Crusaders 36-8 Sharks, Super Rugby Qualifier, June 25
Read full of praise for gutsy Crusaders
ESPNscrum Staff
June 25, 2011
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Crusaders skipper Kieran Read dives in to score, Crusaders v Sharks, Super Rugby Qualifier, Trafalgar Park, Nelson, New Zealand, June 25, 2011
Crusaders skipper Kieran Read dives in to score during their victory over The Sharks in Nelson © Getty Images
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Crusaders captain Kieran Read paid tribute to his side's "heart" following their comprehensive 36-8 victory over The Sharks in their Super Rugby semi-final qualifier in Nelson.

Read, who pounced for one of his side's three tries, heaped praise on his side after they kept their hopes of a eighth Super Rugby title alive by ending those of their South African rivals. Centre Sonny Bill Williams and replacement prop Ben Franks also crossed with fly-half Dan Carter adding 19 points with the boot but Read preferred to focus on the efforts of the team as a whole.

"It took a bit of time, and we knew that was going to be the case," said Read, whose side will now tackle the Stormers in Cape Town next weekend for a place in the final. "The Sharks are a quality outfit so the guys stuck in there and to just finish it off at the end, create those opportunities, was great for us.

"It shows the amount of heart we wanted to put into the performance. It's just part of this journey these boys have created this season and we want to do well over there [in South Africa] and hopefully get another win under our belts."

Sharks skipper Stefan Terblanche was gracious in defeat and full of praise for the Crusaders' achievements during a troubled season. "We would have liked to have gone on further but we came up against a championship team tonight," said the veteran.

"They've had a lot of adversity, a lot of difficulty outside of rugby. For a team to come together the whole season, not to play one home game all season, well, the Sharks wish them all the very best."

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