The Crusaders have gone to the top of the Super Rugby standings with a crushing 38-5 bonus point win over the Queensland Reds in Christchurch.
The Crusaders' wing Jone Macilai. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Wing Jone Macilai scored a hattrick in the six tries to one victory.
Lock Scott Barrett, loose forward Jordan Taufua and hooker Codie Taylor also scored tries while first-five Richie Mo'unga slotted three conversions.
Marty McKenzie converted Taylor's try.
Look back at match commentary here.
Reds centre Campbell Magnay scored his side's only try.
The bonus point win lifts the Crusaders to the top of the standings, level on 37 points with the Chiefs, who play the defending champion Highlanders in Hamilton tomorrow night.
It the Crusaders' eighth successive victory.
The Hurricanes, who play the Sharks in Durban on Sunday morning, are third in the overall standings, six points behind the Crusaders and Chiefs.
Jone Macilai on the run Photo: PHOTOSPORT
The Chiefs are the only team to beat the Crusaders this season.
The Crusaders set the tone early against the Reds with two tries to winger Macilai inside eight minutes as the hosts' running lines and passing into space opened large gaps in the Reds' defence.
The Reds then spent a substantial amount of time in the home side's half but were too predictable and lacked any real penetration with the Crusaders easily able to snuff out their attacks.
Macilai then turned provider after the Crusaders pack had concocted an attacking rolling maul, with the winger popping up in midfield and making the final pass to Barrett.
Mo'unga converted all three tries to give the home side a handy 21-0 halftime lead.
Macilai completed his hat-trick shortly after the break and while the winger appeared to lose control of the ball, the television match official Chris Wratt told referee Brendon Pickerill to award the try.
Magnay managed to finally breach the Crusaders defence after first-five Jake McIntyre produced a delicate kick over the line and the tall 19-year-old got to the ball first then ran 40 metres for the try.
The match then proceeded to just go through the motions for the next 15 minutes with several players, some of whom had just come onto the field, succumbing to injury and Crusaders captain Kieran Read sinbinned for a professional foul.
The Reds were unable to take advantage of the extra man, with Taufua scoring his side's fifth try before Taylor rumbled over with less than five minutes remaining.
-Reuters/RNZ
