The Melbourne Rebels were brave for the first 40 minutes but ultimately didn't have enough firepower to withstand the world-class Crusaders as they ran away with the 41-17 victory.
The Crusaders looked to send a message in the second half after a sloppy start, with their superstars stepping up to deliver the bonus-point win.
So what did we learn?
1.Mo’unga, Matera magic
With the Crusaders struggling to string the final pass together, leave it to two of their superstars to kick them into life.
Richie Mo’unga was unstoppable throughout the contest, backing up his effort in the first half to find Ethan Blackadder for the first of his double.
Meanwhile, this was by far Matera’s best game for the Crusaders, at his wrecking ball best to power through the Rebels at will.
He set up two tries, starting their second-half blitz, as he played a crucial role in their victory.
2. Showing fight
Kevin Foote will be proud of the fight his side showed during the first half as the Crusaders threatened to blow the game out.
When Mo’unga glided through the line to find Cullen Grace, the hosts continued to find space as Matera and Braydon Ennor made strong breaks.
However, time after time, the Rebels found an answer on the goal line and held them out, with a bold double-lifter strategy to defend the 5-metre maul coming off as the impressive Josh Hill earned the steal.
Whilst it fell away towards the end, two late tries showed they 'have the points in them' according to captain Michael Wells, taking some confidence into next week's clash with Moana Pasifika.
3. To’omua concerns
The Rebels will be sweating on the fitness of Matt To’omua after yet another head knock.
To’omua was left groggy after a brutal run from Jack Goodhue, left clutching his neck. He played no further part in the game after failing the HIA.
It’s never a good sign but when it happens to someone with a history of concussions after a couple last year, you start fearing the worse.
Foote confirmed after the match To'omua was up on his feet talking, with the extent of his injury to be confirmed.
4. Back-row battle
Whilst they were convincing beat across the park, there are still areas Kevin Foote will like about the performance, particularly the showing from his back-row.
Brad Wilkin remains elite over the ball, producing a number of turnovers as the Crusaders looked to launch an attack whilst Rob Leota’s return was a welcome one.
It’ll be interesting to see how Foote go about sorting the balance, with Tamati Ioane looking promising in his 35 minutes off the bench
5.Super Round
With this game, Super Round comes to an end with a dominant showing by the Kiwi sides outside of a late Brumbies win.
Whilst the likes of the Reds and Waratahs were competitive, there will be plenty of confidence over the ditch for the rest of the competition as their ability to close out the games proved critical.
As for the concept of Super Round, there was enough support at AAMI Park, particularly on Saturday and Sunday, to show the concept has plenty of potential heading forward.
It also coincided with the end of the ‘Tries for Tonga’ campaign, which saw over $200,000 raised over the first ten rounds.
