Crusaders roar past Lions
The under-strength Crusaders cruised to a 46-19 Super 14 victory over the Lions in Christchurch.
Last Updated: 22/03/10 11:27am
The under-strength Crusaders cruised to a 46-19 Super 14 victory over the Lions at the AMI Stadium in Christchurch.
Despite the Lions' best efforts to stifle their hosts, the Crusaders' class eventually told as they ran in five tries for a bonus-point success.
They did not start well though, two quick penalties for unnecessary offences at rucks enabling Burton Francis to boot the Lions to a 6-0 lead.
Colin Slade pulled one back as the Crusaders finally found a bit of territory and fluency, then Sean Maitland crossed for the first of his two tries, taking a superb outside line and striding home from 40m out.
While Slade couldn't land the conversion, he did boot a long-range penalty to put his side 11-6 ahead on the quarter-hour mark.
Hope
That should have been a healthy building block, but a lax moment around the fringes by the Crusaders in their own 22 allowed Hannes Frankin to sneak over under the posts unopposed and Francis' conversion gave the Lions the lead back.
Slade's third penalty saw the lead change hands again, and then it was Jonathan Poff who extended the home side's advantage after taking an inside pass from Maitland.
The two fly-halves exchanged further penalties before the break of a match which struggled for rhythm throughout.
Slade extended the lead once more after 50 minutes, but it wasn't until Adam Whitelock scampered over off Crotty's pop pass on the hour that the home side looked comfortable.
Earl Rose's long-range penalty gave the Lions a flicker of hope, but the Crusaders dominated the final quarter.
Maitland sealed the bonus point with five minutes to go and Willi Heinz salted the Lions' wounds with a tap and go dart for the fifth, right on the hooter.
