The Super Rugby play-offs have begun in familiar fashion, with the ruthless Crusaders powering clear in the second half to beat the Highlanders 38-14 in their quarter-final in Christchurch.

Five-eighth Richie Mo’unga scored two of their five tries and slotted all of his goalkicks in a 23-point haul as the nine-time champions took command of what had been a bruising South Island derby on Friday.

Up just 17-14 at the break, the implacable Crusaders sensed blood when Highlanders forward Liam Squire spent time in the sinbin, bagging two quick tries to effectively book another semi-final berth.

The eighth-ranked Highlanders were all aggression early but were barely in the contest against the top qualifiers as the match wore on, failing to handle the intense pressure up front from a team chasing their third straight title.

The Crusaders will host the winner of Saturday’s Hurricanes-Bulls quarter-final in Wellington.

They will be hotly favoured if their All Blacks-laden forward contingent play with the same muscle and Mo’unga with the same class.

Captain Sam Whitelock said the next visitors to Christchuch can expect the same methodology from his team.

“We want to pressure every team right across the board so obviously it starts and finishes at set piece for us as forwards,” he said.

“Finals are always tough and against your neighbour just amplifies it.

“Man, we were pushed early, pushed late, so full credit to the Highlander boys.”

Winger Sio Tomkinson’s try had the Highlanders 7-3 up through the opening quarter but the hosts leapt clear when Mo’unga put fullback David Havili across and then scored himself after some skilful Crusaders offloads.

The Highlanders pulled the margin back to three after Teihorangi Walden slid through off a bullet pass from Aaron Smith.

A key moment was the yellow card shown to All Blacks flanker Squire for a no-arms tackle on opposite Whetukamokamo Douglas soon after halftime.

The clinical Crusaders took advantage of the extra number with big drives to set up tries for Douglas and Michael Alaalatoa.

Mo’unga scored from a chip and chase to ice his team’s 28th straight win in Christchurch.

More pertinently, they have never lost a home finals match since the competition’s inception in 1996.

The match marked the end of notable Super Rugby careers for six Highlanders.

All Blacks Ben Smith, Waisake Naholo, Luke Whitelock, Squire, Tom Franklin and Jackson Hemopo are all moving to offshore clubs next year.

Luke Whitelock said the build-up had been an emotional one for the departing players but they couldn’t lift when needed against the Crusaders juggernaut.

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“They’re very good at what they do and they just execute it well,” he said.

“They have the ability to score a couple of tries pretty quickly and they punished us in a couple of minutes to change that pressure.”

RESULT

Crusaders 38

Tries: Mo’unga 2, Havili, Douglas, Alaalatoa

Cons: Mo’unga 5

Pens: Mo’unga

Highlanders 14

Tries: Tomkinson, Walden

Cons: Ioane 2

The Brumbies have been reviewing and changing  their half-time routines after failing to convert 40-minute leads into 80-minute wins in a majority of their games this year.

The ACT men, who are expected to welcome back David Pocock and fellow Wallabies Scott Sio, Rory Arnold and Folau Faingaa against the Lions this weekend, have had a major case of second-half blues in the 2019 season.

The Brumbies have led at the break in five of their seven games but only converted those leads to two wins – against the Chiefs and Waratahs at home.

They’ve been outscored 142 points to 66 in second halves.

The rocks-or-diamonds effect was on full display in Christchurch last Saturday when Dan McKellar’s men led the Crusaders 7-0 at half-time but ultimately crashed to a 36-14 loss.

“It is something we have talked about. We have tried a few things around halftime but it comes down to our game plan and mentally 1-15 being switched on, and starting fast,” Brumbies backrower Locky McCaffrey said.

“I think we are starting games really fast but we are not starting that second half with the same intensity.

“It is something we have addressed and something we are working on.”

The Brumbies are clinging on to the positives of their visit to the South Island of New Zealand, and the ambition and industry shown in the opening 40 minutes against the Crusaders

They’ve also taken lessons from the performance, said McCaffrey; not least the pain of having two men in the sin-bin after oranges.

“There were lots of positives in the game, especially the first 40 minutes. Second half was tough, playing over there in Christchurch against the reigning champs,” McCaffrey said.

“You have to put an 80 minute performance together. They were bringing All Blacks off the bench, who made a pretty big impact in that last 25 minutes and we just didn’t go with them. Playing with 14 men for 20 minutes in the half also didn’t help.

“Lots of positives. I don’t think too many teams will go over and keep the Crusaders scoreless for the first half so lots to improve on but some good things too.”

The return of Pocock will be a big bonus, but so too the additions of the other Wallabies.

“He is the best no. 7 in the world but at the same time we have a squad mentality and a guy like Folau Faingaa will come back and have as much impact as a Poey or a Scotty or a Rory,” McCaffrey said.

“I don’t think we focus on one inclusion.”

The Brumbies take on the Lions on Saturday April 13, kicking off at 7:45pm AEST, LIVE on FOX SPORTS, Kayo and via RUGBY.com.au RADIO. Buy tickets here.

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The Gunners have stumbled at the worst possible time in the Premier League, with the Swiss midfielder admitting that they have not been good enough

Granit Xhaka admits Arsenal do not deserve to be talking about top-four finishes in the Premier League as they stumble their way towards the end of the season.

Struggles on the road have returned to haunt the Gunners at the worst possible time.

A 3-0 defeat to Leicester City in their most recent outing has left Unai Emery’s side fifth in the table and on the outside of the Champions League pack looking in.

Three successive defeats have been suffered in the English top-flight, and four in their last five outings.

Xhaka concedes that is not good enough for a side with such lofty ambition, telling Sky Sports: “It is not the right moment to think about the top four.

“We had three big chances. It started with Crystal Palace, then Wednesday against Wolves and finished [against Leicester].

“If you don’t take from two away games and one at home three points, you can’t speak about the top four.”

Eight of Arsenal’s 10 Premier League defeats this season have come away from Emirates Stadium.

Emery has been unable to find a cure for the travel sickness inherited from Arsene Wenger, with Xhaka adding: “It is difficult to explain why we don’t play like at home and why we don’t take the points.

“I said this last week. It is a different game away and at home. You can’t play like at home.

“You have to win the duels, run more than the opponents because the fans are in front of them.

“All the teams in the Premier League can play football and they can fight. If you don’t take the fight against them it looks like [Sunday].”

Arsenal, who are through to the semi-finals of the Europa League, have two Premier League games remaining in which to try and clamber above London rivals Chelsea and into fourth place.

“We fight. It’s not that we don’t fight because if we didn’t fight we wouldn’t go to play,” said Switzerland international Xhaka.

“It is difficult to explain. Whenever you lose it is always difficult to find the right words.”

Arsenal are due to face Valencia in continental competition on Thursday before then playing host to struggling Brighton on Sunday.

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The Eredivisie side continue to defy expectations on the continent but the Lilywhites are not giving up on their European dream just yet

Kieran Trippier and Moussa Sissoko were disappointed with Tottenham’s slow start in their 1-0 first-leg semi-final loss to Ajax but both players believe their team-mates have the quality and mentality to go all the way in the Champions League.

The Dutch outfit were sharp in the early stages of the match, playing high-tempo passing football which bore fruit in the form of Donny van de Beek finding the net after just 15 minutes at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The hosts, without main goal threats Son Heung-min and Harry Kane through suspension and injury, respectively, fought hard for an equaliser in the second half but ultimately came up short.

Trippier acknowledged that he and his team-mates could have done better from the off, but feels that Son’s return for the second leg will provide an added boost as the Lilywhites attempt to fight back and reach the final of Europe’s premier club competition.

“It was a difficult first 20, 25 minutes,” Trippier told Sky Sports. “We just couldn’t close them down as we like to, the pressing that we do week in, week out.

“I thought we gradually got into the game and kept on pushing. We did everything to try and equalise in the second half. It’s only 1-0, we go to their place next week and hopefully we can get a performance.

“Obviously Sonny (Son Heung-min) and H (Harry Kane) are massive players for us, especially with the attacking outlet that they’ve got – Sonny running in behind and Harry’s goals, but we always believe as a team that the players coming in can step up.

“Fernando [Llorente] has scored crucial goals and Lucas [Moura] has been fantastic for us but Sonny’s back for the next leg and we’ll go out there and give everything we’ve got.

“Of course we still believe we can win the Champions League, we all believe, we have belief in the squad. Next Wednesday we’ll go there with nothing to lose and try to score as many goals as we can like we did at Man City. Anything can happen.”

Sissoko came off the bench in the first half to replace Jan Vertonghen, who took a knock to the head, and gave a positive account of himself despite his side coming up short on home soil.

The Frenchman, however, also pointed to Son’s quality as a plus in Spurs’ upcoming comeback mission.

“[We put in] a lot of crosses but we didn’t equalise, so we are disappointed to lose the first game,” Sissoko said. “But it is not over.

“We know the quality that Son has, we know what he adds to this team. It will be great to have him back and hopefully he can score some goals because he’s scored a lot this year.

“But with him or without him we’ll go there [to Amsterdam] with the same mentality and try to come back with qualification. We want to go to the final – it would be something amazing for all of us.

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“One more game to play. It won’t be easy but, all together, I am sure we can do it.”

The champions face the Foxes at the Etihad on Monday knowing that a win will take them to within three points of retaining their title

Pep Guardiola has been hugely impressed with Leicester City under Brendan Rodgers as the Foxes prepare to visit the defending Premier League champions on Monday.

Should second-placed Liverpool lose at Rafael Benitez’s Newcastle United on Saturday, victory for City at the Etihad Stadium will see them achieve what no team has managed since 2008-09 and successfully retain the title.

Since Rodgers was appointed in late February, Leicester have won six of their nine outings, while Jamie Vardy has rattled in 10 goals during that period to propel the side firmly into contention for a seventh-place finish and Europa League qualification.

And Guardiola paid tribute to both Vardy and Rodgers in Friday’s pre-match news conference.

“His [Vardy’s] career speaks for itself, not just the last games, he’s done incredible in this league. An incredible striker, his movement, finishing, fighting,” Guardiola said.

“Before Leicester were a counter-attacking team, now with Brendan Rodgers they have another way to play, they can control all parts of the game so I think Brendan has showed his incredible quality as a manager.

“In two months, his team is already playing the way he wants to play. Of course with incredible quality, with so fast players, honestly I’ve been really impressed.

“The players know it’s an incredible task for us, it’s already a final for us, hopefully on Monday the people can help us and we can do what we have to do and win the game.”

Guardiola scoffed at suggestions that Leicester would arrive at the Etihad with anything short of 100 per cent focus, while he expects former Liverpool bosses Rodgers and Benitez to treat their fixtures with the utmost professional pride.

“That [switching off] is not going to happen,” he said. “They want to make a good performance, the question makes no sense, sorry. Forget about it.

“I can’t imagine Leicester players come here for holidays, they maybe have a chance to finish seventh, they’ll make a good game.

“Brendan and Rafa were in Liverpool, but they want to win. I cannot imagine being at former clubs and not wanting to win. They want to win so I don’t have doubts about that, it makes no sense this kind of questions, all players and managers when they are there want to do a good performance.”

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Clubs interested in signing the young Italy international will have a tough time convincing him to leave Roma as he looks set to sign a new deal

Talented teenager Nicolo Zaniolo plans to remain at Roma for the foreseeable future and could soon sign a new contract.

Confirmation of the sought-after midfielder’s intention to stay at Stadio Olimpico will come as a relief to Roma on the day they announced Daniele De Rossi’s impending departure.

Zaniolo, 19, joined as part of the swap deal that sent Radja Nainggolan to Inter last June and has impressed greatly across his 35 appearances in all competitions.

Tottenham and Bayern Munich are among the European heavyweights to have been linked with the Italy international and it appears their reported interested will go unrequited.

“I still have four years left on my contract and I’m happy here. I see my future at Roma,” Zaniolo told Sky Sport Italia.

“My agent will talk to the club at the end of the season.

“It’s always pleasing to have interest from great teams, but I’m focused on Roma and the last two league games.

“I’m positive about the [contract] renewal and I’m happy to stay.”

Roma will need Zaniolo to continue his eye-catching development next term as they seek to compensate for the loss of captain De Rossi.

The homegrown fan favourite has not been offered a new deal and will leave behind many admirers at the end of the season.

“I thank him for welcoming to Rome and treating me like a son,” Zaniolo said.

“I remember that even before I arrived he wrote to me saying, ‘Welcome to your new family, I’m the old man of the house, you’re one of us’.

“I can’t hide the fact that I shed some tears today because Daniele has shown how important he is for the club and for the team. He is an absurd player, a leader on and off the pitch.”

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The Brazil international was substituted an hour into his return to Anfield as he struggled to make an impact on the Champions League semi-final

Barcelona midfielder Philippe Coutinho has been slammed by former Real Madrid boss Fabio Capello for his performance in the Blaugrana’s shock Champions League defeat to Liverpool.

Heading into Tuesday’s second leg at Anfield 3-0 up, the Spanish champions were powerless to stop Jurgen Klopp’s side as they ran out 4-0 winners on the night to book their place in the European showpiece in Madrid on June 1.

The match marked the first time Coutinho had returned to Merseyside since leaving the Reds for Camp Nou in January 2018, but he struggled to make an impact on the game and was replaced after 60 minutes by Nelson Semedo.

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Brazil international Coutinho has struggled to hit top form for much of the campaign, and Capello was less than impressed by his failure to show up in such a big game while questioning why Ernesto Valverde selected him in the first place.

“Valverde was a bit presumptuous in playing the same team from the first leg,” he said while working as a pundit for Sky Sport Italia. “For me, Coutinho didn’t have to play. He does nothing away from home.”

Coutinho’s failure to live up to his £105 million ($135m) transfer fee since arriving in Catalunya has led many to believe that he could be on his way out of the club this summer.

Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain have both been mooted as possible destinations, though Goal understands the player himself is keen to remain with the Liga giants.

The club’s hierarchy are still to make a final decision on his future, though it is understood that some improved performances in recent weeks have led to them leaning towards retaining the former Inter playmaker.

As for Barcelona themselves, their dreams of a first Champions League title since 2015 are over, and with the Liga title already secured, all that is left for them to play for is the Copa del Rey, where they will face Valencia in the final.

And Capello believes that their failure will have been greeted as warmly in Madrid as it was in Liverpool, with fans of his former club, Real, happy that their great rivals would not be winning the continent’s biggest trophy in their home city.

“Barcelona found themselves three times in front of Alisson, who made incredible saves, but showed concentration problems as in the fourth goal [scored by Divock Origi],” the ex-England manager said of Barca’s performance.

“They can’t mess up the way they did because Liverpool’s players are at such a high level that they punish you.

“Liverpool, Anfield but also Madrid exploded. It would’ve been worse for them in Madrid if Barcelona won the Champions League there.”

Barcelona will return to action on Sunday when they look to dent the Champions League hopes of minnows Getafe, who currently sit fourth in the Liga table with two matches to play.

The reigning champions’ game with Brighton and Hove Albion will decide the Premier League title race, but their captain wants a “simple” focus

Vincent Kompany has urged Manchester City to ignore the bigger picture when they face Brighton and Hove Albion in Sunday’s Premier League title decider.

City head to Brighton knowing that a victory would see them retain the league title, seeing off Liverpool’s challenge.

Anything less than a win, though, would open the door for the Reds, who face Wolves at Anfield and are only one point behind the champions.

Three-time Premier League winner Kompany, though, insists Pep Guardiola’s side must put those permutations out of their minds when they take to the field.

“You try to avoid putting too much context to the game,” Kompany, who scored a sensational winner against Leicester City on Monday, told Sky Sports.

“Context being all the possible scenarios that can happen and the fact that it’s the most important game of the season and you can win the Premier League, which is not nothing.

“It feels like every [title win] that came before. You have to think about the simple things, such as Brighton having a bunch of strengths and weaknesses and have to find a way to deal with the strengths and exploit the weaknesses.

“You need to make sure you are in good form on the day: eat well, sleep well and play. I don’t think about it one second, I just have it in my head that we will go over there and have a good game.

“In terms of probability we are more likely to win if we play well because of the quality we have in the team. All these other scenarios are irrelevant to me at this point.”

City are in the hunt for a domestic treble, having won the EFL Cup and with an FA Cup final to come, and victory over Brighton would see them finish the season with 98 points – just two fewer than they gained last season.

“No matter what happens on the final day, we’ve had a tremendous season in the Premier League and our performances have been ever so consistent,” Kompany added.

“But, historically, we’ve always thrown away the season after winning the league. This year we are in contention, we are in a final until the end of the season and that’s all you can hope for.

“It’s a final, but that’s all you can hope for, that feeling of not throwing away a season because you’re resting on your laurels.

“That is how City fans have always perceived City and how City have been perceived over the years, way before I came to the club.”

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The Polish goalkeeper is backing his former Arsenal teammate to flourish in Serie A, and is helping him settle into life in Italy

Juventus goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny thinks Aaron Ramsey will be a huge boost for his side next season – and says he played a part in the Welshman’s signing.

The Serie A champions announced Ramsey’s signing upon the expiration of his contract at Arsenal, but the midfielder was a wanted man after more than a decade in north London.

Former Gunners team-mate Szczesny, now the Serie A champions’ first-choice custodian, sold Juventus to him and has already taken it upon himself to help Ramsey settle in Turin.

“We talked to each other a couple of times before he signed for Juventus. He asked me for some advice,” Szczesny told La Gazzetta dello Sport .

“I told him: ‘It’s easy. If Juve call you, you can only say yes’. That’s how it went and it means Aaron listens to me.

“He’s had five months to prepare and he’s already picked up a little bit [of Italian]. When I took him to dinner, he said more than just a ‘hello’.

“He partly understood me and that’s a good basis to work from. I’ll take care of the rest to give him a hand.”

Juventus announced last week that manager Massimiliano Allegri was to leave the club after a five-year spell which brought five league titles, four Coppa Italia trophies, two Supercoppa Italiana titles and two Champions League finals.

Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri has been strongly linked with the job, with his predecessors Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte also in the frame.

Ramsey’s career in Italy will start with some uncertainty as a result – but Szczesny has no doubt that he will be a success.

“When he’s fit, he’s one of the best and he’ll give us a big hand in achieving our objectives,” he said.

“He came here for treatment [for his hamstring injury], but here we have the best physiotherapists in the world.

“Whether he plays as a midfielder or number ten depends on the new coach. For me he can also play at right-back, since he defends very well.

“Ramsey asked me what happened with Allegri, although in any case he would’ve started working with a new coach.”

Ramsey could make his bow in black and white against a familiar foe, with Juventus’ pre-season campaign kicking off against Tottenham in the International Champions Cup in July.

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The Serie A champions announced their new home kit design to a mixed reception, but here’s how you can get your own Ronaldo kit

Serie A champions Juventus have unveiled their new 2019/20 home kit, which has proved divisive amongst their fans.

The club have ditched their traditional black and white stripes in favour of a more monochrome look, now featuring two solid blocks of black and white, separated by a bright pink vertical line.

The new shirt was unveiled to a controversial and mixed reception from fans, who felt that the tradition and iconic history of the club had been compromised with the new design.

There have been suggestions that Juventus’ new kit was designed to appeal to American fans, as it is believed that the older pinstripe shirts reminded them of those worn by referees in baseball and the NFL. 

Juventus’ more recent home kits have steadily moved away from the black-and-white pattern, with their stripes becoming increasingly thicker. The new kit’s pink stripe running down the middle is a tribute to the colours of their original home kit.

So how much are the new kits, and how can fans get their hands on the latest release? Goal takes a look.

The standard new Juventus 2019/20 home kit without a name on the back is available for purchase on the club’s official website for £80, with the option to add the Champions League badge for an additional £10. All kits are made from technical fabric with CLIMALITE technology, for optimal breathability and temperature regulation.

If fans are wishing to get Cristiano Ronaldo’s name and number on the back of their shirts, however, they can do so for an additional £15, for a total of £95.

Those who wish to get a personalised name and number on the back of their shirt – say, their own – they can also do so for an extra £15.

“The 2019/20 home jersey represents a choice, a promise, a call to action,” reads the club’s official website.

“The new jersey is distinguished by an all-new half-and-half striped design, enhanced by a contrast pink detail on the front, nodding to the first colour the club ever played in. 

“The daring new design evokes the past, whilst igniting the future of the club through the evolution of the iconic black and white stripes. The new jersey will continue to have the iconic black and white colours, but in the shape of the new half-and-half stripes, along with an unexpected flash of pink that sits at the heart of the design and honours the first colour the club ever played in.”

These kits are specifically created for fans, sporting a regular fit with a slightly looser cut than the version worn by the Juventus players.

Juventus’ “authentic” home jersey, which is a much tighter fit than the regular home version, is catered more for the athlete’s body and closer to what is worn by the likes of Ronaldo, Dybala and Chiellini.

Authentic home jerseys are priced at £117 for a standard shirt without a player name on the back. Like the standard kit, player or personal customisation on the kit can be done for an added £15.

Fans wishing for a return to the more classic and traditional black-and-white striped jerseys of the past can purchase a retro kit on the official website, with a selection of options in the collection available at £60.

Juventus have their old 1951/52, 1976/77 and 1992/93 home kits available for purchase, to name but a few, with each shirt marking a memorable period of success for the Turin club.

The 1951 home kit recalls Juventus winning the Italian top-flight a whole seven points ahead of AC Milan, along with a memorable 6-0 derby win over Torino.

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