The Crusaders yesterday produced a clinical performance in difficult conditions to beat the Queensland Reds 32-12 and claim home advantage in next week’s Super Rugby semi-finals.
Lock Scott Barrett and prop Tamaiti Williams scored first-half tries to reward an outstanding performance from the Crusaders’ forwards in wet, slippery conditions and bitterly cold temperatures.
Scrumhalf Noah Hotham defied the conditions in the second half to score a superb solo try and, after kicking a conversion and penalty to make the score 22-0 at the hour mark, flyhalf Rivez Reihana scored a try which took the game beyond the Reds.
Photo: AFP
“Typical Christchurch weather, cold, wet and dark, and we love it,” Hotham said.
The result means that the Crusaders are now 30-0 in home playoff matches, while Australian teams are 0-20 in playoff matches in New Zealand.
“Obviously we’re really disappointed with the result, but I’m really proud of this group and the season that we had,” Reds captain Tate McDermott said. “They were all over us at the breakdown and collision area, and we just couldn’t get into our cycle.”
The Reds fought hard and created early chances which often were undone by handling errors close to the try-line. They finally had success in the 70th minute when Josh Nasser scored from a lineout drive. Then, in the 76th minute, Fraser McReight scored from a kick by fellow backrow Harry Wilson.
Replacement Crusaders scrumhalf Kyle Preston finished with an intercept try in the last minute.
The Crusaders had superiority in the scrum which produced four penalties in the first half alone, and dominated the collisions and the breakdown.
The Reds suffered a major setback when they lost Wallabies flyhalf Tom Lynagh to a head injury midway through the first half.
“We had to grind it out near the end there, but I think the way our forwards set it up was huge and our set-piece was huge, so we’re really happy with that,” Crusaders captain David Havili said.
In the 15th minute the Crusaders won a breakdown turnover and Havili put the ball out 5m from the Reds’ line. Josh Canham won the ball cleanly for the Reds, but in transferring it to McReight, Barrett got a hand in the way. He regained the ball and drove over for the first try of the match.
In the 20th minute, the Crusaders won a penalty close to the Reds 22 when McDermott was ruled to be not supporting his weight at a ruck. The Crusaders kicked to the corner, Barrett won the lineout and after several thrusts, Williams forced his way over. He limped from the field a few minutes later with a knee injury.
Rivez Reihana landed one of two conversions and the Crusaders led 12-0 at halftime.
Reihana left the field temporarily for a head injury assessment before halftime which allowed veteran flyhalf James O’Connor to make an earlier-than-expected appearance against his former teammates.
Hotham pursued his own kick to score a brilliant try in the 57th minute and Reihana scored after the Crusaders had sorely pressed the Reds’ defense from lineouts.
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