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Highlanders 6
Crusaders 0
The Crusaders' stuttering Super 14 rugby campaign reached a new low over the weekend when they lost their third-straight match, held scoreless for the first time in going down 6-0 to the Highlanders in Dunedin.
More worryingly, coach Todd Blackadder, at the reins of the defending champions for the first time after taking over from Robbie Deans, may have lost inspirational skipper Richie McCaw for a number of weeks.
Flanker McCaw came off in the first half of last night's dour match after suffering a medial ligament strain to his right knee, lengthening the number of Crusaders on the crocked list.
Adding to Blackadder's woes, Jared Payne, who has been improving at fullback while Leon MacDonald is sidelined with a shoulder injury, suffered a high ankle strain last night and is likely to be out for at least two weeks.
Still on the injury list and with a certain amount of doubt hanging over their availability for at least the next game, besides MacDonald, are: winger Kade Poki (ankle sprain), centre Casey Laulala (shoulder injury) and winger Sean Maitland (hamstring injury).
The walking wounded include lock Brad Thorn, who is playing through a heel injury, as is prop Ben Franks with a foot injury.
Out for the season is hooker Corey Flynn with a broken arm.
There is no respite for Blackadder with the Crusaders playing the Force, Waratahs, Stormers and Bulls over the next four weeks before they get their bye round.
The Bulls, Waratahs and Sharks, unbeaten after four games, occupy the top three spots in the standings.
The Hurricanes, in fourth, are the best-performed of the New Zealand sides.
All Black wing Hosea Gear touched down twice as the Hurricanes notched a bonus-point win over an unimaginative and rudderless Cheetahs side in New Plymouth on Saturday, the win taking them past the Blues on the standings by three points.
With the Bulls and Hurricanes sitting out byes for the next round, the Waratahs and Sharks - who play the Brumbies and Reds respectively in the fifth round - are poised to put a gap on the rest of the field.
- NZPA
