Winger Scott Hamilton scored three tries Friday as the Canterbury Crusaders thrashed the Wellington Hurricanes 47-7 to reach their seventh Super 12 rugby final in a decade.
Hamilton was the only non-All Black in the Crusaders backline but he became the star a brilliant attacking performance which ensured next week's season final will be staged in Christchurch.
Flyhalf Daniel Carter scored another of the Crusaders' six tries and kicked three penalties and four conversions for a personal contribution of 22 points.
Hamilton prospered on the right wing, while on the left wing Rico Gear scored his 15th try to equal the tournament record set by Australia's Joe Roff with the Brumbies in 1997.
The win polished the Crusaders' glistening playoffs record. In 10 years they have made the semifinals on eight occasions, moved on to the final seven times and won four championships.
Their experience, depth and almost instinctive combination was obvious Friday and was a mute warning to the winner of Saturday's second semifinal between the New South Wales Waratahs and South Africa's Bulls who will face them in the final.
The Hurricanes had almost 60 percent of possession in the first half but won only 33 per cent of territory and found themselves already two tries and 18-0 down at halftime.
Their discomfort turned to embarrassment in the second half as the Crusaders, and Hamilton particularly, turned every half chance into points.
The Hurricanes gave up the ball with almost 20 turnovers and more than a dozen handling errors and those regular lapses were fuel for the Crusaders.
There was no better example of the Crusaders' threat from turnover ball than Hamilton's second try, which ranged 90 meters and involved nine passes and brilliant interplay among backs and forwards.
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