Winger George Bridge scored two tries as the Canterbury Crusaders sealed the top spot in Super Rugby throughout the playoffs with a 45-22 victory over the Otago Highlanders to celebrate Wyatt Crockett's 200th match milestone on Friday.

David Havili, Scott Barrett and Richie Mo'unga all crossed for the Crusaders in the highly entertaining encounter, which moved them to 58 points and means all of their playoff matches, including the final if they make it, will be at home.

The Crusaders also received a massive boost ahead of the playoffs with All Blacks captain Kieran Read returning after back surgery last year and putting in some solid hits and bruising runs before he was replaced in the 48th minute.

Tyrel Lomax, Ben Smith and Waisake Naholo all crossed for the visitors, who in reality did not deserve to lose by as much as they did but just ran into a Crusaders side marching ominously towards a likely ninth title.

Former All Blacks prop Crockett became the first player to achieve 200 Super Rugby caps when he came on as a sixth-minute replacement for Joe Moody, who appeared to suffer a knee injury in setting up Bridge's opening try.

Crockett has already said this season would be his last for the Christchurch-based side, who re-named the venue in Addington as "Wyatt Crockett Stadium" for the match.

"He came on and put in a performance that epitomised who he was," Crusaders coach Scott Robertson said of Crockett's performance. "He just got stuck in.