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Slade boots Crusaders to win at Chiefs

(Reuters) - Waikato Chiefs flyhalf Gareth Anscombe failed with a last minute 52 metre penalty as the Canterbury Crusaders hung on for a 18-17 win over the defending Super Rugby champions in Hamilton on Saturday.

Anscombe's effort after the siren came up just short and left of the sticks to hand the Crusaders their fifth win of the campaign after flyhalf Colin Slade landed six penalties.

The Crusaders opened up an early 9-3 lead but Tom Marshall's try just before the break gave the hosts a 17-9 advantage, with the Crusaders losing their way after New Zealand forward Kieran Read was forced off with concussion and lock Dominic Bird was shown a yellow card.

They rebounded, though, in the second period with Slade knocking over the winning penalty from 25 metres out with eight minutes remaining to hand the New Zealand conference leaders their second defeat in eight games.

(Writing by Sudipto Ganguly; editing by Patrick Johnston)