Crusaders march into Super Rugby final

The Crusaders secured their place in the Super Rugby final beating the Sharks 38-6 on Saturday night in their semi-final in Christchurch.

In perfect conditions at AMI Stadium, the Crusaders used stoic defence and precise attacking movements to see off the challenge of the 2012 finalists, who trailed 16-6 at halftime.

After dominating the Highlanders’ pack in last week’s qualifying final, the Sharks found themselves in an unfamiliar position as the Crusaders matched their physicality up front.

The New Zealand franchise thrashed their South African opponents with tries to Kieran Read, Nemani Nadolo, Willi Heinz, Johnny McNicholl and Matt Todd.

In the Crusaders’ 11th final appearance, against the NSW Waratahs or Brumbies, coach Todd Blackadder will have a second chance to secure his first title at the helm, and the Crusaders’ eighth since 1998.

Playing his first game in five weeks due to a fractured rib, All Blacks captain Richie McCaw worked well with fellow loose forwards Read and Todd to manage the pace of the game as frustration set in among the Sharks’ forwards.

The subsequent penalties allowed Dan Carter to add 13 points with the boot and keep his side in front from just the second minute.

A lambasting from coach Jake White, captured by television cameras, failed to inspire the Sharks to gain the upper hand in a classic semi-final arm-wrestle in the second half.

The Sharks are experts at using their kickers to smother opponents, but it was obvious from the outset that nerves, and perhaps the long trek from Durban, may have taken a toll.

Two consecutive restarts were pushed out on the full by the usually reliable Frans Steyn and, when halfback Cobus Reinach launched an aimless punt from inside his 22, the Crusaders pounced.

Shifting the ball across to the left, Read breezed through the tackle of centre Paul Jordaan before swerving around one final defender in a 25-metre sprint to score the opener.

The visitors then fell on the wrong side of referee Glen Jackson and conceded a further six unanswered points as Carter slotted his second and third penalty goals for a 16-3 advantage.

Patrick Lambie, brought in to replace Steyn at flyhalf, reduced the deficit to 10 but missed a crucial penalty kick that would have brought his side to within a converted try at the break.

Things only became worse for the visitors in the second half.

Crusaders halfback Andy Ellis caught Springbok prop Jannie du Plessis napping in defence with an inside pass that set winger Nemani Nadolo away for their second try.

Carter and Lambie missed from the kicking tee as the scoreline remained at 21-6 until the 65th minute.

That’s when substitute halfback Willi Heinz capitalised on a Sharks error at the scrum, before McNicholl also came off the bench to extend the lead.

Todd rubbed salt into the wounds three minutes from time as the Crusaders marched over the line once more with a rolling maul.

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