Crusaders 20 Waratahs 12
SHATTERED Waratahs captain Phil Waugh has admitted his side's Super 14 final loss to the Crusaders again proved that the step up from title contender to champion is massive.
While the Waratahs outscored their opposition two tries to one, the Crusaders were the deserving 20-12 winners at AMI Stadium in Christchurch before a vocal crowd of 26,000 crowd.
"We went out with intent to play and attack," Waugh said, adding that Crusaders No.8 Mose Tuiali'i's try in the 38th minute to lift the Kiwis from 12-6 down to 12-11 at half-time was the turning point.
"What probably really hurt us was that try two minutes out from half-time. If we [had gone] into half-time 12-6 it [would have given NSW] that psychological edge. But they get a bit of boost going into half-time and then we came out and didn't really consolidate."
Asked if the result proved just how difficult it is to graduate from finalist to champion, Waugh said: "It's a huge jump. We walk away very disappointed. It felt like we could have won the game. We just didn't play well enough and they deserved to win. The difference between second and first is huge."
For Crusaders and incoming Wallabies coach Robbie Deans, the win marked his fifth as coach, and it extended the team's record number of titles to seven. Most importantly, it gave him a fairytale farewell.
"Great, really proud, really proud of the effort," Deans said. "I'm just stoked for the players. It has been great to be a part of it."
Departing Waratahs coach Ewen McKenzie said he would follow the side's progress next year - in particular, how his young charges develop. "I am comfortable the guys had a crack," McKenzie said. "My time is over, that's it. I will watch and be interested to see how they go. I am very keen to see the core move ahead and do well. I invested a lot of time, particularly with the young guys. Some of them are three years in the making. To see them in year 11 footy and now in a Super final, I am pretty proud."
The Waratahs went to the break ahead 12-11 courtesy of two tries to winger Lachie Turner. A Daniel Carter penalty then gave the Crusaders the lead in the 46th minute after Waratahs second-rower Dean Mumm was penalised for a high but try-saving tackle on inside-centre Tim Bateman.
Down 14-12, the Waratahs settled and began to enjoy the territorial advantage. Waratahs inside-centre Rob Horne and winger Lote Tuqiri unleashed several mid-field busts to worry the Crusaders' defence.
The match erupted in controversy in the 56th minute when Lawrence cancelled a try scored by Crusaders prop Wyatt Crockett and sent Brad Thorn to the sin bin for 10 minutes for punching in back play.
Meanwhile, Waratahs five-eighth Kurtley Beale was taken from the ground in agony after being treated for an injury in the 55th minute. Sam Norton-Knight moved from fullback to five-eighth, Turner took his place and Matt Carraro was brought on to cover wing.
As the game intensified, both sides started using their reserves and the fate of the game seemed to hinge on an individual lucky break or mistake.
NSW's defence was stoic, but Carter snapped a drop goal in the 70th minute to give the Crusaders a 17-12 lead.
When Waugh was penalised for grabbing the jersey of winger Scott Hamilton in the tackle, the match was put out of the reach of NSW. Carter made no mistake with the penalty and the Crusaders were only a handful of minutes from their seventh title.
