By COLIN KENNEDY
CRUSADERS 96 WARATAHS 19
A sublime performance from the Canterbury Crusaders crushed great Australian hopefuls, the NSW Waratahs, in Christchurch on Saturday night by a record 96-19.
The Crusaders seemed to walk on water as they handed out the most humiliating defeat to the Waratahs in Super 12 history –
much of it in the first half.
A shocking Waratahs defence was at best embarrassing as the Crusaders ran in tries at will from Marika Vunibaka, Greg Feek, Justin Marshall, Caleb Ralph (2), Scott Robertson (2), Aaron Mauger and Leon MacDonald.
Andrew Mehrtens was on song with the boot, converting his kicks from almost every conceivable angle to put the Crusaders into an unassailable 63-0 lead at the end of the first half.
The Waratahs got off to a good start in the second half when Francis Cullimore slipped through the Canterbury defence to make it 5-63. Matt Burke missed the conversion.
Then the Crusaders again put the Waratahs to the sword as first Ralph crossed for the third of his four tries, followed by Vunibaka, Daryl Gibson and Leon MacDonald.
Mehrtens missed one of his 14 conversions.
The Waratahs responded with tries from Marc Stcherbina and Des Tuiavii.
Burke converted both tries to give the Waratahs their 19 point total.
Super 12 schedule and results
