Another day at the office for Thorne

Crusaders 47
Reds 21

As usual actions spoke louder than words for Crusaders centurion Reuben Thorne.

The unassuming blindside flanker marked his 100th game for the five-time Super 12 champions at Suncorp Stadium turning in an unflustered performance as the Crusaders finished with a flourish.

The Reds were near their bristling best at home when pushing the Crusaders hard before the perennial champions scored 31 points in the last 17 minutes, their resistance crumbling only once captain Chris Latham left the field injured.

Thorne, 31, has been a fixture since making his debut off the bench against the Reds in 1997 and he stayed true to form on Saturday, tackling tirelessly and staying accurate around the breakdown while his bumbling teammates' were regularly dropping the ball.

For the Crusaders, who needed a 66th-minute try to Casey Laulala as the catalyst for their storming finish, the damage was also self-inflicted.

A high unforced error count prevented them building any momentum while Dan Carter had an off night with the boot, missing five of 12 attempts.

Typically, Thorne was not an obvious standout as the Crusaders eventually ran amok.

Indeed his most telling contribution was two minutes after the break when, with the Reds leading by three points and pounding the Crusaders' line, he dragged down flanker David Croft centimetres from the line.

The Reds were thwarted despite launching wave after wave of attacks, the Crusaders delivering a psychological blow before eventually outlasting their tiring hosts.

Thorne was not about to dwell on the tackle after the match, shrugging it off as one of those things.

"I don't want to make a big fuss about it.

"I just enjoy playing for this team and giving what I can for them."

Coach Robbie Deans was only marginally more animated in his praise of the pack veteran, allowing himself a smile when asked about the tackle on Croft.

"He doesn't want to make a fuss of himself, that's the nature of the beast."

Thorne, who captained the Crusaders to the 2002 Super 12 before abdicating to Richie McCaw last season, led the team on to the field.

The only other concession to the landmark was Thorne receiving a special jersey with the number 100 embossed under the Crusaders crest.

"Reuben's going to remember this moment whether he likes it or not," said Deans, who briefly feared "the team wasn't going to do it [the occasion] justice".

"It was an important game for Reuben. He's got it marked on his jersey. It's something that's special to him."

- NZPA