Irish prop Oli Jager helped the Crusaders claim a dominant 21-7 victory over the Blues in the inaugural Super Rugby Pacific final at a rain-soaked Eden Park.
The Kildare tighthead is in the final year of his contract with the Crusaders and he played a key role as they won a sixth straight Super Rugby title with a ruthless display of power.
Named in the starting line-up, Jager - who spoke to RTÉ Sport earlier this year - played 53 minutes and departed with the Crusaders holding a healthy 16-0 lead.
Scrum-half Bryn Hall's try on the stroke of half-time propelled the Christchurch side into a 13-0 advantage, with Sevu Reece crossing late in the second half after Finlay Christie's try had given the Blues hope.
First try of the final! @crusadersrugby strike ⚡️#SRPFINALS pic.twitter.com/p6IOCB1r0E
— Super Rugby Pacific (@SuperRugby) June 18, 2022
Out-half Richie Mo’unga ran the game with a brilliant display and contributed 11 points from the boot.
The Blues, roared on by a big home crowd, came into the match with 15 straight wins but were simply unable to get on the front foot and unleash their talented backs until it was too late.
"We've always talked about effort on both sides of the ball," said All Blacks lock and Crusaders veteran Sam Whitelock, who played a key role in dismantling the Blues' lineout.
"It's not always about scoring points, sometimes it's about stopping them from scoring."
FINLAY CHRISTIE!! 🤯#SRPFINALS pic.twitter.com/Av8yj4qF62
— Super Rugby Pacific (@SuperRugby) June 18, 2022
Super Rugby relaunched this year as a Pacific-focused championship but the final result was the same as ten of the 24 editions of the pre-Covid competition.
On display were the steely defence, dominant set-piece, forwards who battle for every breakdown and backs who looked to attack at every opportunity that are in the DNA of the Christchurch dynasty.
The Blues, dominant in the early years of the competition, had looked to usurp the Crusaders on the back of a high-octane attack but initially looked shell-shocked at the intensity of the contest.
For all their domination of territory and possession in the opening half, the Crusaders had only a drop goal and penalty from Mo’unga to show for their efforts until just before the break.
😎 @crusadersrugby pic.twitter.com/OoEO0vTNA5
— Super Rugby Pacific (@SuperRugby) June 18, 2022
Leicester Fainga'anuku had earlier been held up over the line and the hulking winger was stopped just short when he launched himself at it again.
Argentine flanker Pablo Matera was pushed back from close range but Hall cleverly dabbed the ball down for a try through a jumble of legs.
The Blues' lineout was in all sorts of trouble and those woes continued after the break, another turnover leading to a Crusaders penalty which Mo’unga converted for a 16-0 lead after 46 minutes.
Christie finally got the Blues on the board when he pounced on a loose ball at the back of a Crusaders scrum for a converted try that cut the deficit to 16-7, but even that was too steep a mountain to climb against the visiting defence.
Iconic 🕺#SRPFINALS pic.twitter.com/hgULkuWOzJ
— Super Rugby Pacific (@SuperRugby) June 18, 2022
"Tonight wasn't our night, we really weren't good enough," said Blues out-half Beauden Barrett.
"Really disappointing. We had a good season, we wanted to come here and do a job here tonight. It's a tough one to swallow."
