Crusaders left lamenting slow start, red card in upset defeat

A slow start has proved costly for the Crusaders in their upset loss to the Waratahs in Super Rugby Pacific.

The New South Wales side held on for a 24-21 victory in Sydney on Saturday night, handing the Crusaders their second defeat in three matches.

Trailing 14-0 after just 12 minutes, and 17-0 at halftime, the visitors rallied in the second half to close the gap to only three points going into the final quarter.

However a red card to Crusaders lock Hamish Dalzell for a high tackle on Wallabies captain Michael Hooper in the 68th minute gave the home side a one-man advantage.

Just moments later that advantage was two, and the Waratahs pushed their lead back to 10, when Pablo Matera was yellow carded and a penalty try awarded for a rolling maul being collapsed close to the line.

A late try to Crusaders prop Fletcher Newell made for a tight finish, but the hosts were able to hold on to give the Australian teams their second win in as many weeks over their New Zealand rivals.

Meanwhile, Moana Pasifika were made to pay for missed opportunities in their 26-22 loss to the Rebels in Melbourne.

First five-eighth Lincoln McClutchie dropped the ball over the try-line with eight minutes remaining, then missed touch from a penalty with the last play of the match.

The agony of the knock-on could have been erased after winger Timoci Tavatavanawai scored in the 77th-minute to close the gap to just four points.

The visitors had the chance for an attacking lineout when Rebels midfielder Ray Nu’u was red carded for a high tackle on Christian Leali’ifano in injury time.

McClutchie, though, couldn’t put the ball out, allowing the Rebels to boot the ball into touch themselves and clinch victory.

In Saturday’s opening match, the Highlanders came from behind – and then held on – to narrowly beat the Fijian Drua 27-24 in their first match at home in Suva.

Roared on by a raucous crowd, the Drua scored three first half tries to take a 24-17 lead into the break.

A Mitch Hunt penalty early in the second spell closed the gap to four, before Rhys Marshall barrelled over from a rolling maul and Hunt converted to give the Highlanders the lead with 20 minutes to play.

Despite the Drua pushing hard in the latter stages to mark the occasion with a win, the visitors defence held firm to clinch just their second win of the season.