Crusaders hammer bulls

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Crusaders outplay Vodacom Bulls

Posted on Friday, February 22, 2008 - 22:22

The Vodacom Bulls suffered one of their heaviest defeats in Super Rugby when they went down 54-19 against a raging Crusaders outfit at Loftus on Friday.
The Bulls had a brilliant start and they were leading 12-0 after 30 minutes but the game swung the Crusaders' way in the next 20 minutes when they managed to score 24 unanswered points.

The visitors' inside centre, Stephen Brett, scored the first of his team's seven tries in the 32nd minute after a brilliant attacking line from Daniel Carter. Carter converted Brett's try and a few minutes later Andre Ellis scored a crucial breakaway try to give the Crusaders a handy 17-12 halftime lead.

After the break the Bulls' bad luck continued when Marius Delport had to leave the field with an injury and when the captain Richie McCaw scored his team's third try in the 48th minute the game was won.

McCaw's men started to throw the ball around during the last part of the game and the end result was tries by Carter, Kade Poki, Nasi Manu and Leon MacDonald.

JP Nel scored the Bulls' only try of the match five minutes from the end but it was a game the Bulls need to erase from their memory.

As a team the Bulls weren't on the same level as the Crusaders but individually guys like Zane Kirchner, John Mametsa, Fourie du Preez and the loose trio of Perdie Wannenburg, Wikus van Heerden and Deon Stegmann tried their best.

Danie Rossouw had a few good runs and Derick Kuün's work rate is always something special, but the evening belonged to the team of Robbie Deans.

They must get a lot of credit because the absorbed the pressure in a very mature manner in the early stages of the game and when they got the opportunity to score tries the seized the moment like no other team in this competition can do.

Well done to them, they are definitely the team to beat in 2008 (Have to agree with them here)
SCORERS:

Crusaders: Tries: Leon MacDonald, Kade Poki, Stephen Brett, Daniel Carter, Andrew Ellis, Richie McCaw, Nasi Manu. Conversions: Daniel Carter (5). Penalties: Carter (3).

Vodacom Bulls: Try: JP Nel. Conversion: Morné Steyn. Penalties: Derick Hougaard (4).

Taken from Bulls website...

[Jess]

what the? it was 12 - 0 to the bulls when I stopped watching and went to bed.

guess it just goes to show that it doesn't matter how far in front you are, if there is more time on the clock, there is still time for the crusaders to win.

On the plus side, three of the Crusaders try scorers are in my fantasy team and carter is my captain.

[Skiza]

On the plus side, three of the Crusaders try scorers are in my fantasy team and carter is my captain.

Carter is my captain too

Great win to the Crusaders, they're going to be hard to stop this year!!

[GIGS20]

Those Crusaders look bloody awesome this year...I went to bed as well...the game was just looking boring, but I caught the replay and the 'Saders just GUTTED THEM!!!!!! I like the fact that I've got 4 'Saders and 4 in my fantasy team! I might have to drop Franks week 4 though!