Crusaders storm into Super 12 final

9.45pm

The Crusaders marched into the Super 12 rugby final after beating a resilient Stormers side 27-16 in the first semifinal in Christchurch tonight.

The four-time champions rallied in the second half to score two tries and finally put down the Stormers who had made their second 24-hour flight to Christchurch in a fortnight.

Daniel Carter and Justin Marshall starred for the Crusaders at Jade Stadium as the perennial Super 12 finalists played percentage rugby to keep the Stormers pinned in their half for most of the second half.

The Crusaders sealed the match when Caleb Ralph finished off a set scrum move to score in the 67th minute, taking them to seven point lead.

Scoring in the first 40 minutes was restricted to Carter and Gaffie du Toit trading two penalties each, before Stormers second five-eighth De Wet Barry crossed for the first try in the 31st minute.

Barry's five-pointer came courtesy of a botched Crusaders lineout five metres from their own line.

The Stormers snaffled the ball, hammered the defence for several phases before flinging it wide for Barry to break a tackle and slip through.

Du Toit's conversion made it 13-6, but Carter replied with another two penalties, one on the stroke of halftime, to reduce the visitors lead to one point.

The Crusaders replied early in the second half with a try to Marshall who started and finished a movement in the 42nd minute.

Carter converted, but first five-eighth du Toit slotted another penalty three minutes later to make it 19-16 to the hosts, before Ralph finished the final scoring play of the game.

"The first half was all about pressure. They put the hits on us and we managed to come out even, but in the second half we wanted to pile it on them and play down their end of the field," Crusaders captain Rueben Thorne said.

"The guys stood up tonight. We had the crowd behind us and it's just fantastic to have a home semifinal.

"We really wanted to put in a solid performance and I think we did that.

Thorne also paid tribute to Marshall who was a last minute addition to the team after suffering a hip injury two weeks ago.

"It was great to have him back, he made a big difference."

The Crusaders fellow finalists will be decided in Canberra tonight when the Brumbies host the Chiefs.

Crusaders 27 (Justin Marshall, Caleb Ralph tries; Daniel Carter 5 pen, con) Stormers 16 (De Wet Barry try; Gaffie du Toit 3 pen, con) Halftime: 13-12.

Crusaders: Ben Blair; Marika Vunibaka, Aaron Mauger, Daniel Carter, Caleb Ralph; Cameron McIntyre, Justin Marshall; Sam Broomhall, Richie McCaw, Reuben Thorne (captain), Ross Filipo, Brad Thorn, Greg Somerville, Tone Kopelani, Dave Hewett. Res: Corey Flynn, Chris King, Scott Hamilton, Johnny Leo'o, Corey Tamou, Andrew Mehrtens, Casey Laulala

Stormers: Werner Greeff; Tonderai Chavhanga, Marius Joubert, De Wet Barry, Gus Theron; Gaffie du Toit, Bolla Conradie; Adri Badenhorst, Schalk Burger, Hendrik Gerber, Selborne Boome (captain), Quinton Davids, Eddie Andrews, Pieter Dixon, Daan Human. Res: David Britz, Pat Barnard, Willem Stoltz, Pierre Uys, Neil De Kock, Gavin Hume, Breyton Paulse

- NZPA