20 May 2012

Crusaders thump Blues

5:36 am on 20 May 2012

The Crusaders responded to the verbal rocket they received from coach Todd Blackadder earlier in the week by clinically demolishing the Blues 59-12 in their Super Rugby match in Christchurch.

The normally measured Blackadder, not prone to verbal outbursts, ripped into the seven-times champions after they lost 28-19 to the Melbourne Rebels last week and left them in no uncertain terms he expected better against the Blues.

The Crusaders ruthlessly responded scoring 9 tries while Dan Carter also resumed goal-kicking after recovering from a groin surgery and added six conversions before he was replaced by Tyler Bleyendaal, who added a late conversion.

The Crusaders remain second in the New Zealand conference behind the Chiefs, while the Blues are still bottom.