THE PRESS, Christchurch Saturday, May 14, 2011 WEEKENDSPORT D3 RUGBY Crusaders on prowl for ‘leaked’ tries Tony Smith been lost on the Crusaders’ brains Crusaders assistant-coach at length’’ about the potential for Drotske told South African ler and halves Sarel Pretorius and ‘‘But, as long as we’ve got the trust. Daryl Gibson said the Cheetahs exploiting any gaps in the reporters. Tewis de Bruyn are still in the right mindset going into this game, The Crusaders are hoping to Backline director Dan Carter – had been a rejuvenated team since Cheetahs defence. ‘‘But we have beaten them in Cheetahs squad. I think we will be right.’’ exploit the Cheetahs’ propensity to approaching his first game for six returning from their New Zealand But Cheetahs coach Drotske felt the past in Bloemfontein and we Crusaders hooker Corey Flynn, Expect another torrid battle at ‘‘leak tries’’ when they take on the weeks – said while the Cheetahs tour. his charges took a step in the right are going to have another crack at who has had several lively duels the breakdown, especially between high-scoring home team in were ‘‘an extremely dangerous He said their ‘‘open, expansive direction with a much tighter it.’’ with Strauss, agreed the Cheetahs test fetchers Richie McCaw and tomorrow’s Super 15 clash in side, especially at home’’, they also style’’ of back play was comple- defensive display in last week’s The Cheetahs achieved their were a tougher proposition on the Brossow, both back after recent Bloemfontein. ‘‘leak a few tries’’. mented by the ‘‘sheer, brutal 53-14 win over the Lions. sole win in five attempts against high veldt where ‘‘they thrive off injuries. Naka Drotske’s Cheetahs have ‘‘We have to make sure our physicality we’ve come to expect However, he agreed there was the Crusaders when they prevailed their crowd’’. But Brossow insisted in averaged almost 50 points in each defence is on song and we don’t from the Stormers and the Bulls’’. still room for improvement against 20-13 at Bloemfontein in 2009. ‘‘They are very good at running interviews this week that he was of their last three games – but they give them any easy points,’’ Carter ‘‘They are very competitive at the Crusaders, who will exert Hooker and captain Adriaan the ball but at the same time they not the only Cheetahs forward have conceded 100 points to their said. ‘‘And we also have to make home, but we are up for that much more pressure than John Strauss, flankers Heinrich Brus- are like the last three South capable of turning over and it opponents. sure we use the ball well when we challenge,’’ said Gibson who Mitchell’s Lions. sow and Kabamba Floors, centre African teams we’ve met, where would take more than him to That latter statistic has not get it.’’ agreed the Crusaders ‘‘had spoken ‘‘It is not going to be easy,’’ Corne Uys, fullback Hennie Danil- they are very direct,’’ Flynn said. combat McCaw. Heinz plays his Another win for way to a start the Reds Tony Smith the bench when Wyatt Crockett scored the Crusaders first try in Long before William Webb Ellis the 19th minute, 10 minutes later David Long Brisbane picked up a footy and ran with it, he was out there, urging his English poet John Milton wrote: forwards to deliver snappy ball at The Blues were given a bloody ‘‘they also serve who only stand the breakdowns. nose by Quade Cooper and the rest and wait’’. ‘‘I guess you’ve always got to be of the Reds, beaten 37-31 in Bris- Crusaders halfback Willi Heinz ready to go on but I wasn’t think- bane last night. is living proof that patience is ing about going on in the first half The Blues downfall was their indeed a virtue. unless there were injuries,’’ he dismal play for the first 30 minutes The 24-year-old started the said. where they gave the Reds a Super 15 season as third-string There was no time to ease into 24-point head start that they were behind All Black Andy Ellis and it. He soon had to tackle the unable to claw back. the experienced Kahn Fotuali’i. biggest, beefiest biltong chewer on For so long the Reds have been But, after a successful national the pitch – 2.08m Springbok lock a team in the doldrums, but not championship with Canterbury, Andries Bekker – and made a this year. They’ve been the Heinz never gave up hope that his potential try-saving tackle on standout side in Australia and are opportunity would come at Super Stormers halfback Dewaldt Duven- arguably the most exciting team in rugby level. age before halftime. the whole competition. His big moment came last He blotted his performance in The one thing sceptics of the weekend in Cape Town where he the second spell when he made a Reds had been able to throw at played a vital cameo role in the break but had the ball knocked out them was that they hadn’t beaten a Crusaders’ 20-14 win over the of his grasp as he prepared to New Zealand side during their Stormers. Tomorrow, he will have lunge for the line. great run. But that nitpicking the No 9 on his back for the first ‘‘Yeah, I was pretty gutted criticism has been put to bed and time when he starts against the about that. I all but got there but the Reds are worthy of their place Cheetahs in Bloemfontein. their No 8 got a hand on it.’’ at the top of the table. The former Burnside High Crusaders coach Todd Black- The Blues will be licking their School student’s heady display adder hailed Heinz’s contribution wounds from this and the game under pressure at Newlands last as ‘‘unbelievable’’ and said the showed how vital it is that they get week proved he is up to the team were determined to carry back the injured Tony Woodcock, challenge. that form on to Bloemfontein Jerome Kaino and Daniel Braid He’s loving his first tour of tomorrow. ‘‘It’s been a good couple back as soon as possible. South Africa. of weeks but we want to finish the It also demonstrated how much ‘‘That was most intense game of tour with another win. Three from they’re going to miss Isaia Toeava rugby I’ve ever been a part of – its three over here isn’t easily done.’’ for the rest of the season. something I won’t be forgetting for Heinz struck up a rapid rapport It was Cooper (who else?) who a while.’’ with first five-eighth Matt scored the game’s opening try, He knew it was going to be a big Berquist last week and is looking finishing off an attack on the wing night from the moment the team forward to teaming with Dan for once, rather than being the bus drove into the stadium and Carter tomorrow. ‘‘Dan’s a creator. was mobbed by thousands of fren- calming figure in the team. He’s Thirteen minutes into the game zied fans. The atmosphere inside one of the best in the world. I’m the Blues lost Benson Stanley. the ground was ‘‘unbelievable’’. pretty privileged to play inside a ‘‘I’ve never played in anything guy like him. But it’s like that all Reds (Q Cooper, S Faingaa, S Higginbotham, J like that before.’’ over the park, we’re blessed with Hanson tries, Q Cooper 4 cons, 3 pens. Blues (C Lowrey, L Munro, A Mathewson, R Ranger Pictured on TV celebrating off talent and experience.’’ Big break: Willi Heinz’s performance last weekend against the Stormers has resulted in him starting in the No 9 jersey tomorrow against the Cheetahs. Photo: DEAN KOZANIC tries; L McAlister 3 cons, pen). HT: 27-14 HOCKEY CRICKET Young Black Sticks side thrash India King of spin to play for Wellington Kevin Tutty the New Zealand under-21 tourna- Sticks eliminated the errors and first for the Black Sticks in his Sri Lankan spin king Muttiah ‘‘I’ve always enjoyed my time in ment this week had they not been McLeod was proud of the way they debut after 52 minutes, Andy Muralitharan will turn out for New Zealand and it is a fantastic The New Zealand men’s hockey picked in the Black Sticks. played in the second half, shutting Hayward adding his second after Wellington in the New Zealand country to tour and to play cricket team enjoyed their biggest win The Indians, who failed to India out of the game and scoring 57min, Shay Neal scoring a minute domestic Twenty20 cricket compe- in. I look forward to helping the against India in 78 years of qualify for the Olympics Games in four goals in a 12 minute period later and Hilton scoring his second tition next season. Wellington Firebirds to success,’’ competition with a 7-3 thumping of 2008 for the first time in their from the 52nd minute to destroy in the 64th minute. Wellington Firebirds chief he said in a statement. the former world powers of the history, have their top squad in the Indian effort. The Blacks Sticks had a rest executive Gavin Larsen yesterday Muralitharan, who retired from sport in Malaysia yesterday. Ipoh, Malaysia, while New Zealand India scored first in the 20th day yesterday and face Australia, confirmed a deal with the highest international cricket after Sri The New Zealand team came is without several of its leading minute but the Black Sticks drew the favourite to win the tourna- wicket-taker in test and one-day Lanka lost the World Cup final to from behind three times to level players including Phil Burrows, level 4min later through Nick ment, in their last pool game at international cricket.