SYDNEY, 21 May 2005 — The Parramatta Eels withstood a late rally to consolidate their spot in Australia’s National Rugby League’s top eight with a hard-fought 18-12 win over Manly Sea Eagles on Friday.
Brian Smith’s Eels recorded their sixth victory of the season despite failing to score a point in the second half after leading 18-6 at half-time.
The home side did enough with three tries in the first half to run out three-tries to two winners, as they repelled numerous Manly attacking raids late in the match to hold on for the six-point win.
The loss continues a worrying trend for the Eagles, with all three of third-placed Manly’s losses this season coming in night matches.
Crusaders Trounce Hurricanes
On Way to Super 12 Final
In Christchurch, New Zealand, the Canterbury Crusaders stormed into the Super 12 final with a 47-7 demolition of the Wellington Hurricanes in a one-sided semifinal yesterday.
Although the Crusaders started as favourites, the overwhelming nature of their six-try victory was more than expected, with their power and efficiency sending a clear warning to the Bulls and Waratahs who play the second semifinal today. Next weekend’s final will be the seventh for the Crusaders in the 10-year history of the Super 12 championship, which they have so far won four times.
It was a record win for the Crusaders over the Hurricanes and saw the Wellington franchise spending much of the game desperately struggling to hold back the red-and-black wave.
Veteran halfback Justin Marshall steered the Crusaders game plan, capitalizing on a relentless flood of turnover ball delivered by flanker Richie McCaw, and even Hurricanes captain Tana Umaga readily conceded the Crusaders were far superior. The Hurricanes two biggest attacking periods of play, stringing together 11 phases, ended with turnover ball inside the Crusaders 22 which the home side transformed into tries at the other end of the field.
The first of the tries, right on halftime, effectively sealed the outcome when the ball went through eight pairs of hands in an 80-meter counterattack before winger Scott Hamilton scored the first of his three tries to lift the Crusaders to an 18-0 lead. The game was only two minutes old when they had their first points on the board when a clever change of direction by Marshall from turnover ball saw Rico Gear score his 15th try of the season, moving him level with the Super 12 season record.
