Cooper kicks late penalty as Reds stun Crusaders
Source: Agencies |
May 30, 2011, Monday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
QUADE Cooper booted a last-minute penalty to allow the table-topping Queensland Reds to snatch a 17-16 victory over seven-time champions the Canterbury Crusaders in a pulsating Super 15 encounter in Brisbane yesterday.
Canterbury captain Richie McCaw was penalized for using his hands in a ruck deep in Crusaders' territory, directly in front of the posts, and the Reds flyhalf nervelessly split the middle to the delight of a parochial crowd of 48,000 at Lang Park.
In a match billed as a World Cup preview between New Zealand and Australia's chief playmakers, Dan Carter had the measure of counterpart Cooper for much of the match, and booted two late penalties to put the Crusaders two points ahead with seven minutes left.
However, Cooper had the final say, slotting home the winning kick seconds before the hooter after missing all three of his previous penalty attempts.
McCaw, whose side was punished by Australian referee Stu Dickinson for ill-discipline throughout, was left to rue his lapse that ultimately cost his side the match.
"You can't afford to do that, can you?" the All Black skipper said in a televised interview. "It was a good old match... I thought we played some pretty smart rugby, especially in the first half. We perhaps didn't get the reward we could have got... But yeah, you can't afford to be ill-disciplined."
The result firms Queensland's position at top of the standings and leaves the Crusaders fourth in the table, well in contention for a playoff berth with three rounds of the regular season remaining.
On Saturday, the Bulls held off a second-half surge from the Cheetahs and clinched a four-try bonus point two minutes into injury time to win a pulsating South African derby 32-21.
Tries from Bjorn Basson, two from replacement Danie Rossouw and the injury-time score from Francois Hougaard saw the defending champions to a fourth straight victory at their Loftus Versfeld Stadium, and pushed them one point off the playoff places in their quest for a third straight title.
It ended the Cheetahs' own franchise-record four-game winning streak.
Canterbury captain Richie McCaw was penalized for using his hands in a ruck deep in Crusaders' territory, directly in front of the posts, and the Reds flyhalf nervelessly split the middle to the delight of a parochial crowd of 48,000 at Lang Park.
In a match billed as a World Cup preview between New Zealand and Australia's chief playmakers, Dan Carter had the measure of counterpart Cooper for much of the match, and booted two late penalties to put the Crusaders two points ahead with seven minutes left.
However, Cooper had the final say, slotting home the winning kick seconds before the hooter after missing all three of his previous penalty attempts.
McCaw, whose side was punished by Australian referee Stu Dickinson for ill-discipline throughout, was left to rue his lapse that ultimately cost his side the match.
"You can't afford to do that, can you?" the All Black skipper said in a televised interview. "It was a good old match... I thought we played some pretty smart rugby, especially in the first half. We perhaps didn't get the reward we could have got... But yeah, you can't afford to be ill-disciplined."
The result firms Queensland's position at top of the standings and leaves the Crusaders fourth in the table, well in contention for a playoff berth with three rounds of the regular season remaining.
On Saturday, the Bulls held off a second-half surge from the Cheetahs and clinched a four-try bonus point two minutes into injury time to win a pulsating South African derby 32-21.
Tries from Bjorn Basson, two from replacement Danie Rossouw and the injury-time score from Francois Hougaard saw the defending champions to a fourth straight victory at their Loftus Versfeld Stadium, and pushed them one point off the playoff places in their quest for a third straight title.
It ended the Cheetahs' own franchise-record four-game winning streak.
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