SUPER 12 champions Canterbury Crusaders crushed the hapless Bulls 75-27 on Friday. The Crusaders scored 11 tries to three in their demolition job, a sorry reflection of a side that boasts seven Springboks. It took the Crusaders just 25 minutes to earn their four-try bonus point, after touchdowns by Caleb Ralph (2), debutant Chris Jack and Justin Marshall. All were converted by Andrew Mehrtens.
The Bulls’ contribution to the first half scoring was a dropped goal from Jannie de Beer and a penalty from the Springbok flyhalf. Canterbury were quick to increase the 28-6 halftime lead. In 10 second half minutes they doubled their try count through Marshall’s second, Scott Robertson, Marika Vunibaka and Ralph’s third of the night. All but one of those was converted by the injured Mehrtens’ replacement Aaron Mauger. Replacement flanker Dallas Seymour scored a try for the Crusaders with virtually his first touch and this was converted by Mauger. With the score 61-6 and Canterbury using all seven replacements, the Bulls managed to wrest some territorial control from the rampant Crusaders. Jaco van der Westhuizen scored the Bulls’ first try from a simple intercept, which de Beer converted. De Beer was on hand to cross-kick to winger Henry Pedro who caught and fell in one movement for the second try four minutes later. Frikkie Welsh made it three for the Bulls in the 75th minute, but in the dying moments the flying Fijiian winger Vanibuka scored his third after some woeful tackling from the Bulls and Mauger converted from wide out.