Rugby: Crusaders back on track

Crusaders hooker Ben Funnell seeks support last night against the Highlanders in Dunedin. Photo / Getty Images

These two sides don't do dull. In another compelling southern derby, the Crusaders, tiring badly down the straight, managed to hold on to the lead they built in the opening 50 minutes - a period in which they played the sort of rugby that will have left them chipper.

A week makes all the difference. The Crusaders maybe needed their dismal opening-round effort just to clean the pipes, as it were - make sure there was no gunk in the system so they could get on with their season. They were, roughly, about 400 times better in Dunedin than they were in Christchurch last weekend in their defeat to the Rebels.

The selection changes meant they started with more balance and thrust in the places they needed it. The arrival of Scott Barrett in the second row for Dominic Bird had a tangible impact.

Barrett and Luke Romano worked in tandem to take those tough yards around the fringes and it gave the Crusaders a better shape. They were able to play on the front foot and, with Ryan Crotty straightening the attack and Israel Dagg looking sharper and more confident than he has in ages, were an altogether tougher proposition.

When they go forward before they go wide, they start to cause problems for the defence.

They might have finally realised that as they were keen to use Robbie Fruean at first receiver coming off his wing. Nothing fancy or complicated - the big man, all 110kg of him - taking the short pass at pace and steam rolling into the Highlanders midfield.

The Highlanders had to defend the inside channels. They had to man-up around the rucks and that left Colin Slade with a relatively free hand - which he played well.

He did his best in directing the runners and organising the forwards and he was careful to make sure he did his bit in fixing the defence. The intention and structure was all good from the Crusaders and, in time, as they settle into the season, their handling and timing will inevitably improve and they will be able to better exploit the space they create on the outsides.

There was an element of sympathy to be felt for the Highlanders. They normally relish fast, open games. They love a contest where the pace is frenetic and the flow constant. But they didn't have the luxury of a game already under their belts. Most of them looked to be blowing overly hard after half an hour and, in that dangerous 10-minute period before halftime, they appeared to be digging worryingly deep.

Their scrambling defence was fantastic. They threw themselves into everything and three times on their own tryline they somehow managed to get a body or bodies under the Crusaders ball-carrier.

It looked like it would hit them later in the game but the Highlanders found their second wind. Waisake Naholo and Malakai Fekitoa came into the game more and the momentum shifted.

The only question to be asked was whether the Highlanders had enough time and poise to overtake the Crusaders. They had all the possession, all the belief and all of the territory - but some of their flow was affected by their lack of game time together. There were too many basic handling errors and sloppy moments that put them under pressure. They were nearly, but not quite there - all typical early-season stuff and they shouldn't be too disheartened. Look how the Crusaders improved.

Highlanders 20 (A. Smith, M. Fekitoa tries; L. Sopoaga 2 cons, 2 pens)
Crusaders 26 (S. Barrett, J. McNicholl tries; C. Slade 2 cons, 4 pens)
Halftime: 7-20.