Crusaders earn Taylor made victory over Stormers

The Crusaders brought an abrupt end to the Stormers six match unbeaten run in Super Rugby with a 31-24 victory in Christchurch.

Every team in this season's Super Rugby tournament has now suffered at least one defeat.

The Stormers secured their first bonus point of the season when Peter Grant kicked an extra time penalty to bring the losing margin to within 7 points.

Crusaders fly half Tom Taylor put in an outstanding performance as he scored all of the Crusaders points through eight penalties, a try and a conversion.

The result keeps the Stormers on top of the Super Rugby standings although the Chiefs could move ahead of them with a victory over the Cheetahs later in the round.

The Crusaders moved up to seventh place overall but remained fourth in their conference indicating how tight the New Zealand Super Rugby conference is currently.

In his first season of Super rugby, Taylor also created a problem for the Crusaders over what to do with acclaimed fly-half Dan Carter.

Carter was moved to inside centre against the Stormers in what was supposed to be a one-off change to shore up the midfield against the acclaimed South Africans.

However, with the master on one side and All Blacks halfback Andy Ellis on the other, Taylor stole the show as he coolly steered the Crusaders around the park and scored all their points from a converted try and eight penalties.

"If he keeps kicking points like that we'll keep him there," captain Kieran Read said of the 23-year-old son of 1987 World Cup winning All Black Warwick Taylor.

Carter also looked comfortable playing in the number 12 jersey for the first time in seven years, with his positional kicking providing the Crusaders with an answer to the feared close-quarter Stormers defence.

In what was the most complete game of the season for the seven-times champions, the Crusaders pulled off their fourth win while a late penalty ensured the Stormers gained a consolation bonus point from their first loss.

Although the Stormers, who have never beaten the Crusaders at home, remain at the top of the table they could be overtaken later this weekend by the Waikato Chiefs if they beat the Central Cheetahs.

Taylor scored the Crusaders only try in the first half when a turnover ball won by Ben Franks went wide through four sets of hands to Corey Flynn on the wing who drew the defence before an in pass put the fly-half over the line.

The conversion and four penalties lifted the Crusaders to a 19-13 lead at half-time with the Stormers' points coming from a try to Juan de Jongh converted by Joe Pietersen and penalties by Pietersen and Peter Grant.

The Stormers were also ailing after losing both locks Andries Bekker and Eben Etzebeth early in the game.

Pietersen and Taylor traded further penalties early in the second half before Bryan Habana closed the gap to one point after a 30-phase build up in which the Crusaders defence proved as stout as the Stormers.

Halfback Dewaldt Duvenage eventually found a way through with a smart kick to the corner for Habana to pounce on.

Pietersen missed the conversion that would have given the Stormers the lead and from there the Crusaders pulled away with a further three Taylor penalties.

Final Score Crusaders 31 (19) Stormers 24 (13)

Crusaders
Tries - T Taylor
Pen - T Taylor 8
Con - T Taylor
Drop -
Cards - W Crockett (yellow 29)

Stormers
Tries - J de Jongh, B Habana
Pen - P Grant 2, J Pietersen 2
Con - J Pietersen
Drop -
Cards - R Elstadt (Yellow 67)

Match Officials
Referee: Chris Pollock
Assistant Ref 1:Vinny Munro
Assistant Ref 2:Mike Fraser
TMO:Kane McBride

Teams

Crusaders
1. Wyatt Crockett 2. Corey Flynn 3. Ben Franks 4. Tom Donnelly 5. Samuel Whitelock 6. George Whitelock 7. Matt Todd 8. Kieran Read 9. Andy Ellis 10. Tom Taylor 11. Zac Guildford 12. Dan Carter 13. Robbie Fruean 14. Sean Maitland 15. Israel Dagg

Reserves 16. Quentin MacDonald 17. Owen Franks 18. Luke Romano 19. Luke Whitelock 20. Willi Heinz 21. Ryan Crotty 22. Tom Marshall

Stormers
15. Joe Pietersen ,14. Gerhard van den Heever ,13. Juan de Jongh,12. Jean De Villiers (C) ,11. Bryan Habana ,10. Peter Grant,9. Dewaldt Duvenage,8. Duane Vermeulen,7. Rynhardt Elstadt,6. Siya Kolisi,5. Andries Bekker (VC),4. Eben Etzebeth ,3. Brok Harris ,2. Tiaan Liebenberg,1. Steven Kitshoff

Reserves: 16. Deon Fourie,17. Frans Malherbe,18. De Kock Steenkamp,19. Nizaam Carr ,20. Louis Schreuder,21. Burton Francis,22. JP du Plessis

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