Rugby: Crusaders slice through Sharks

Kieran Read of the Crusaders makes a break to score a try. Photo / Getty Images

Crusaders 36
Sharks 8

The Crusaders convincingly beat the Sharks 36-8 in tonight's Super Rugby playoff final at Trafalgar Park in Nelson.

Tries to Sonny Bill Williams, Kieran Read and Ben Franks off the back of Daniel Carter's 19 points proved the difference as they booked a place in next week's semifinal against the Stormers in Cape Town.

Before many spectators had even got to their seats, first-five Carter had the Crusaders leading 3-0 after the 1st minute.

The Sharks struck back with the first try of the match to stocky number eight Willem Alberts in the 12th minute.

Halfback Charl McLeod stepped his way through a lineout and burst clear deep into Crusaders territory before offloading to flanker Keegan Daniel and Alberts burrowed his way over for the five-pointer to lead 5-3.

The Sharks started the stronger of the two sides as their forwards punched the rucks with plenty of physicality as they unsettled the Crusaders eight who clearly struggled with their crash and bash tactics at the breakdown.

The well-oiled Crusaders machine showed plenty of uncharacteristic errors with dropped balls, loose passes and erratic kicking creeping into their normally crisp display.

It took a burst from returning winger Sean Maitland to get his side back on the scoreboard as he stepped inside two defenders before releasing an offload inside to second-five Sonny Bill Williams who went over to score in the 32nd minute. Carter converted.

The try seemed to ignite both the Crusaders and the home crowd who were deathly quiet up until that point, as the red and blacks had largely been restricted by the pressure defence of the Sharks backs.

Williams was involved in his side's next phase of points as he milked a penalty after being played off the ball by a Sharks player for Carter to extend the lead to 13-5 before the break.

Lambie kicked an early penalty in the second stanza but Carter responded with a three-pointer to the keep the eight-point advantage at 16-8.

The lead was stretched further when Kieran Read scored a 40 metre intercept try in the 50th minute.

The rangy number eight perfectly timed Lambie's pass out to his winger to pluck the ball out of the air and run in to score under the posts. Carter converted to 23-8.

With five minutes remaining Todd Blackadder took off his big guns as Carter, Read, Williams, Brad Thorn, Owen Franks and Corey Flynn all headed to the reserve bench.

This didn't stutter their momentum as prop Ben Franks showed tremendous strength to drive through three defenders to score his side's third try of the night.

Replacement first-five Matt Berquist converted to seal the win.

Crusaders 36 (Sonny Bill Williams, Kieran Read, Ben Franks tries; Daniel Carter 2 con, 5 pen; Mat Berquist con) Sharks 8 (Willem Alberts try; Patrick Lambie pen). Halftime: 13-5

- Herald online