Monday 23 March 2015 15:04, UK
The Crusaders launched a second-half blitz to smash the Cheetahs 57-14 in their Super Rugby clash on Saturday.
The Crusaders ran in eight tries to two and scored 47 unanswered points in the second half to extend the Cheetahs' woeful away record.
The Cheetahs led 14-10 at half-time but the seven-time champions responded in style, with All Black fly-half Daniel Carter scoring two tries and kicking seven conversions.
Fellow international Israel Dagg was also among the try-scorers for the star-studded Crusaders as the second half turned into a massacre.
The Crusaders dominated the opening 30 minutes, despite having winger Kieron Fonotia sin-binned early for a dangerous tackle, with Jordan Taufua giving them the first try.
But Francois Venter hit back with a 70-metre intercept try against the run of play, inspiring the fired-up Cheetahs and Johann Sadie grabbed a second three minutes later.
The wounded Crusaders embarked on an attacking frenzy after the break and soon earned a penalty try, sparking a comeback which soon became a rout.
Pollard kicks Bulls to victory
Handre Pollard kicked his sixth penalty of the match 35 seconds from time to give Bulls a 25-24 home Super Rugby win over Western Force on Saturday.
The Springbok fly-half stood out in an often scrappy match at Loftus Versfeld stadium in Pretoria, contributing 20 points from six penalties and a conversion and raising his season tally to 92 points.
Tighthead prop Marcel van der Merwe scored the lone try for the South Africans, whose third consecutive win in the southern hemisphere inter-provincial championship lifted them two places to seventh.
Force suffered a fifth defeat in a row after starting the season with a win against title-holders the Waratahs.
They came agonisingly close to becoming the first Australian side to win a Super Rugby league match at Loftus since 2007 after taking a two-point lead two minutes from time. They outscored three-time champions the Bulls by three tries to one with the impressive Adam Coleman, skipper and lock Sam Wykes and centre Kyle Godwin dotting down.
Torrential pre-match rain, accompanied by thunder and lightning, left the pitch soft and greatly reduced the crowd. The Bulls faithful saw Pollard kick an early penalty and two more after Coleman burst down the middle to score, leaving the home team 9-7 ahead at half-time.
A fluffed Burton penalty led to the second Force try as the ball rebounded off the post and Jacques du Plessis was dispossessed by fellow lock Wykes, who barged over.
But the Van der Merwe pushover try and a series of Pollard penalties turned a five-point deficit into a 22-14 lead before Godwin slipped over and closed the gap to a single point.
That changed to a two-point Force advantage when Ebersohn slotted a 60-metre penalty, only for victory to be snatched from the brave Australians' grasp by Pollard.
Three red cards as depleted Sharks sink Chief
A 13-man Sharks team registered a gutsy 12-11 victory over the Chiefs in an ill-tempered Super Rugby clash that featured three sendings-off on Saturday.
In driving wind and rain at King's Park, the visitors were the first to see red on 15 minutes when hooker Hika Elliot was dismissed for shoulder-barging the head of Sharks prop Tendai Mtawarira.
Home captain Bismark du Plessis was then sent off three minutes later for blatantly kicking the head of Chiefs No 8 Michael Leitch.
The ill-discipline continued when Sharks centre Frans Steyn was dismissed for a tip-tackle on fly-half Aaron Cruden in the 28th minute.
In between there were some points scored as flanker Sam Cane crossed for a try for the visitors and Cruden added two penalties.
Sharks fly-half Pat Lambie also booted three penalties as the Chiefs led 11-9 at halftime.
Lambie added another penalty for the only score of the second half and the home team were able to keep the Chiefs at bay despite their numerical disadvantage.
