All Blacks first five-eighths Richie Mo'unga had the Crusaders performing at concert pitch to claim a 32–19 Super Rugby Aotearoa win in Hamilton on Saturday.
But for all the finesse he demonstrated it was yet another refereeing call in the 60th minute from Ben O'Keefe that knocked more of the stuffing out of the Chiefs than anything the Crusaders did.
It came after replacement lock Quinten Strange appeared to have lost control of the ball taking a pass from Jordan. But play carried on and wing Sevu Reece was in support to score.
A TMO consultation resulted in a knock-on not being ruled and the Crusaders pushed out to an eight-point lead. But the Chiefs could look further back to a lost lineout that resulted in Taylor charging around the back of the line to secure the ball and charge ahead to set up the subsequent play which led to the try.
Salt was rubbed into the wound that has been weeping for several rounds for the Chiefs when from a blindside play, spearheaded again by Mo'unga resulted in replacement wing Leicester Fainga'anuku going over wide out.
Mo'unga was the consistent presence for his side, constantly probing and directing play with precision to keep momentum building and ever seeking chances for the Crusaders' talented outsides fullback Will Jordan and wings George Bridge and Sevu Reece.
There was an assured display in most respects from the Chiefs' century maker Aaron Cruden but he didn't have the amount of possession his opposite enjoyed. If there was anything to enthuse over for the home team it was in their loose forwards where blindside flanker Lachlan Boshier was again outstanding in partnership with Sam Cane while No 8 Pita Gus Sowakula was dynamic on the occasions he was able to play the ball from the back of the scrum.
Cruden should normally have felt happy with a clearance that reached halfway but that was no issue for the Crusaders who won the lineout, moved the ball right and then switched back to the left where the ball was moved through Bridge, Taylor to No 8 Tom Sanders.
He had 25m to the line but running at speed he headed the cover, bumped fullback Damian McKenzie and dropped over in the seventh minute for the opening try.
A lost lineout back on the Crusaders' 22m area six minutes later saw Mo'unga take the ball to the line with effect. The momentum build with halfback Mitch Drummond, flankers Sione Havili and Tom Christie helped get into the Chiefs' 22m and when the ball was moved once again through the blindside channel, it was Bridge who fed Jordan across for the second try.
What could have been the onset of a night to forget was countered when the Chiefs finally started to have some time with the ball. They were most effective when Sowakula was able to build momentum from the base of the scrum.
He was to the fore when linking with centre Anton Lienert-Brown. The All Blacks centre took the ball to the line and flicked up to Boshier who got over in the 21st minute to score.
Again, the Crusaders snatched the impetus back, courtesy of a lost chance after wing Shaun Stevenson failed to secure an intercept, knocking the ball down in the process and earning a yellow card.
The Crusaders opted for the lineout and mounted a superb driving maul which traversed 25m before Taylor flopped over the line on the back of the maul to give them a 17-10 lead at the break.
McKenzie kept the Chiefs handy with three second half penalty goals until the fateful call in the 60th minute.
Scorers: Chiefs 19 (Lachlan Boshier tries; Damian McKenzie con, 4 pen) Crusaders 32 (Tom Sanders, Will Jordan, Codie Taylor, Sevu Reece, Leicester Fainga'anuku tries; Richie Mo'unga 2 con, pen). HT:
Yellow cards: Shaun Stevenson 39mins
The teams were:
Chiefs: 1.Reuben O'Neill (replaced by Ollie Norris, 17min), 2.Bradley Slater (replaced by Samison Taukei'aho, 56mins), 3.Nepo Laulala (replaced by Angus Ta'avao, 60mins), 4.Tupou Vaa'I (replaced by Naitoa Ah Kuoi, 62mins), 5.Mitchell Brown, 6.Lachlan Boshier (replaced by Simon Parker, 64mins), 7.Sam Cane (captain), 8.Pita Gus Sowakula, 9.Brad Weber (replaced by Lisati Milo-Harris, 66mins), 10.Aaron Cruden (replaced by Kaleb Trask, 76mins), 11.Sean Wainui, 12.Alex Nankivell, 13.Anton Lienert-Brown, 14.Shaun Stevenson (replaced by Quinn Tupaea, 64mins), 15.Damian McKenzie.
Crusaders: 1.George Bower (replaced by Isileli Tuungafasi, 69mins), 2.Codie Taylor (captain – replaced by Andrew Makalio, 62mins), 3.Michael Alaalatoa (replaced by Ollie Jager, 48mins), 4.Sam Whitelock, 5.Mitchell Dunshea (replaced by Quinten Strange, 56mins), 6.Sione Havili (replaced by Billy Harmon, 64mins), 7.Tom Christie, 8.Tom Sanders, 9.Mitchell Drummond (replaced by Bryn Hall, 55mins), 10.Richie Mo'unga (replaced by Brett Cameron, 75mins), 11.George Bridge, 12.Jack Goodhue, 13.Fetuli Paea (replaced by Leicester Fainga'anuku, 49mins), 14.Sevu Reece, 15.Will Jordan.
Referee: Ben O'Keefe