Chiefs 19
Crusaders 32
Putting their first home loss in four years behind them, the Crusaders kept the Chiefs losing streak alive as they put away the Waikato team 32-19 Saturday night in Hamilton.
In the end, another controversial referee's call has arguably been the difference between the Chiefs staying in the hunt for victory or losing.
With 20 minutes remaining and the Crusaders with a slender 20-19 lead, referee Ben O’Keeffe (after a chat with the TMO) allowed a Crusaders try to Sevu Reece that looked for all intents and purposes to have been knocked forward by lock Quinten Strange in the lead-up.
After that, it was more or less over for the Chiefs who were unable to rein in the Crusaders after they got the jump on them.
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The Crusaders ran in five tries to the Chiefs' one and remain at the top of the Super Rugby Aotearoa table, ahead of the Blues who play the Highlanders in Dunedin this afternoon.
The game marked a couple of special milestones with Sam Whitelock bringing up 150 games for the Crusaders and Aaron Cruden 100 games for the Chiefs.
Crusaders 32 (Tom Sanders, Will Jordan, Codie Taylor, Sevu Reece, Leicester Fainga'anuku tries; Richie Mo'unga 2 cons, pen). Chiefs 19 (Lachlan Boshier try; Damian McKenzie con, 4 pens) HT: 17-10.