The Crusaders have won the 2017 Super Rugby competition, defeating the Lions 17-25 in the final at Emirates Airlines Park in Johannesburg.
The Crusaders entered the final against the Lions as slight favourites, with the handicap sitting at just -1.5 available at kick-off. The seven-times champions opened the scoring early with two tries, putting the Lions on the back-foot, and a red card against Kwagga Smith dug the hole even deeper for the hosts. The second half advantage stayed with the Crusaders throughout, and despite a big surge in the last quarter, it was not enough for the home-side to get victory.
Half Time – Lions 3 – 15 Crusaders
Full Time – Lions 17 – 25 Crusaders
Scorers:
Lions 17 (3)
Tries: Malcolm Marx, Corne Fourie
Conversions: Elton Jantjies (2)
Penalty: Jantjies
Crusaders 25 (15)
Tries: Seta Tamanivalu, Jack Goodhue, Kieran Read
Conversions: Richie Mo’unga (2)
Penalties: Mo’unga (2)
Teams:
Lions
15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Ruan Combrinck, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Courtnall Skosan, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Ross Cronje, 8 Ruan Ackermann, 7 Kwagga Smith, 6 Jaco Kriel (captain), 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Andries Ferreira, 3 Ruan Dreyer, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Jacques van Rooyen
Substitutes: 16 Akker van der Merwe, 17 Corne Fourie, 18 Johannes Jonker, 19 Lourens Erasmus, 20 Cyle Brink, 21 Faf de Klerk, 22 Rohan Janse van Rensburg, 23 Sylvian Mahuza
Crusaders
15 David Havili, 14 Israel Dagg, 13 Jack Goodhue, 12 Ryan Crotty, 11 Seta Tamanivalu, 10 Richie Mo’unga, 9 Bryn Hall, 8 Kieran Read, 7 Matt Todd, 6 Jordan Taufua, 5 Sam Whitelock (captain), 4 Scott Barrett, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Codie Taylor, 1 Joe Moody
Substitutes: 16 Ben Funnell, 17 Wyatt Crockett, 18 Mike Alaalatoa, 19 Luke Romano, 20 Pete Samu, 21 Mitchell Drummond, 22 Mitchell Hunt, 23 George Bridge
