KEY POINTS:
The Crusaders gave a masterful display at Jade Stadium tonight as they trounced the Western Force 53-0 in a Super 14 rugby match.
The Force, Australia's leading team who were third on the table, were made to look like mere apprentices as the defending champions gave them a lesson in teamwork on a drizzly night in Christchurch.
It was the Force's worst defeat since they made their Super 14 debut last year. They had drawn 23-23 with the Crusaders at home last season.
Once the floodgates were opened by a try to wing Rico Gear, there was no stopping the defending champions who ran in another seven tries to which the Force had no answer.
Lock Ross Filipo was outstanding, becoming the first forward in Super rugby to score a hat-trick of tries but equally outstanding was No 8 Mose Tuiali'i.
Tuiali'i did no harm to his World Cup aspirations with the All Blacks with a storming first half performance in which he scored a try and set up the other two as the Crusaders went to the break with a 22-0 lead.
Substitute blindside flanker Kieran Reed also caught the eye with two tries.
The Force had come out strongly from the kickoff, keeping the Crusaders pinned in their own half for the first six minutes by using high balls.
All the Crusaders needed was one breakout to get on the scoreboard.
Filipo was instrumental in getting the ball for the Crusaders but it was Tuiali'i's sidestep that created the space for Leon MacDonald to join the attack and draw the defence before sending Gear over for his 40th Super rugby try in the seventh minute.
Tuiali'i deservedly scored in the 14th minute, taking a smart offload from skipper Richie McCaw to crash over under the bar for an easy conversion to Daniel Carter.
The third try was again created by Tuiali'i. He came off the back of a scrum and created space before feeding substitute blindside flanker Kieran Reed who had a clear path to the scoring zone.
The first two tries of the second half put on display the Crusaders' all round dominance tonight.
The first was finished off by Filipo after the forwards scattered and broke their opposition in a 24-metre drive from a lineout two minutes after the restart.
Then came the try of the match as Daniel Carter set his backs alight and the ball was moved with precision over the width of the field through the hands of Casey Laulala, Aaron Mauger, MacDonald and Rico Gear before Gear flicked an inside pass to the ever present Richie McCaw to dot down.
By this time, it was clear the Force had neither the inspiration nor the spark they were looking for from their stars such as Matt Giteau.
John Mitchell's team took a blow when hooker Brendan Cannon was stretchered off complaining of a numbed arm after a scrum collapsed at impact.
For the Crusaders, the result was redemption after their unconvincing 34-33 win over the Waratahs last week and takes them to 32 points, still four behind leaders, the Blues.
The team had treated last week's result (against the Waratahs) pretty much as coming second, McCaw said.
"We trained pretty well this week and I'm pretty happy with this performance.
"... even with a greasy ball the guys' skills out there were pretty good tonight," he said.
"Composure and finishing every chance we had was the key."
Canterbury 53 (Ross Filipo 3, Kieran Reed 2, Rico Gear, Mose Tuiali'i, Richie McCaw tries, Daniel Carter pen, 5 con) Wester Force 0. Halftime: 22-0.
- NZPA
