An avalanche of points to the Crusaders in the second half has awarded them a 52-10 bonus point victory over the Brumbies at Trafalgar Park in Nelson.
Sean Maitland scored four tries for the home side, while Dan Carter converted eight goals. The Brumbies started with an early try to Matt Giteau thanks to a tremendous tackle from Colby Faingaa.
Dan Carter followed with consecutive penalty goals to reduce the margin to one, before Matt Giteau put three on the board with a penalty goal from roughly 43 metres out.
Matt Giteau was yellow carded for obstructing the ball from half-back Andrew Ellis during a ruck.
Carter converted to make it 10-9, but it was soon 16-10 when Sean Maitland scored off a line-break from Andrew Ellis and a great offload from Sonny Bill.
At the start of the second half, three tries in seven minutes sent the score to 40-10.
Maitland got his hat-trick and Sonny Bill scored his second try in two games for the Crusaders. Maitland soon had four as the score was raised to 45 with still half of the second half to be played.
The final 20 were much slower than the previous one, with the only points coming off a try to former Highlander Israel Dagg.
The bonus point win puts the Crusaders second in the New Zealand conference right behind the undefeated Highlanders, while the Brumbies sink lower in the Australian conference.
Crusaders 52 (S Maitland 4, S Williams, I Dagg tries; D Carter 4, Berquist conversions; D Carter 4 penalties) beat Brumbies 10 (M Giteau try; M Giteau conversion; M Giteau penalties)
From the sideline
Guest
I saw the great takle by Faingaa and like the rest of the Brumbies run on squad didn't see much after that. Saw also a great miss by the same person. I think Fiangaa thought he was playing touch. Good solid ball runner good front on tackler but still an apprentice but the press will only remember the great tackle and forget he did not play the whole game just like the rest of the run on squad. A bit late coach to run on fresh players when your already down 40-10. Should have left your start on team their for the photo shot.
Franzenhans
Guest
Thankfully, I only watched the first half and what I saw was a try awarded to Giteau because of the ref's mistake, then Giteau carded because of the ref's mistake, then several instances of the Brumbies kicking to the Saders. Did somebody tell the Brumbies that Dagg, Maitland and SBW could safely be ignored and to go ahead and give up possession? Beats the hell out of me, lieutenant.