Chiefs unable to get Carter

After their woeful showing in Sydney last weekend, we all thought the Chiefs would be in for a difficult night.

And when Aaron Mauger coasted through a gap that could have housed the Titanic for the opening score in the second minute, we all knew the Chiefs were going to be in for a difficult night.

Despite racing to a 17-3 lead, it took the Crusaders until the middle of the second half to post a cricket score, or at least one the Black Caps would have considered respectable. That was partly due to the Chiefs showing a bit of stiff upper lip and the Crusaders seemingly thinking defence is something you have outside dehouse.

The Crusaders have made six of the last seven Super 12 finals on the strength of their defensive prowess. Watching his players take the view tackling is an optional extra will have angered Crusaders coach Robbie Deans more than any of referee Bryce Lawrence's random decisions at the breakdown.

Still, there was a positive to the Crusaders' inept defending - it fulfilled the expectation that just like the big, bad wolf the home side would have to huff and puff before they blew the Chiefs' house down.

There is so much at stake for All Black rugby this year that even the most one eyed of one-eyed Cantabrians must surely realise the importance of all five New Zealand franchises performing strongly.

And by the same token, even Justin Marshall's staunchest critics must accept that he remains the Obe Wan of halfbacks to Bryon Kelleher's Luke Skywalker.

Kelleher has matured and developed as a leader since moving to Hamilton. But there is no doubt he can be got to. George Gregan tormented him in last year's Super 12 semifinal and Justin Marshall, had Kelleher in a bigger tizz than a gay man trying to colour co-ordinate carpets with curtains.

When the ball squirted out of the back of the first scrum, Kelleher tried to play the man. Marshall played the ball and two long passes after the Crusaders halfback secured possession, Mauger was dotting down.

Kelleher's next contribution was a set-to with Richie McCaw, Marshall's was an inch-perfect pass from a quick tap penalty to put Sam Broomhall in at the corner.

Aware of how much influence Marshall was exerting, Chiefs hooker Scott (missing) Linklater, tried to slyly head-butt the halfback in a ruck just before halftime.

Marshall rightly took exception and clobbered him, sparking a stramash that ended in what looked like a hen night dancing round their handbags.

Lawrence had no option but to enforce that crazy rule where both the instigator and retaliator get shown the yellow card.

The mighty red and black machine rumbled on without their talisman, though. Dan Carter, Rico Gear, Sam Broomhall and, of course, McCaw, leading the charge.

Some observers may not understand all the fuss about Carter, after all he's struggling to kick the skin off a rice pudding at the moment.

But when he plays at first five-eighths the men outside him have so much room, as his passing invites them to run on at pace.

As he showed with his try, he's also a deceptively quick and powerful, with that priceless ability to pick the right time to go on his own.

It was the width of Crusaders play and the speed of the support runners that killed the Chiefs in the second half, where Caleb Ralph, Broomhall and Scott Hamilton all scored well-constructed tries.

For the Chiefs, the road ahead looks long and torturous. Once again they find themselves playing host to a glut of passengers.

Only Steven Bates will be able to look at himself in the mirror this morning and keep eye contact.

Their problems were illustrated when fullback Loki Crichton intercepted in his own half but was caught by Hamilton, a man most free-standing kitchen appliances would fancy beating in a foot race.

Crusaders 50 (Mauger, Broomhall, Gear, Hamilton, Carter, Ralph, Kopelani tries, Carter 6 cons,pen). Chiefs 18 (Tagicakibau, Bates tries, Hill con, 2 pen.

- HERALD ON SUNDAY