Man-of-the-moment Scott Robertson was missing from his side’s Super Rugby Pacific match against the Highlanders in Melbourne tonight due to a family bereavement but the defending champions shook off his absence and made the statement they were searching for.
The Crusaders, after a difficult start against their southern rivals in the first “super” round game at AAMI Park, won 52-15 – their pack finally finding their rhythm and Richie Mo’unga and David Havili finding their form after last week’s thrashing at the hands of the Chiefs in Christchurch.
The red and blacks scored seven converted tries in the bonus point victory which opens their account for the season.
For the Highlanders, it was their second drubbing of the season after the Blues put 60 points on them in Dunedin last weekend.
They weren’t helped by the sinbinning of lock Pari Pari Parkinson for a lifting cleanout on Crusaders’ replacement halfback and debutant Noah Hotham as the match entered the fourth quarter but by then the result was a foregone conclusion, the Crusaders swarming all over them with a combination of their traditional continuity play and ruthless decision making.
The Highlanders, without Aaron Smith, Shannon Frizell and Ethan de Groot, put pressure on the Crusaders’ scrum in the first quarter but their lineout was a liability and once the red and blacks started flexing their attacking muscles the game was virtually over by halftime.
It was a difficult debut for former England international Freddie Burns at first-five for the Highlanders – he rarely had any time or space.
Impressive midfielder Thomas Umaga-Jensen was one of the few Highlanders to impress on both sides of the ball. Unfortunately for him and his side, they didn’t fire an offensive shot until Josh Timu scored a consolation double in the final eight minutes.
There was more injury misfortune for Crusaders and All Blacks midfielder Jack Goodhue, who left the first in the first quarter with a groin injury.
But there weren’t too many other negatives for the team led on the night by assistant coach Scott Hansen after Robertson travelled back to New Zealand before kick-off.
Lock Sam Whitelock was hugely influential after missing last week’s match due to a head injury, Ethan Blackadder again got through a mountain of work, Sevu Reece, who opened the scoring for the Crusaders, was sharp and the combination between Mo’unga and Havili was a highlight.
Afterwards, Mo'unga spoke of his disappointment at his performance in the 31-10 defeat to the Chiefs last weekend, saying he had and his side had something to prove.
"The Chiefs came out and played all the footy last week - we wanted to come out and impose ourselves against the Highlanders and I think we did a good job," he said on the Sky broadcast.
"Last week we were hurting - we lost the physical battle and the kicking duels," the equally impressive captain Scott Barrett said.
The Crusaders have plenty of polishing to do yet but their supporters will be reassured that the near constant speculation around Robertson succeeding Ian Foster as All Blacks coach, which reached a crescendo this week, doesn’t seem to have knocked them off their stride.
Crusaders 52 (Sevu Reece, Fergus Burke, Joe Moody, Richie Mo’unga, David Havili, Codie Taylor, Leicester Fainga’anuku tries; Richie Mo’unga 7 cons, pen)
Highlanders 15 (Josh Timu 2 tries; Freddie Burns con, Sam Gilbert pen)
Halftime: 24-3
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