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The Crusaders suffocated Los Jaguares to win the 2019 Super Rugby Final. Played this morning in Christchurch, New Zealand the most successful team in the professional era won for the 10th time adding to their titles from 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2017, and 2018.
In what was far from being a classic the Crusaders would score the only try of there match, catching the specialist center playing wing Matías Moroni out of position. It would take the score to 7-3 and from there the home side would build to complete a 19-3 victory.
The match was very similar to many RWC knock-out matches. This was true both in terms of intensity and attractiveness. It was not a beautiful exhibition but a hard-fought game of trench warfare in which the experienced home side would stand firm.
Moroni’s name could easily have appeared on the scoring sheet multiple times. In fact he would go close to scoring three tries. Instead the return would be zero, and with it the use of him out of position looms as doubtful for Los Pumas.
In the match Los Jaguares would miss just four tackles yet one of them would see the try being scored. Flanker Matt Todd stole the ball from Joaquín Díaz Bonilla at a ruck from which second-rower Samuel Whitlock ran down the left wing before linking with hooker Codie Taylor who scored.
The try was preceded by a penalty from Díaz Bonilla, the only points of the match for Los Jaguares. While Díaz Bonilla has been a success story in his first year as the starting Jaguares fly half the final was not his best performance as he was erratic both in his kicking from hand and his passing.
Los Jaguares’ opportunities at scoring tries would come with Moroni’s three near misses all proving costly. On the first occasion he knocked-on while being tackled over the tryline by Bryn Hall. He had Matías Orlando and Tomás Cubelli on either side of him but was unable to pass.
The Crusaders would respond swiftly to find their way out of their own defensive area. It would result in a penalty on half-time with Jaco Peyper adjudging Agustín Creevy to have not been the first man to the ball. Richie Mo’unga slotted the simple penalty to give his side a 10-3 lead.
Both sides would threaten in the second half. The Crusaders would benefit from five consecutive penalties in their favor to be camped deep in Jaguares territory. This would see a disallowed try with Tomás Lavanini getting his leg under the ball to prevent a rolling-maul from being grounded.
Ultimately it would be penalties kicked at goal from Mo’unga which would secure the Crusaders their title. The All Black would land three second half penalties to score all nine second half points.
Los Jaguares would lose by 16 points but they would impress. An extremely rare feat occurred with Pablo Matera being named man of the match. The Stade Français bound flanker was tremendous in all areas of play – defense, ball-carrying, passing and off-loading.
Before 2020 begins there will be a puzzle to solve as to who will replace Matera? The same is true of Lavanini who is to depart for the Leicester Tigers. However, before such questions will be addressed there is a long international season ahead which starts in two weeks with the Rugby Championship.
Los Jaguares are the bulk of the Argentine test side but so too are the Crusaders in regards to the All Blacks. Many from the final may be missing from the Rugby Championship fixture in Buenos Aires between Argentina and New Zealand.
SCORING
CRUSADERS (19)
Try: Taylor
Conversion: Mo’unga
Penalty: Mo’unga (4)
JAGUARES (3)
Penalty: Díaz Bonilla
TEAMS
CRUSADERS
1 Joe Moody, 2 Codie Taylor, 3 Owen Franks, 4 Mitchell Dunshea, 5 Samuel Whitelock (capt.), 6 Whetu Douglas, 7 Matt Todd, 8 Kieran Read, 9 Bryn Hall, 10 Richie Mo’unga, 11 George Bridge, 12 Jack Goodhue, 13 Braydon Ennor, 14 Sevu Reece, 15 David Havili
Replacements: 16 Andrew Makalio, 17 George Bower, 18 Michael Alaalatoa, 19 Luke Romano, 20 Jordan Taufua, 21 Mitchell Drummond, 22 Mitchell Hunt, 23 Will Jordaan
JAGUARES
1 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, 2 Agustín Creevy, 3 Santiago Medrano, 4 Guido Petti, 5 Tomás Lavanini, 6 Pablo Matera, 7 Marcos Kremer, 8 Javier Ortega Desio, 9 Tomás Cubelli, 10 Joaquín Díaz Bonilla, 11 Matías Moroni, 12 Jerónimo de la Fuente (capt.), 13 Matías Orlando, 14 Ramiro Moyano, 15 Emiliano Boffelli
Replacements: 16 Julián Montoya, 17 Mayco Vivas, 18 Enrique Pieretto, 19 Juan Manuel Leguizamón, 20 Tomás Lezana, 21 Felipe Ezcurra, 22 Domingo Miotti, 23 Sebastián Cancelliere
