Match Report: Convincing Win at Home v Reds

On a sunny Sunday afternoon at Apollo Projects Stadium, the stands were filled with excited fans who were ready for a great afternoon of footy in Christchurch. 

Matatū set the scene for the home double header with a brilliant 29-7 win over Hurricanes Poua, to provide the Crusaders with a bit of motivation to get the job done and make it two from two on home soil. 

It didn’t take long for the Crusaders to get themselves on the board with Cullen Grace making the most of a lapse in the Reds defence to power over the line. A successful conversion from Kemara makes it 7-0.  

Shortly after the Reds lost their starting hooker Matt Faessler early to the blood bin.  

A forward pass by the Reds gives the Crusaders a scrum 5 meters inside Red's territory. Sevu Reece was out wide unmarked and receives the ball from captain David Havili to send Reece across the line in the corner for his 60th Super Rugby try to extend the lead to 12. 

The Reds hit back in the 24th minute by sending it out wide to Filipo Daugunu to go over in the corner.  

A successful conversion from Harry McLaughlin-Phillips took the score to 12-7. 

The Reds centre Dre Pakeho received a huge hit from Ethan Blackadder and the ball was spilt and picked up by the home side.  

The game repeats itself, and the ball is sent wide for Sevu Reece to touch down for his second try of the match, which put him to third on the all-time Super Rugby try-scoring list and his team with a 10-point lead.  

The Crusaders’ momentum continued with a class try from Will Jordan while hot on attack.  

And again, it was a case of dejavu as Jordan receives a brilliantly timed kick from Taha Kemara to send him over the line just three minutes later.  

A successful conversion from Kemara took the score to 29-7. 

The Reds wanted to have the last say before the break, as Harry Wilson stormed over the line. A conversion had the halftime score at 29-14 to the Crusaders. 

The Crusaders started the second half with just as much fire as the first. Captain David Havili makes an offload inside to Christian Lio-Willie as he storms over the line in the corner. 

A conversion from Kemara drew the lead out to 22. 

After a few sold attacking plays, the Reds winger Lachie Anderson barged over in the corner to draw the deficit back to 17.  

In the last few minutes of the game, a low kick from the Reds’ Tim Ryan collected Captain David Havili’s face, sending him off the field for an HIA.  

A loose pass from the Reds is then swooped up by Levi Aumua for the 10th and final try of the match.  

James O’Connor makes a fitting final play of the game by converting the try, to give the Crusaders a 43-19 win over his old team the Reds. 

Head Coach Rob Penney is thrilled with the team’s performance. 

“Coming off the back of a bye, sometimes it can be difficult as you don’t have your rhythm, but we got our attacking rhythm really quickly which we were rapt with. 

Penney’s message is simple as the Crusaders look to maintain their momentum as they look to the Force next Saturday at home. 

“We’ve got a group that’s determined.”