Welcome to round six of SuperRugby and, after just one match yesterday, the action heats up today with three South African teams on the road in Australasia.
Storified by Ken Borland ·
Sat, Mar 23 2013 01:16:43
10.13am Kings rewarded - The Kings sign off with a lovely try. George Whitehead is prominent in the build-up, lovely little shimmy and break by eighthman Jacques Engelbrecht, Elric van Vuuren does brilliantly to offload in the tackle and Whitehead surges over for a well-deserved try.
Final score Crusaders 55 Southern Kings 20.
10.10am Whitelock gifted hat-trick - Disappointing decision by referee Rohan Hoffman, who played Test rugby for Portugal. Flank George Whitelock was clearly held up over the line, but was then allowed to wriggle and place the ball, Hoffman awarding the try. There is no way Whitelock did not play the ball on the ground, while held in the tackle. 55-13
9.48am Bad lineout & defence - The Kings lose a short lineout inside their 22 and Luke Whitelock, the youngest of the four brothers, bursts through three weak tackles as he waltzes over for the Crusaders' sixth try. 48-13.
Nice to see Springbok Waylon Murray make an appearance on the field after a lengthy run of injuries.
9.45am Petersen perseveres - Crusaders replacement flyhalf Tyler Bleyendaal puts a deft chip high into the corner but Sergeal Petersen does brilliantly to outjump lock Luke Romano and then sets off on the counter-attack. A little grubber down the touchline could have worked a charm there ...
So Dan Carter has played his last game of rugby before becoming a father ... Good luck to the legend and his wife for the upcoming birth of their first child.
9.36am Rumble No.2 - Matt Todd scores the Crusaders' second try from a rolling maul, the Kings still give the impression that they are standing off in defence. Not a good idea. 13-41
9.31am Bad luck Kings - Not the start the Kings would of wanted to the second half, conceding a third-minute penalty to Dan Carter. But it was an unfortunate call by referee Rohan Hoffman, who blew lock David Bulbring for offsides at the ruck, even though the ball was out and a Crusaders actually tried to illegally drag the ball back in. 13-34
Sevens update - Brenden Nel's report on South Africa's loss to Australia is here: http://www.supersport.com/rugby/sevens/news/130323/Aussies_blow_Blitzbokkes_chances
9.15am Kings finish half strongly - A good finish to a traumatic first half for the Kings as a sustained period of pressure sees flank Wimpie van der Walt drive over for a morale-boosting try. But they trail 13-31 at half-time.
What can the Kings do to ensure a better second-half? For my money, they need way more intensity in defence and hopefully that will come now that their nerves have settled after they looked overawed at the start. They also need to exert more pressure on the Crusaders' ball at the breakdowns.
9.05am - Keep it Buysic, Kings - Tighthead prop Kevin Buys tries a fancy bit of skill a la Willie le Roux, ending a promising Kings counter-attack sparked by fullback George Whitehead. The ball goes forward, another powerful Crusaders scrum and scrumhalf Willie Heinz darts over a few phases later. 6-31
8.58am Crusaders rumble on - The Crusaders mixing their game up nicely, eighthman Kieran Read leading the rolling maul off the lineout that gives George Whitelock his second try. 6-24
8.55am Try-scoring chance wasted - A lovely break by Demetri Catrakilis is wasted as they dither in recycling the ball from a ruck beneath the Crusaders poles. At least they get the penalty, which Catrakilis kicks. 6-17
