

You sir, are blind.

By RememberTheMer, at May 14, 2011 11:51 am
^^^ Then how exactly did I manage to watch the video, see what I saw, click on the comments section click in the box, type out a comment, come back here later on, see someone else had commented (you) read your comment and then reply....

By Anonymous, at May 15, 2011 3:02 am
^^ Your guide dog did it for you.

Good to see union finally catch onto the the offloading skills from league.

By muppet, at May 15, 2011 3:07 am
ok pdiv says stupid things but english is not his first language..if u guys watched the whole interview u would see the context into which the comment about how sbw is played,it actually makes sense....anyways,stormers lost this game,too many mistakes.sbw defence is average.and nonu was doing offloads like this wen sbw was in dipers.u guys all needa watch more rugby.

By Anonymous, at May 15, 2011 3:52 pm