Defending Super 14 champions the Crusaders started life after Robbie Deans and Dan Carter in winning fashion, overcoming a 14-point deficit to post a thrilling 24-19 pre-season victory over the Western Force in Perth on Friday night.

In front of a sellout crowd of almost 18,000, the Force conceded the first try of the match but looked on course for victory when they posted three unanswered tries to race out to a 19-5 lead inside 35 minutes.

But the Crusaders hit back with a vengeance, notching three unanswered tries of their own before holding off a determined Force outfit in a frantic final 10 minutes to secure the win.

The Force entered the match without Wallabies Nathan Sharpe, Matt Giteau, Ryan Cross and James O'Connor, while the Crusaders All Blacks contingent of Richie McCaw, Kieran Read, Corey Flynn, Ben Franks, Brad Thorn and Ross Filipo were also rested.

Fans were barely in their seats when some slack Force defence allowed the Crusaders to post the first try of the match after just 65 seconds.

Flanker George Whitelock was the lucky recipient of the Force's sloppy marking, barging over for the easiest of tries after being left unguarded at the back of a Crusader line-out.

The Force were awarded a penalty try in the 12th minute when Drew Mitchell was impeded as he jumped to grab a Scott Daruda chip, and the Force notched their second try of the match eight minutes later when a neat pass from Daruda released Josh Tatupu into space.

The home side extended their lead to 19-5 in the 34th minute when a powerful rolling maul saw Luke Holmes cross over but the Crusaders hit back through a second try to Whitelock.

Tempers flared in the 48th minute when Crusaders scrumhalf Andy Ellis took a swing that made a glancing connection to the face of Force lock David Pusey. and the Crusaders closed the gap to two points when winger Jared Payne finished of a sweeping move from the visitors.

Crusaders winger Kade Poki scored the winning try in the 64th minute when he crossed over in the corner but the visitors were made to work hard to hold their lead, with the tiring Force mounting numerous attacks in the dying minutes.

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