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Bulls hit bottom Crusaders take first with 75-27 Super 12 victory
Posted: Friday April 28, 2000 06:31 PM
CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand (AP) -- Defending titlist Canterbury Crusaders went No. 1 and rooted the Northern Bulls to the foot of the Super 12 standings on a 75-27 win Friday at Christchurch. Wingers Caleb Ralph and Marika Vunibaka scored three tries apiece and scrumhalf Justin Marshall grabbed two as the Crusaders ran in 11 tries. The Bulls, who had led 3-0 after eight minutes on a Jannie De Beer penalty goal and trailed 7-6 after the Springbok flyhalf landed a dropped goal, slumped to a 50-point deficit before notching three tries in the last 16 minutes. The Crusaders, who missed the chance to overhaul the ACT Brumbies last week on a surprise loss to the olden Cats, earned a bonus point with four tries before halftime to move atop the standings with 33 points. The Brumbies are No. 2 with 31 points but have a game in hand against Waikato at Hamilton, New Zealand, on Saturday. Canterbury led 28-6 at halftime against the winless Bulls. Caleb Ralph scored two tries in the opening 40 minutes, lock Chris Jack capped off a driving movement with a try and scrumhalf Justin Marshall crossed just before the break. The Crusaders lost All Blacks flyhalf Andrew Mehrtens, who left the field clutching his ribs following a heavy tackle in the opening period, but piled on the points in the second half. Marshall opened the scoring four minutes after the break, scoring under the posts to extend the margin to 35-6. Scott Robertson and Marika Vunibaka scored in 47th and 49th minutes before Ralph picked up a third five-pointer to give the Crusaders a 54-6 lead going into the last half hour. Vunibaka scored again before Jaco van der Westhuizen scored the Bulls first try to make the score 61-13. Tries for the Crusaders by Dallas Seymour and Vunibaka were matched in the last 10 minutes by tries to Bulls pair Henry Pedro and Frikkie Welsh. Scorers: Crusaders 75 (Caleb Ralph 3, Marika Vunibaka 3, Justin Marshall 2, Dallas Seymour, Scott Robertson, Chris Jack tries; Aaron Mauger 6 conversions, Andrew Mehrtens 4 conversions) def. Northern Bulls 27 (Jaco van der Westhuizen, Henry Pedro, Frikkie Welsh tries; Jannie de Beer 1 penalty, 1 dropped goal, 3 conversions).
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