MATCH REPORT: Bonus point secured as Fihaki double fuels late charge in narrow Reds defeat
The Crusaders and the Reds went head-to-head under lights at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday night in a crucial Super Rugby Pacific clash, with just one place separating the sides on the competition ladder.
With the Reds entering the match sitting fifth, and the Crusaders close behind in sixth, there was plenty riding on Saturday night’s clash at Suncorp Stadium, where competition points carried added weight as the race for finals positions tightened.
The Crusaders settled into the game early, showing good composure with ball in hand and looking to stretch the Reds across the park.
After earning early territory and cycling through a few phases to draw defenders in, space began to open on the left edge. That pressure was eventually rewarded when Christian Lio‑Willie finished strongly in the corner inside the opening five minutes to give the visitors a 5-0 lead.
The Reds responded by lifting the physicality through their forwards and spending extended time inside the Crusaders’ half. From a well-set maul, Fraser McReight peeled away to score.
Jock Campbell converted from the sideline to nudge the hosts ahead at 7-5 after 12 minutes.
From there, the contest took on a real arm‑wrestle feel. The Reds found momentum through repeated carries through the middle, with Lukhan Salakaia‑Loto busy in contact and McReight staying heavily involved as the hosts looked to build pressure phase by phase.
That pressure was turned into points through a moment of quick thinking and execution. Spotting space in behind, Harry Wilson put boot to ball, and Carter Gordon won the race to regather and score in the corner.
Campbell again added the extras, extending the Reds’ lead to 14-5 midway through the half.
The Crusaders were forced to absorb a period of sustained pressure but did well to steady themselves. Noah Hotham controlled proceedings from halfback, keeping things tight when required and helping the Crusaders work their way back up the field, even as a few opportunities went begging.
That composure paid off late in the half when the Crusaders put together their best passage of sustained possession. The forwards did the hard work through the middle, drawing defenders in and building pressure inside the 22. When the ball was eventually shifted wide, Chay Fihaki found space on the right edge and crossed, before Taha Kemara converted to bring the score back to 14-12 heading into the break.
The Reds came out with real purpose after the break and turned early territory into points. From the restart they won the lineout and built through the middle before Kalani Thomas stabbed a grubber into the left corner. Taha Kemara couldn’t quite tidy it up cleanly, and Tim Ryan arrived on the bounce to dive over in the corner.
Jock Campbell pushed the conversion wide, but the try still extended the Reds’ lead to 19-12 just a minute into the half.
The hosts threatened to strike again soon after when Filipo Daugunu broke past halfway and linked with Campbell down the flank. The try was awarded on field, but replays showed Campbell never forced it cleanly and the ball spilled backwards over the line. Johnny McNicholl then grounded it in-goal, scrubbing the score and leaving the Crusaders to deal with a line dropout instead of falling further behind.
The Crusaders started to get their forwards on top for a stretch, Bell and Lio‑Willie lead the charge as they worked their way back into the Reds’ half. A key moment came when David Havili bent a long kick into space and found touch for a 50-22, handing the Crusaders a prime attacking platform and allowing them to reset with an attacking lineout inside the 22.
The pressure kept coming. The Crusaders camped inside the five-metre channel, building phase after phase and forcing the Reds to defend on their line. When the Reds were pinged offside and the Crusaders kicked to the corner, they set the maul and drove with intent. George Bell was at the back and eventually crashed over on the right to close the gap to 19-17 with just under half an hour gone in the match.
Rivez Reihana then converted superbly from 13 metres in from the right touchline, bringing the scores level at 19-19 after 54 minutes and setting up a tense final half hour.
As the game moved into its final quarter, the Reds began to apply sustained pressure, leaning heavily on their forwards and spending long periods camped inside the Crusaders’ half. That pressure eventually told when Filipo Daugunu pounced from close range to score in his 100th Super Rugby appearance, pushing the Reds back in front at 24-19 with just over five minutes to play.
Momentum swung again soon after in dramatic fashion. With the Crusaders pushing and fatigue beginning to show on both sides, a loose moment was seized upon by Liam Werchon, who gathered a fortunate bounce and sprinted 70 metres down the right wing to score.
Harry McLaughlin‑Phillips converted from the sideline to extend the Reds’ lead to 31-19, sending Suncorp Stadium into full voice late in the contest.
With time expired, the Crusaders were handed one final opportunity when the Reds were penalised at the breakdown. They kicked to the right‑hand corner and set up for one last push. The maul was initially halted, but the ball was shifted wide where Fihaki found space again and crossed for his second try of the night, trimming the margin to 31–24, managing to score a losing bonus point, albeit it too late to swing the scoreline our way.
Rivez Reihana held his nerve and converted after the siren to make it 31–26, giving the Crusaders the final say, though ultimately falling just short after a frantic finish.
Captain David Havili says he was pleased with the effort, even if the result didn’t quite go our way.
“We started really well in the conditions, but towards the end it was slippery ball and we couldn’t execute,” Havili says.
“It’s never an easy place to come and play at Suncorp, but I’m happy the boys stuck at it, and we got the bonus point in the end.”
Full-time: Crusaders 26 – Reds 31