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Crusaders 53 -def- 0 ForceWell if you're gonna get crucified, Easter is the time to do it - stay tuned for the Resurrection.....
How it happened:
Emirates Western Force vs Crusaders. Kickoff 3.35pm WA time, Saturday 7 April.
About five minutes to kick off now. There appear to be no changes to the teams named during the week.
Teams are out on Jade Stadium now on a chilly (should that be spelt 'chully'?) christchurch night. Force to kick off.
Oh and Richard Brown goes very close to scoring! He's pushed into touch be Aaron Maugher this time though. Only 2 mins gone.
Taipan hits Sharpie at the back of the lineout beautifully - that's a good sign.
First scrum is a bit messy - referee Mark Lawrence decides to reset. Force eventually win their own ball, and are on the attack. Drew Mitchell's chip goes a bit far though... 22m restart.
Force having plenty of possession early here. We all know the Crusaders love attacking from a turnover. Force pinged for offside now.
8 mins and Matt Hodgson replaces Dave Pocock (blood)
Try to the Crusaders... Mose Tuiali'i offloads to Rico Gear, who finishes well. Carter takes the kick 5m in from touch, and pushes it to the right. Crusaders lead 5-0, 13 mins gone.
Trouble now as the Crusaders forwards march ahead... and Tuiali'i scores the home sides second try! Carter converts, and it's 12-0 early on here with only about 16 mins gone.
Pocock returns from the blood bin after 18 minutes
Force awarded a penalty in midfield near halfway. I wonder if they would have gone for goal if Shep's knee was ok. Gits puts it into touch though.
Pocock drills Leon MacDonald in a super tackle, knocking the All Black fullback 4 or 5 metres back. That comes after some average Force defence from a grubber kick by Gear.
Lots of kicking from both sides tonight. I think the home side are winning that battle too.
The drizzle doesn't look likely to stop tonight in Christchurch; it's a pretty slippery pill out there.
Almost half an hour gone now and a penalty is awarded to the Crusaders in kicking range. Carter will have a shot for goal. The maestro knocks it through to open the lead out to 15-0.
The Force are a bit guilty of running east-west rather than north-south at the moment; they need a change of angle.
Just to clarify, east-west is running sideways, and is not a good thing!
Whyatt 'Crockzilla' Crockett and Troy 'Chicken' Takiari are having a real one-on-one battle at scrum time. Pretty even so far between two props who have come on in leaps and bounds in 2007.
36 mins gone and it's still 15-0 to the Crusaders.
Plenty of dropped ball out there. Kieran Read is out there now for the Crusaders, Micheal Patterson has gone off. Reuben Thorne will go into the second row.
A scrum win to the Crusaders 22m out, and out of nowhere Read scores after a Tuiali'i inside ball! That wasn't well played by the Force defenders. Carter converts, 22-0 now.
Penalty to the Force, but Shep can't kick the goal. Still 22-0.
HALF TIME: Crusaders 22 Emirates Western Force 0. The Force played some enterprising rugby at times, but the Crusaders look very determined to make a statement tonight. The WA boys haven't looked like penetrating the red and black wall, and have conceded three tries in 40 minutes. I wonder what John Mitchell is talking about in the sheds right now.
Injured Force lock Pat O'Connor, who is doing expert commentary on 882 6PR radio, suggests the Force might need to hold onto the ball a bit more rather than kicking so much. It'll be tough to pull this deficit back
Teams back out there, and Crusaders are hard on attack early.
Try to Ross Filipo! The red and black forwards marched through, and Filipo give the Crusaders the perfect start to the second half in the 42nd min. Carter converts, 29-0.
A big scare there for the Force as Sharpie goes down and looks to be in some strife. No... he's tough as teak and will soldier on.
Tai McIsaac replaced by Brendan Cannon; 44 mins gone.
Whyatt Crockett replaced by Ben Franks. Scott Fava down getting some attention - apparently it's a bleeding sideburn. Doherty comes on for Fava (blood). 48ish minutes gone... sorry, I've lost my clock...
Corey Flyn replaced by Ti'i Paulo. Dan Carter has gone down behind the play here too. Mose Tuiali'i replaced by Johnny Leo'o. Tuiali'i has been super tonight.
Takiari replaced by AJ Whalley.
Referee gets in the way, giving him the oppotunity to blow his whistle again. Not his fault though; there's plenty of dropped ball tonight. Fava returns fromthe blood bin for Doherty with 57 minutes gone.
Pocock replaced by Hodgson after 58 mins
Cam Shepherd showing some good form with the boot, but no signs of his fantastic running skills at this stage.
Try to the Crusaders skipper as Richie McCaw takes a forward pass from Rico Gear to stroll over. Carter is ok, and will take the kick. He's missed this one though, but it's 34-0 now with 64 mins gone.
More changes as Stephen Brett replaces Casey Laulala. Brett filled in for Carter during the All Blacks 'reconditioning' period, and proved to be a fine player.
Scott Hamilton replaces Rico Gear. Several Force players are down receiving attention, including prop Gareth Hardy. They're all ok though.
Bad news as the scrum collapses, and Brendan Cannon is not moving anywhere in a hurry. It's been about 5 minutes now... Canno is lifted onto a stretcher and this looks very serious.
About 10 to go now, and referee Lawrence is referring this one to the TMO as Filipo crashes towards the line. Looks like the ball is on the line, but it's a tough call. On the line is a try - TMO agrees! Try to Filipo! Early birthday present for the lock, who turns 28 this week. Carter converts, and it's 41-0.
Kevin Senio replaces Andrew Ellis.
Jon McGrath comes on for his Super Rugby debut. He probably wishes it was in a different situation, but congrats regardless Jonny. Chris O'Young comes off.
Kieran Read has scored again. It's 48-0 now after Carter converts.
Intercept! Filipo has a hat trick! It's a bloodbath... carter misses the kick, but it's 53-0 as the siren sounds to put the Force out of their misery.
FULL TIME: Crusaders 53 Emirates Western Force 0. Enough said. Let's look forward to the Chiefs in Hamilton next Saturday.
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Originally Posted by Bacon
