The Crusaders surged during the 2nd 50 percent to beat the Melbourne Rebels 14-19 within the ultimate pre-season Super Rugby match held at AAMI Park on Saturday afternoon.
Super Rugby 2012 Week 1 Fixture
All Black star Israel Dagg scored two tries while in the match - just one in every 50 %.
The Rebels scored tries by way of Gareth Delve and James O'Connor who was forced from the discipline immediately after 45 minutes and straight away place ice on his still left leg.
O'Connor did nevertheless say just after the match up that he had felt a small twinge in his quad but didn't depart the discipline a result of the damage.
The Rebels can have yet another fear above hooker Ged Robinson will have scans on the calf injuries after he left the area immediately after seven minutes.
When Dagg was the star with the match up along with his double the successful consider was scored by Adam Whitelock
After the sport Rebels Head Mentor Damien Hill was happy together with the energy irrespective of the loss, and may see the team's advancement by means of what may be a hard trial recreation marketing campaign. "The work was there from start out towards the finish which was better than last week against the Blues," explained Hill.
"A several men which were offered opportunities really stood up so we will obtain a great deal from that."
From one of many very best ahead packs in Super Rugby the Rebels have been definitely up from it for the scrum, and at numerous phases through the entire video game the Crusaders took total benefit to both win the penalty or launch an assault. Having said that this was not the major lead to of disappointment for Hill within the contest.
"We expected to be beneath strain provided the excellent of your Crusaders' pack, but I feel we stood up fairly properly," reported Hill over the Rebels internet site.
"The line-out was fair, as well as the defence was potent, we truly produced them do the job for their details.
"The only significant disappointment was the opportunities we manufactured for ourselves we weren't capable to capitalise on.
"That's some thing this staff has to find out too, but overall I'm happy."
Hill played his ideal readily available crew for 50 minutes just before he began to ring the variations, and even though he failed to alter the vast majority of the players unexpectedly as he has completed in former weeks, with the close with the game 30 gamers had taken the discipline to the Rebels.
"We didn't make mass changes simultaneously, we only produced two or three variations at a time," claimed Hill.
"It's a lengthy season, you go through a complete squad inside a season, so these men has to be in a position to come in to the team at any time and conduct.
"That's what these trials are for."
The Crusaders kick off this season's Super Rugby year on Friday following week from the Blues in Auckland even though the Rebels use a bye next week and engage in their to begin with match at your house versus the Waratahs on Friday March the 2nd.
ut it’s been lean since then. When you combine those two factors the game was always going to be a physical slogfest.
