The Crusaders have scored the first Power Try on the way to a 44-8 win over the Western Force in their World Series Rugby (WSR) clash at nib Stadium.

Scrumhalf Mitchell Drummond scored the seven-point try in the sixth minute on Friday night after the Crusaders launched a successful attack from within their defensive 22m.

No team was able to score a Power Try in the previous three WSR matches.

The Force fought valiantly against the defending Super Rugby champions, and trailed by just eight points at halftime.

But they couldn’t go the distance against a Crusaders side who still oozed talent despite missing their All Blacks.

The Force managed just one try for the night, while the Crusaders ran in six.

The Crusaders’ squad boasted more than 700 games of Super Rugby experience, and included former All Blacks Israel Dagg and Wyatt Crockett.

A crowd of 14,259 turned up for the contest, and they were treated to fireworks and a fire-twirling display before the match.

The visitors started the better of the two sides, with a long-range attack finding its way to Drummond to touch down for the Power Try.

The Force hit back through Ian Prior in the 10th minute, with the try set up by a crash-and-bash run from debutant winger Masivesi Dakuwaqa.

Dakuwaqa, who won an Olympic gold medal for Fiji’s Sevens side in 2016, is severely vision impaired in his left eye after a rubber-band mishap in primary school.

The 24-year-old put in an impressive display for the Force, but the home side had to defend for long stretches of the match.

The Crusaders sit on top of the Super Rugby table with a 12-2 record, and will aim to continue their hot form at the end of the international Test window.