Crusaders cut down Bulls in Super 12 rugby action

Scorers * Canterbury Crusaders 40 (Greg Somerville 2, Marika Vunibaka 2 tries; Daniel Carter 4 conversions, 4 penalties) * Bulls 21 (Anton Leonard, Fourie du Preez, Willem de Waal tries; Derek Hougaard penalty; Willem de Waal penalty)

All Blacks prop Greg Somerville and winger Marika Vunibaka each scored two tries as the Canterbury Crusaders beat South Africa's Bulls 40-21 in a Super 12 rugby match Saturday.

Somerville's international teammate Daniel Carter kicked 20 points -- four conversions and four penalties from nine attempts -- as the Crusaders closed on a place in the championship semifinals.

Tighthead prop Somerville scored two opportunistic tries and Vunibaka his sixth and seventh tries of the season for a Crusaders team which struggled for fluency. Carter missed his first attempt at goal then calmly kicked eight in succession to inflate the winning margin.

"They're a big, strong team and they really took it to us so we just had to grind it out," said Crusaders captain Reuben Thorne.

"It wasn't much of a match to look at but we got it in the end. They really attacked us and that cost us momentum. I don't think we put together more than two or three phases at any stage.

"But we'll take the points. It's pretty close at the top of the table and any points we can get we'll gladly accept."