Carter scored one of the Crusaders' five tries in a bonus-point performance at west London's Twickenham stadium and added four conversions and three penalties.

Winger Sean Maitland touched down twice, while fullback Israel Dagg and winger Zac Guildford scored the other tries in a rampant performance by the Crusaders' backs.

The Durban-based Sharks managed four tries for a consolation point of their own but Jacques-Louis Potgieter — playing at flyhalf in the absence of the injured Patrick Lambie — managed to convert just one of those scores.

With star center Sonny Bill Williams running the show, the Crusaders stormed into a 34-18 lead by halftime after tries by Carter, Maitland, Guildford and Dagg.

Only a try by openside flanker Willem Alberts and 13 points by Potgieter kept the score vaguely respectable at the interval, but the short break seemed to reinvigorate the South African side — which came back to 37-28 through tries by winger Odwa Ndungane and lock Alistair Hargreaves.

But the Crusaders made the game safe with 15 minutes left when Maitland grabbed a second try of the match, which replacement kicker Matt Berquist converted in the Spring sunshine.