The Canterbury Crusaders are making a sterling early-season defence of their southern hemisphere rugby title.
The Christchurch, New Zealand-based Crusaders, winners of the final Super 12 title last season, are perfect after six matches in the expanded Super 14, beating South Africa’s Cats 43-15 on Friday to open the sixth round.
In another match on Friday in Perth, Australia’s Western Force slumped to 0-5 in the competition following a 32-7 loss to the Wendell Sailor-led New South Wales Waratahs.
All Blacks Leon MacDonald and Aaron Mauger scored two tries each to give the Crusaders a bonus point.
Fullback MacDonald and inside centre Mauger both scored tries in each half, and All Blacks lock Chris Jack and scrumhalf Andy Ellis added others as the Crusaders ensured their place at the top of the championship ladder cannot be overtaken in the sixth round.
All Blacks flyhalf Daniel Carter converted five of the six tries and added a penalty to take his individual tally to 107 points from six matches this season.
”Early in the game it was a bit messy. It didn’t quite click but we finally got going and these five points could be valuable at the other end of the season,” Crusaders captain Reuben Thorne said.
”We finally wore them down. We seem to be finishing strongly in these games but not starting that well.”
Sailor, recalled after a three-match ban for being drunk during the Waratahs’ trip to South Africa last month, crossed for the Waratahs’ second and third tries in a bonus-point away win at Subiaco.
The Force were without captain Nathan Sharpe due to injury and Scott Fava, who was on duty with the Australian Commonwealth Games rugby sevens team.
Waratahs flyhalf Mat Rogers’s quiet game ended with a suspected broken nose in a head clash with Haig Sare, who scored the only try for the Force. After a dour 30 minutes following the half-time break, Sailor crossed in the corner to end any hope for the Force. — Sapa-AP
Summaries
Canterbury 43 (Leon MacDonald 2, Aaron Mauger 2, Chris Jack, Andy Ellis tries; Daniel Carter 5 conversions, penalty)
Cats 15 (Wikus van Heerden, KleinJan Tromp tries; Earl Rose conversion;
Tiaan Snyman penalty).
New South Wales 32 (Wendell Sailor 2, Al Kanaar, Will Caldwell tries; Peter Hewat 3 conversions, 2 penalties)
Western Force 7 (Haig Sare try; Brock James conversion).