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Queensland Reds rolled as Crusaders restore Super order

Levi Amua of the Crusaders charges towards the tryline to score during the round four Super Rugby Pacific match between Crusaders and Queensland Reds at Apollo Projects Stadium, on March 09, 2025, in Christchurch, New Zealand. (Photo by Joe Allison/Getty Images)

The Crusaders have restored Super Rugby order in Christchurch, running in six tries to beat an erratic Queensland Reds side 43-19.

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Les Kiss’s men ended a 12-year losing streak in the New Zealand city last year and returned confident of improving to 3-0 in this campaign.

But they were made to pay for overplaying their hand, often while attempting to run out of their own defence, as the hosts punished them with six tries inside 42 minutes on Sunday.

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“Incredibly disappointing; some really good patches out there but too many times … our own worst enemies,” co-captain Tate McDermott said.

“We have to own that but it’s not the end of the world, there’s not much in it.”

Points Flow Chart

Crusaders win +24
Time in lead
75
Mins in lead
0
94%
% Of Game In Lead
0%
41%
Possession Last 10 min
59%
7
Points Last 10 min
0

The Reds will attempt to return to Brisbane on Monday, having been away from home while the region received heavy winds and ongoing rain that’s left parts of the city flooded courtesy of ex-tropical cyclone Alfred.

Weather permitting, their next assignment will be the unbeaten NSW Waratahs at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday.

McDermott said Queensland’s ball security and decision making needed to improve.

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“I know there’s a lot on the scoreboard, but a couple of breakaway tries are easy fixes for us,” he said.

“Plenty of times were were in a good position and would chance our hand with a 50-50 offload and find ourselves back down the other end.”

Player Carries

1
Harry Wilson
20
2
Christian Lio-Willie
17
3
Filipo Daugunu
14

Crusader Sevu Reece also scored a first-half double while Cullen Grace opened the scoring with a clever raid straight through the centre of the ruck as the home side improved to 2-1 after a round-three bye.

There were flashes of brilliance when forwards Josh Canham and Alex Hodgman found open space and set up tries that kept the Reds in the hunt.

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But they were offset by errors and cheap turnovers, as Crusaders fullback Will Jordan scored twice in four minutes before halftime to open a 29-7 lead.

Harry Wilson’s try before the break was cause for optimism but it was erased immediately after the restart.

Reds No.10 Harry McLaughlin-Phillips’s clearance kick was smothered and Christian Lio-Willie showed good hands to grab a loose ball and spin over for a 36-14 lead that all-but shut out the Reds.

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Reds winger Lachie Anderson scored down the right edge after setting up the play with a deft chip and chase down the left flank.

The visitors had a chance to edge closer but there was no way through the Crusaders’ defence, with Levi Aumua icing the performance with an 80th-minute try converted by former Reds playmaker James O’Connor.

“The way the game’s being refereed and played … high tempo, there’s a lot of back and forth, turnovers, big efforts required,” Jordan said.

“I love playing open, free-flowing footy. The standard so far, the competition among the team’s been great, it’s great to be a part of it.”

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Comments

1 Comment
G
GP 16 days ago

Ethan Blackadder had a great game for the Crusaders. He was everywhere and on defence was a force of nature. a great player.

J
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reginaldgarcia 1 hour ago
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JW 2 hours ago
Kyren Taumoefolau All Blacks stance splits opinions on eligibility

MP are a NZ side through and through, NZ is even having to pay for it.

Yes they caved to public demand, I bet it accomplished a lot of internal goals. They could have left it to the other groups, but I’m of the belief that they weren’t showing the capability to make it work as being a good reason for NZR to jump in and do it. I think it’s actually funded 50/50 between NZR and WR though.

(when nothing was stopping a pi player playing for any side in Super Rugby)

Neither is that fact true. Only 3 non NZ players are allowed in each squad.


I see you also need to learn what the term poach means - take or acquire in an unfair or clandestine way. - Moana have more slots for non eligible players (and you have seen many return to an NZ franchise) so players are largely making their own choice without any outside coercion ala Julian Savea.

Not one of these Kiwis and Aussies would go live in the Islands to satisfy any criteria, and I’d say most of them have hardly ever set foot in the islands, outside of a holiday.

Another inaccurate statement. Take Mo’unga’s nephew Armstrong-Ravula, if he is not eligible via ancestry in a couple of generations time, he will be eligible because he plays his rugby there (even if he’s only their for rugby and not living there), that is a recent change made by World Rugby to better reflect examples like Fabian Holland and Fakatava.

It’s becoming the jump-ship/zero loyalty joke that international League is.

Look I understand you’re reason to cry and make an example at any opportunity, but you don’t really need to anymore, other recent changes made by WR are basically going to stop the Ireland situation, and time (perhaps no more than a decade) will fix the rest.

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