A return to form for “talismanic” All Blacks captain Scott Barrett has been hailed by the resurgent Crusaders after they snatched top spot on the Super Rugby Pacific log.
Barrett led from the front in a tense 31-24 win over the Hurricanes on Friday, lifting the Crusaders one point clear of the Chiefs atop the standings.
The modest early-season form of veteran lock Barrett had been criticised by former All Blacks Mils Muliaina and Jeff Wilson in the lead-up to the match in Wellington.
The 31-year-old conceded he had been below his best but responded with a powerhouse display as the Crusaders forwards laid the platform for a sixth win from eight games.
Coach Rob Penney said he never doubted the 80-Test forward would rediscover his imposing best form.
“You know these derby games are brutal, so you need your big boys to step up,” Penney told journalists on Friday.
“Scott’s so talismanic for us. His impact on the game was massive and the way he set up the whole week for is a great credit to him, he’s a genuine world-class player.
“I always said he’ll get back to his best and when he does look out and he’ll be great for the All Blacks on top of that.”
The Crusaders continued their resurgence following a dismal 2024 campaign in which they missed qualifying for the playoffs for the first time in eight years.
After racing 31-10 ahead, Penney’s team had to cling on with just 13 players on the field for much of the final 10 minutes in Wellington following two yellow cards.
He said it underlined their fortitude.
“We weren’t able to claw our way out last year with those tight ones and this year we’re getting over the line,” Penney said.
“The boys are prepared to dig deep for each other as we saw there. We’re down to 13 and just hanging on by our fingertips and got the result.”
A fifth loss for the Hurricanes leaves them in seventh place.
Meanwhile, Waratahs coach Dan McKellar said he was “very, very proud” after his team pulled off a stirring 21-14 win over the Chiefs, with a rock-solid defence key to the victory.
The rousing triumph in Sydney on Friday, with tries from Joseph Suaalii, Triston Reilly, Teddy Wilson, kept the Tahs unbeaten at home this season and thrust them to fourth on the log.
It was only the Chiefs second loss this campaign from eight games.
The win was even sweeter given the Tahs were coming off two heavy defeats, against Moana Pasifika and the Hurricanes where they leaked 16 ties and 102 points.
“You can’t beat the Chiefs and be relieved – just really, really proud,” said McKellar, who this week ruled himself out of the running to take over from Joe Schmidt as Wallabies coach.
“We challenged each other this week, and the boys bounced back incredibly well. They turned up with a whole lot of belief.”
The home side held a deserved 14-7 lead at half time, highlighted by fullback Suaalii’s blistering run that finished off a well-timed pass from flyhalf Lawson Creighton for the opening try.
The Chiefs pressed hard in the second half for the win but the Waratahs’ defence admirably stood up under scrutiny.
“Defense is the most important thing in the building,” McKellar said. “If we want to be a team that’s prepared to fight and work hard for each other time after time after time, you’ll get reward off the back of it – and we got that.
“At half time, I just said, ‘What does it mean to you?’ If it means something, then you genuinely go that extra yard and show that bit more care, and we did that.”
© Agence France-Presse
