KEY POINTS:
Speed of hand and of thought were potent weapons for the Crusaders, who outclassed the Bulls 32-10 in their Super 14 rugby match at Jade Stadium in Christchurch tonight.
The defending champions looked like running up a cricket score when they raced to a 32-3 lead after 44 minutes but struggled to produce the same free-flowing game in the second half that the visitors found so hard to contain.
The Crusaders were still comfortable four tries-to-one winners, employing a game plan based around out-flanking the Pretoria side, who had a 6kg-per-man weight advantage in the forwards.
Clever passes into space, the judicious use of short attacking kicks and the precocious attacking talent of first five-eighth Stephen Brett sliced open the Bulls defence at will.
By contrast the Bulls, who won their previous three games, lacked ambition and were guilty of poor technique at the breakdown, where they turned over a wealth of possession.
Their scrum also struggled while the lineout lacked its usual authority, quite possibly due to lock and captain Victor Matfield's demotion to the reserve bench.
Matfield's appearance for the last half hour provided some control.
The Crusaders were 8-0 up inside 10 minutes courtesy of a Brett penalty and a try to flanker Johnny Leo'o after the Bulls defence had been stretched on both sides.
Hougaard and Brett traded penalties before winger Rico Gear crossed when the Bulls failed to control a grubber kick from fullback Scott Hamilton that followed a sizzling Brett break.
The result was sealed just 40 seconds after halftime when young second five-eighth Tim Bateman sliced through from an overlap.
Hamilton then jogged over under the crossbar for the Crusaders' bonus point fourth try after flanker Johnny Leo'o busted through two lazy tacklers.
The Bulls scored their only try in typical style with half an hour remaining when flanker Wickus van Heerden burrowed over from a goalline ruck.
Gear should have had his second soon afterwards but lost control of the ball over the line, typical of a drop in standards from the hosts late in the game.
The Crusaders took their record this season to three wins and three losses, with their reconditioned All Blacks all eligible to return next week when they host the Stormers.
The Bulls, who were third before tonight, have won four and lost three and face the Highlanders in Dunedin next week.
Crusaders 32 (Johnny Leo'o, Rico Gear, Tim Bateman, Scott Hamilton tries; Stephen Brett 2 pen, 3 con) Bulls 10 (Wickus van Heerden try; Derick Hougaard pen, con). Halftime: 18-3.
- NZPA
