Crusaders Vs Reds: Match Report

The Crusaders hosted the Reds in the first Super Rugby qualifying playoff from Christchurch. A huge battle with the Crusaders boasting a returning All Blacks Captain in Richie McCaw and the Queensland Reds welcoming back Wallabies Captain James Horwill and scrum-half Will Genia.

The Crusaders we the form team in the competition going into the game with five straight wins, boasting a 15-1 record at the new AMI Stadium in the past two seasons and hadn’t lost to Queensland in Christchurch since 1999… But the underdogs were confident they could repeat their 2011 final heroics in what shaped up like a Test battle…

Match Report:

Crusaders 38 ( Ryan Crotty two tries, Daniel Carter try, Tom Marshall tries: Carter three con, three pen; Tom Taylor one pen) 
Reds 9 (Quade Cooper three pen) 
Halftime: 21-6 

The Crusaders have empathically dispatched the Reds to move through to the semi-finals and while they don’t yet know if they are going to Hamilton or Pretoria, it’s fair to say that this team is one who all should fear.

They now have won six straight and who would bet against them adding two more scalps to win a record eighth Super Rugby title?

Crusaders: 15-Israel Dagg, 14-Tom Marshall, 13-Ryan Crott, 12-Tom Taylor, 11-Zac Guildford, 10-Dan Carter, 9-Andy Ellis, 8-Kieran Read (c), 7-Matt Todd, 6-George Whitelock, 5-Sam Whitelock, 4-Luke Romano, 3-Owen Franks, 2-Corey Flynn, 1-Wyatt Crockett

Reserves: 16-Ben Funnell, 17-Joe Moody, 18-Luke Whitelock, 19-Richie McCaw, 20-Willi Heinz, 21-Tyler Bleyendaal, 22-Adam Whitelock

Reds: 15-Ben Lucas, 14-Dom Shipperley, 13-Ben Tapuai, 12-Jono Lance, 11-Chris Feauai-Sautia, 10-Quade Cooper, 9-Will Genia; 8-Jake Schatz, 7-Liam Gill, 6-Ed Quirk, 5-James Horwill (capt), 4-Rob Simmons, 3-James Slipper, 2-Saia Faingaa, 1-Greg Holmes.

Reserves: 16-Albert Anae, 17-Jono Owen, 18-Ed O’Donoghue, 19-Radike Samo, 20-Beau Robinson, 21-Nick Frisby, 22-Luke Morahan.