The Crusaders cemented their place at the top of the Super 14 with a comprehenseive 34-7 victory over the Waratahs in Christchurch.
The Crusaders called on all their reserves in patience to outmuscle the New South Wales Waratahs 34-7 in a grinding Super 14 rugby match at Christchurch tonight.
Confronted by a blue defensive wall that only buckled late, the Crusaders pulled out the hard yards to maintain a perfect start through six rounds and stretch their competition lead.
The plucky Waratahs hit the lead 7-6 early in the second spell through a try to No 8 Wycliff Palu but all their defence saw them tire significantly in the final quarter.
Centre Casey Laulala, No 8 Mose Tuiali'i, reserve prop Wyatt Crockett and fullback Scott Hamilton all crossed for tries in the last 25 minutes to earn another bonus point while first five-eighth Daniel Carter kicked all his six shots for 14 points.
A superior scrum, greater cohesion on the drive and domination of territory proved the difference in warm conditions at AMI Stadium.
The Crusaders were often foiled by handling errors in the face of clinical defence when they went wide, turning the first 60 minutes into a war of attrition.
Without injured backs Stephen Brett and Leon MacDonald, the Crusaders lacked some of the thrust that had seen them tally 27 tries in their first five games.
However, the dam burst in the 55th through a brilliant solo try to centre Casey Laulala which seemed to break the spirit of the belligerent visitors.
Carter kicked penalties in the second and second-last minute of the first half to give his team a 6-0 lead.
Both teams showed more intent after the break and the visitors were rewarded with their only try, created when halfback Brett Sheehan offloaded cleverly to reserve hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau, who fed inside to an unmarked Palu.
The Waratahs' lead lasted just five minutes before Laulala produced his game-changing effort, coming on the end of a long period in which the Crusaders battered away for no reward.
With his team losing ground, second five-eighth Tim Bateman hoisted a bomb that seemed more hopeful than attacking but Laulala leaped over Sheehan, fended off fullback Lachie Turner and outsprinted him in a 30m dash for the right corner.
Tuiali'i and Crockett both crashed over to score close to rucks, the former after 17 energy-sapping phases.
The bonus point came off a pinpoint Carter cross kick which lock Brad Thorn batted back to Hamilton.
The Crusaders, who have won seven of eight home games against the Waratahs, face another major test next weekend away to the Hurricanes.
The Crusaders called on all their reserves in patience to outmuscle the New South Wales Waratahs 34-7 in a grinding Super 14 rugby match at Christchurch tonight.
Confronted by a blue defensive wall that only buckled late, the Crusaders pulled out the hard yards to maintain a perfect start through six rounds and stretch their competition lead.
The plucky Waratahs hit the lead 7-6 early in the second spell through a try to No 8 Wycliff Palu but all their defence saw them tire significantly in the final quarter.
Centre Casey Laulala, No 8 Mose Tuiali'i, reserve prop Wyatt Crockett and fullback Scott Hamilton all crossed for tries in the last 25 minutes to earn another bonus point while first five-eighth Daniel Carter kicked all his six shots for 14 points.
A superior scrum, greater cohesion on the drive and domination of territory proved the difference in warm conditions at AMI Stadium.
The Crusaders were often foiled by handling errors in the face of clinical defence when they went wide, turning the first 60 minutes into a war of attrition.
Without injured backs Stephen Brett and Leon MacDonald, the Crusaders lacked some of the thrust that had seen them tally 27 tries in their first five games.
However, the dam burst in the 55th through a brilliant solo try to centre Casey Laulala which seemed to break the spirit of the belligerent visitors.
Carter kicked penalties in the second and second-last minute of the first half to give his team a 6-0 lead.
Both teams showed more intent after the break and the visitors were rewarded with their only try, created when halfback Brett Sheehan offloaded cleverly to reserve hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau, who fed inside to an unmarked Palu.
The Waratahs' lead lasted just five minutes before Laulala produced his game-changing effort, coming on the end of a long period in which the Crusaders battered away for no reward.
With his team losing ground, second five-eighth Tim Bateman hoisted a bomb that seemed more hopeful than attacking but Laulala leaped over Sheehan, fended off fullback Lachie Turner and outsprinted him in a 30m dash for the right corner.
Tuiali'i and Crockett both crashed over to score close to rucks, the former after 17 energy-sapping phases.
The bonus point came off a pinpoint Carter cross kick which lock Brad Thorn batted back to Hamilton.
The Crusaders, who have won seven of eight home games against the Waratahs, face another major test next weekend away to the Hurricanes.
Crusaders halfback Andy Ellis said his side were initially guilty of expecting to open up their opponents' defence as they had done in last week's 55-7 defeat of the Cheetahs.
"In some respects we were a little bit loose to start with, we were pushing 50-50 passes," Ellis told Sky Sport.
"When we put our heads down and ground them down, space opened up after that."
Ellis said it was rewarding to win a game in which little was given away.
"We toiled really hard in the first half, they've got some really strong ball runners and it really took it out of us in the first half.
"It wasn't quite the flow but the ball was a little bit greasy and we didn't have the same go-forward that we'd had over the last couple of weeks.
Waratahs captain Phil Waugh was disappointed his side couldn't stick to a game plan that looked like it could rattle the six-time champions.
"We tackled our hearts out but they still ended up with four tries," he said.
"That try after halftime (to Palu) we probably should have consolidated but we couldn't get any field position and that hurt us in the end."
Result of the Super 14 rugby match at AMI Stadium in Christchurch tonight:
Crusaders 34 (Casey Laulala, Mose Tuiali'i, Wyatt Crockett, Scott Hamilton tries; Daniel Carter 2 pen, 4 con) New South Wales Waratahs 7 (Wycliff Palu try; Kurtley Beale con). Halftime: 6-0.