Brumbies 10
The Crusaders rugby juggernaut is well and truly rolling again.
Inspired by a record-equalling four-try haul to right wing Sean Maitland and a near-perfect goalkicking display from Daniel Carter, the Crusaders handed their old foes the Brumbies an old fashioned spanking with a 52-10 win at Nelson's Trafalgar Park tonight to kick round four of the Super 15 off in style.
The bonus-point win has temporarily propelled the red and blacks into fourth on the overall points table and put behind them their disrupted start to the season - they lost to the Blues in round one and had a match with the Hurricanes cancelled because of the deadly February 22 Christchurch earthquake before scoring an impressive 15-point win over the Waratahs in Nelson last week.
MATCH STATS
SUPER 15 STANDINGS
Leading 19-10 at halftime, a scoreline which flattered the home team after an error-ridden opening half that also saw their set-piece exposed by the men from Canberra and the concession of several scrappy turnovers, the match was killed off as a contest when the Crusaders crossed for three tries inside the opening seven minutes of the second stanza.
Maitland, who had scored their only try of the first half, crossed for two more tries, sandwiching a strong effort from second five-eighth Sonny Bill Williams, who scored his second five-pointer in two matches at Nelson.
Maitland was on the end of another flowing Crusaders backline move 10min later as the Brumbies defence became increasingly flimsy, joining a handful of players who have scored four tries in a Super rugby match. He had plenty of time to snatch the record outright but they could only add one more try - to fullback Israel Dagg - not that the sellout crowd would have been complaining with a six tries-to-one win on a balmy Nelson evening.
Just as encouraging for Crusaders coach Todd Blackadder would have been the second half defensive effort as they kept the Brumbies scoreless. Their commitment was highlighted by centre Robbie Fruean, who conceded a head-start to counterpart Adam Ashley-Cooper but ran him down 2m before the tryline.
The Brumbies made the perfect start, scoring a third-minute try through Matt Giteau, but they lost their way when Giteau paid the price for popping his hands into a ruck and was sent to the sin-bin for 10min midway through the half.
The Crusaders, as they so often do, immediately capitalised when Maitland opened his account.
The Brumbies paid a further price with regular goalkicker Giteau in the naughty seat when halfback Josh Valentine was missed a simple penalty directly in front of the posts 20m out, a kick Giteau would have landed with his eyes closed.
Carter added a fourth penalty on the stroke of halftime to push the lead out to nine points despite spending just 35 per cent of the time in Brumbies territory.
The second half was a different story, however, the Crusaders running rampant to help lock Chris Jack celebrate his 100th match for the franchise.
Crusaders 52 (Sean Maitland 4, Sonny Bill Williams, Israel Dagg tries; Daniel Carter 4 pen, 4 con; Matt Berquist con) Brumbies 10 (Matt Giteau try; Giteau pen, con). Halftime: 19-10.
- NZPA
