The Crusaders adapted best to the conditions to beat the Chiefs 26-19 in a tense Super 14 rugby clash here Friday.
With the wind behind them and a dry ground, the Crusaders  ensured the game was played at a frenetic pace in the first half and turned with a 23-16 lead as they outscored the Chiefs two tries to one.
But when the rain came down at halftime, and the Crusaders faced the wind, they switched to a dogged pick-and-drive style as they slugged out the final 40 minutes in which the only rewards were a penalty apiece.

The Waratahs ran in 11 tries to thrash the Lions 73-12 at the Sydney Football Stadium on Friday.
The hosts fired on all cylinders as they outclassed a sorry-looking Lions side who have now lost five in a row. Drew Mitchell scored four tries, Lachie Turner and Josh Holmes both got braces while Wycliff Palu, Dean Mumm and Tom Carter also got in on the act.

The Brumbies managed to scrape past the Sharks for a narrow win in Canberra on Saturday.
For the second time in the week there was heartbreak for the Sharks as they fought all the way to death when a Matt Giteau penalty snatched back the lead to hand the home side victory.

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The Lions suffered their second successive defeat in Australasia when they went down 24-13 to the Brumbies in Canberra on Friday.
The wet conditions made for a forwards battle which the Brumbies’ all-Wallaby pack dominated. The Lions had very little possession to speak of and never really troubled the Brumbies on the scoreboard.

Flyhalf Daniel Carter won a goalkicking duel with former teammate Stephen Brett to lead the Crusaders to a 33-20 win over the Blues in Super 14 rugby Saturday.
Carter kicked seven goals from seven attempts - three conversions and four penalties - for 18 points to steer the seven-time champions to their third win in four matches.
Brett, in his first match for Auckland against his former team, kicked four penalties and a dropped goal for 15 points.  Canterbury scored tries through flanker George Whitelock plus centres Ryan Crotty and Robbie Fruean, while Auckland had a late try by halfback Alby Mathewson.

Referee Paul Marks denied the Sharks a penalty try at the death to gift the Waratahs a four point win in controversial circumstances in Sydney on Saturday.
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The Vodacom Bulls continued their impressive title defence in the Vodacom Super 14 following their 48-38 victory over the Waratahs at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.

The victory by the Pretoria outfit was the only successful South African result after the Vodacom Cheetahs (24-31), Vodacom Stormers (19-17), the Auto & General Lions (33-18) and the Sharks (35-6) all conceded defeats this weekend.

Vodacom Bulls winger Francois Hougaard scored a brace of tries while Stephan Dippenaar, Gerhard van den Heever, Wynand Olivier and Jacques-Louis Potgieter all added five-pointers for the hosts.

The Waratahs though secured a bonus point for losing within seven of the Pretoria side. The defeat ensured that the Sydney franchise ended round three in eleventh position, while the Vodacom Bulls continued their dominance at the top of the log.

In Bloemfontein the Highlanders continued their undefeated run over the hosts in Bloemfontein on Saturday. The Otago side has now also won their last five games against the Vodacom Cheetahs, whose only win against the Highlanders was in Invercargill back in 1997 when the tourists outclassed the hosts to triumph 49-18.

The Auto & General Lions are still in search of their first victory in the 2010 Vodacom Super 14 following their 33-18 defeat to the Hurricanes in Wellington. The hosts secured their third win of the competition and are currently in second position on the log after round three.

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England fly half Andy Goode says the chance to play Super 14 rugby is just too good a chance to turn down. His set to make his debut for the Sharks against the Crusaders in Christchurch on Friday.

Goode - who is playing for the Sharks on a loan deal, after being released by his French club Brive - linked up with his new teammates at the start of this week and he is raring to go in what he describes as his “greatest rugby adventure yet”.

“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, not many England players have had the opportunity to play Super Rugby at my age,” he tells rugby365.com, ahead of his bench appearance for the 2007 Super 14 finalists this Friday.

“It all happened pretty quickly for me… I’d say I got the call from [Sharks coach] John Plumtree and about four/five days later I was getting ready to board a plane to Australia.

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The All Black and Crusaders captain Richie McCaw will be back in time for the clash with the Sharks, but Andy Ellis will not be fit to play.

Richie McCaw returns from a six-week layoff as the Crusaders gain momentum and challenge for a top-four finish. Coach Todd Blackadder has been forced to start Ryan Crotty in midfield due to Casey Laulala’s broken arm, a move that will see Tim Bateman shift to No 13. Bronson Murray will oust Owen Franks at tighthead.

Ellis has been bracketed with Kahn Foutali’i as he is still feeling the effects of a rib ailment incurred in the win over the Stormers.

“Andy is running around and doing everything we’re asking but we want to leave it until the last minute before making a decision,” said Blackadder.

All Blacks lock Ross Filipo and Kade Poki are back on the bench. Micahel Paterson will cover McCaw at flank given George Whitelock’s injury.

Crusaders - 15 Leon MacDonald, 14 Jared Payne, 13 Tim Bateman, 12 Ryan Crotty, 11 Colin Slade, 10 Stephen Brett, 9 Andy Ellis/Kahn Fotuali’i; 8 Thomas Waldrom, 7 Richie McCaw (capt), 6 Kieran Read, 5 Isaac Ross, 4 Brad Thorn, 3 Bronson Murray, 2 Jason Macdonald, 1 Wyatt Crockett. Subs: 16 Daniel Perrin, 17 Owen Franks, 18 Ross Filipo, 19 Michael Paterson, 20 Fotuali’i/Tyson Keats, 21 Adam Whitelock, 22 Kade Poki.

Source: keo.co.za

Pic: tvnz.co.nz

As if the Crusaders did not have enough problems, All Blacks captain Richie McCaw has a strained medial ligament in his right knee and will have to watch from the sideline for five weeks.

McCaw suffered the injury in the first half of the Canterbury Crusaders’ 6-0 loss to the Otago Highlanders in Dunedin on Saturday. McCaw is likely to miss matches against the Western Force this weekend, New South Wales Waratahs (March 21), Stormers (March 28) and Bulls (April 3), the team said on their website (www.crusaders.co.nz).

The Crusaders have a bye the following week and the openside flanker could be considered for the first of their three games in South Africa against the Sharks on April 18.

“It’s never a good time to lose one of the best players in world rugby but it’s a good opportunity for George Whitelock to step up,” Crusaders coach Todd Blackadder said.

“He played very well against the Brumbies when Richie was ruled out earlier in the season and I’m sure he’ll do very well in our next game against the Force.”

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