The Crusaders have won their last nine Super Rugby games against Queensland Reds.
The Crusaders have also won their last 10 home fixtures against the Reds, having not lost to them in Christchurch since March 1999 (36-23).
The Saders have lost two of their last four Super Rugby matches in Christchurch (W2), as many defeats as they logged in their previous 44 games at home (W41, D1, L2).
- The Queensland Reds have lost three of their last four Super Rugby away matches (W1), as many defeats as they logged in their last eight games on the road (W5, L3).
- The Australians have lost their last 18 games away from home against New Zealand opposition, their longest ever such losing streak
- The Reds have conceded 40+ points in each of their last three away matches against New Zealand sides.
- Queensland has made 44 turnover tackles in the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific season, the joint-most by any team in the campaign and 10 more than the Crusaders (34).
Players to watch
- James O’Connor (79) and Richie Mo’unga (78) have made more kicks in play than any other players this Super Rugby Pacific season.
- Sevu Reece has made 15 line breaks, the most by any player in the competition and six more than Fraser McReight (9).
- Will Jordan has made 1,379 metres, the most by any player; the Queensland Reds’ best Harry Wilson (867) has made the most metres of any forward.
Match detail
We are waiting for the kick-off.
In the meantime, why not have a look at the match preview.
1.00: PEEEP! We are underway in Christchurch, New Zealand.
3.00: A solid opening scrum by the Reds, but they are struggling to get over the gainline. After several phases, Tate McDermott has to kick away possession.
4.00: The Crusaders have no issues with getting over the gainline. Leicester Fainga’anuku made a linebreak and sped into the opposition’s 22. The winger’s offload almost put away Pablo Matera, but the flanker lost the ball forward.
5.00: Matt Faessler is going off, the hooker got knocked out trying to tackle Cullen Grace.
7.00: Both teams are going to the boot a lot in the last series of play, but the Crusaders look dangerous every time they touch the ball.
10.00: The visitors are under the pump, they cannot get out of their 22. The hosts keep them pinned before Scott Barrett loses the ball in contact.
11.00: TRY! Fergus Burke opens the scoring after the Crusaders got the hook, winning the Reds’ scrum. The Kiwis spread the ball wide to Will Jordan before going back to the left. David Havili sent a long cutout pass to Burke, who cut inside Feao Fotuaika and Jock Campbell to score. 5-0
12.00: CONVERSION! Burke adds the extras. 7-0
14.00: The Reds’ set-piece is on the ropes as they lose a lineout inside the opposition’s half. Thorn’s men are playing behind the advantage line, the Crusaders are hitting them back and winning the collisions.
15.00: TRY! Easy as you like. Braydon Ennor sucked in two defenders before offloading to Jordan. The fullback waltzes through a big hole to dot down for his 34th Super Rugby try. 12-0
16.00: CONVERSION! Burke increases from in front. 14-0
19.00: The Reds have managed several series’ of sustained attacks, but they are struggling to make any meatres; the Saders’ defence is incredible with first-time tackling as well as hitting the ruck.
21.00: Another botched attack from a lineout gives possession back to the home team.
24.00: Tate McDermott takes a quick tap penalty and darts towards the chalk. The scrumhalf is stopped short and loses possession, the Crusaders clear. That is poor from the Reds’ skipper.
26.00: PENALTY! Lawson Creighton puts his team on the board. 14-3
28.00: Scrum to the Reds after a Jordan knock-on. Suliasi Vunivalu breaks down the right touchline, but the winger loses possession trying to kick. The Crusaders counter-attacked, but another knock-on kills the attack.
30.00: We’ve been here in every Crusaders’ game of the last 20 years: If you don’t take your chances, the 10-time champions will hurt you; they always take their opportunities.
32.00: The Saders have made seven handling errors to four with no turnovers to two.
34.00: Fraser McReight is offside at the ruck, which allows Burke to set up an attacking lineout on the opposition’s 5m.
36.00: Feao Fotuaika collapses the maul, and Burke goes to the flag again. The Reds are under the pump.
37.00: TRY! Brodie McAlister flops over the chalk after a powerful leg drive in the driving maul. 19-3
38.00: CONVERSION! The kick is good. 21-3
41.00: Another lost lineout almost proves costly, but the Reds win the ball, and clear for halftime.
The halftime score was Crusaders 21 Queensland Reds 3
41.00: PEEEP! We are back underway at Orangetheory Stadium.
43.00: The visitors have started well, but poor handling kills another attack.
45.00: NO TRY! Jordan crosses the whitewash, but Harry Wilson gets his arms under the ball to hold him up. 21-3
48.00: It’s all Saders at the moment, the Reds cannot string anything together.
50.00: A couple of penalties for the Reds inside the opposition 22 keep the home team on the back foot.
52.00: Creighton goes to the corner again.
53.00: Another botched lineout allows the Kiwis to clear the danger.
55.00: YELLOW CARD! Pablo Matera is off for a tip-tackle on Jordan Petaia. Matera is a lucky boy, that was dangerous by the South American flanker. 21-3
56.00: TRY! Richie Asiata crashes over from close range. 21-8
57.00: CONVERSION! The kick is good. 21-10
59.00: The hosts are camped inside the Reds’ 22.
62.00: Ethan Blackadder loses possession on the Reds’ try line, Queensland clear but the Crusaders counter-attacked. However, more mistakes kill both teams’ chances for points.
65.00: The Saders are back to 15 players; they kick to the corner and set up a driving maul. Two side entries by the tourists give the home side a penalty near the try line.
67.00: TRY! Tom Christie manages to roll out of a tackle and place the ball down despite McReight’s late intervention. 26-10
68.00: CONVERSION! The kick is good. 28-10
71.00: The Reds have a penalty advantage and kick to the corner, but the ball is not gathered. Creighton goes to the corner.
72.00: TRY! Wilson steps inside the wide defenders to score in the corner. 28-15
73.00: MISS! The kick is wide. 28-15
76.00: The game is a bit slow as the players take a breather. The Crusaders will cement second, while the Reds will stay seventh on the log.
78.00: The hosts will be looking to strike again; they want that bonus point.
80.00: NO TRY! Burke is over for his second after a juggling act by the players, but Jordan stepped on the line before offloading. 28-15
81.00: The Reds continue to search for a late score. McReight goes through the middle to set up a final surge.
82.00: The ball is lost out after 14 phases. The Reds played better in the second half but might have to come back to Orangetheory for the quarter-final. Ouch.
FULL TIME
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The final score is Crusaders 28 (21) Reds 15 (3)
Scorers
Crusaders
Tries – Burke, Jordan, McAlister, Christie
Pen –
Con – Burke (3)
Drop –
Cards – Matera (Yellow, 55′)
Reds
Tries – Asiata, Wilson
Pen – Creighton
Con – Creighton
Drop –
Cards –
Match Officials
Referee: Ben O’Keeffe
Assistant Ref 1: James Doleman
Assistant Ref 2: Stu Curran
TMO: Shane McDermott
Teams
Crusaders: 15 Will Jordan, 14 Sevu Reece, 13 Braydon Ennor, 12 David Havili, 11 Leicester Fainga’anuku, 10 Fergus Burke, 9 Mitch Drummond, 8 Cullen Grace, 7 Ethan Blackadder, 6 Pablo Matera, 5 Sam Whitelock, 4 Scott Barrett (captain), 3 Oli Jager, 2 Brodie McAlister, 1 George Bower.
Replacements: 16 Ricky Jackson, 17 Finlay Brewis, 18 Tamaiti Williams, 19 Zach Gallagher, 20 Tom Christie, 21 Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, 22 Chay Fihaki, 23 George Bridge.
Reds: 15 Jock Campbell, 14 Suliasi Vunivalu, 13 Jordan Petaia, 12 Hamish Stewart, 11 Filipo Daugunu, 10 Lawson Creighton, 9 Tate McDermott (co-captain), 8 Harry Wilson, 7 Fraser McReight, 6 Angus Scott-Young, 5 Ryan Smith, 4 Seru Uru, 3 Feao Fotuaika, 2 Matt Faessler, 1 Dane Zander.
Replacements: 16 Richie Asiata, 17 Harry Hoopert, 18 Sef Fa’agase, 19 Angus Blyth, 20 Connor Vest, 21 Liam Wright (co-captain), 22 Kalani Thomas, 23 Mac Grealy.
