All hail Crusaders - ultimate masters and commanders

Crusaders captain Richie McCaw holds the 2005 Super 12 trophy aloft. Picture / Fotopress

Five Super 12 titles in 10 years - the Crusaders cruised past the Waratahs in a gem of a match at Jade Stadium last night as the Australians choked on their own choking jokes.

Since the first ball was kicked in earnest back in late February, the Crusaders have been every bit as ruthless and focused as their posthumous forbears, who also had a Richie the Lionheart. In a sense they have waged their own holy war, destroying all those they have encountered with a breathtakingly effective guerrilla-style rugby.

Those who have been flattened by it, can't have helped but consider tossing aside their own flimsy philosophies and becoming converts.

Probably no side will give that thought more consideration than the Waratahs. They cast more than a few monkeys off their back on the way to last night's final and really fancied their chances of causing an upset.

Sadly, though, coach Ewen McKenzie's midweek assertion that the Crusaders are chokers was a classic piece of wishful thinking. The only choking going on last night was McKenzie, on his own ill-judged words. Don't be fooled by the late tries. They came when the game was long since won.

The Crusaders' opening score was a perfect illustration of their explosive brilliance. Rico Gear fielded a kick deep on his right wing. In the blink of a one-eye, he'd handed off two defenders, blasted into open space and delivered an inch-perfect grubber off his left foot that fellow wing, Scott Hamilton, gladly flopped on.

The Waratahs couldn't have been more stunned if Justin Harrison had revealed he was in fact secretly operating as Justine, or indeed if Peter Hewat had caught a high ball. The try not only delivered a frank message about the ability of the Crusaders, it must have also edged Gear a little closer to a coveted test jersey.

Well, it did until he allowed himself to be too easily dispossessed on his way to scoring a record 16th try.

The deftness of his kick ahead, with his weaker foot, can't have failed to impress the selectors, as would his technically proficient swapping of the ball from right to left arm to allow him to make big fends.

It wasn't really a night for individuals, though. It was about the collective. That's the culture coach Robbie Deans has fostered.

And for good reason.

The Crusaders hit breakdowns in numbers, worked as a unit in set-pieces and supported the ball carrier on either side. It was their collective desire to work for each other that saw them arrive in greater numbers after Lote Tuqiri had been hounded to the floor early in the second half.

With more bodies at the breakdown, they could turn over the ball and then propel Dave Hewett over the chalk.

If Gear had been less profligate only minutes later, it would have been curtains. But the Crusaders, even though the scoreboard was still preaching caution, could sniff blood anyway.

It left the Waratahs thankful their defence is slightly more robust than the innocuous flower they represent. It also presented them with some decent opportunities as more ball came loose as a consequence of the Crusaders' higher-risk football.

But while the 2005 Waratahs are a vast improvement on the previously magic-folding teams of old, they never had the skill or vision to threaten last night.

They have an outstanding lineout, an organised defence and not much else. They made the final thanks to Mat Rogers and Tuqiri, who were brilliant in the early rounds and also in patches last night.

If there was a downside for the Crusaders it came with the news that lock Norm Maxwell is off to Japan next week to play for the Ricoh club and will not play against the Lions.

That wasn't going to spoil the party. Which will be especially sweet for man of the moment Justin Marshall, who after a dodgy start where he appeared to be trying too hard to impress, settled down to have another impressive game.

Crusaders 35 (S. Hamilton, D. Hewett, L. MacDonald, C. Ralph, tries; D. Carter 3 cons, 2 pens; A. Mauger DG. Waratahs25 P. Waugh, M. Rogers 2 tries; P. Hewat 2 pens, 2 cons).

- HERALD ON SUNDAY