Crusaders ruin Reds reunion
What a difference a week makes for the Crusaders.
The Super Rugby Aotearoa champions reaffirmed their status as the team to beat in Super Rugby Transtasman with a thunderous victory over their fellow 2021 title winners, the Australian champion Reds.
One week ago, an error-ridden red and blacks side nervously wiped the sweat away from their brow when a missed conversion was all that spared them from a demoralising draw with the Brumbies on home turf.
Last night, in a balmy Brisbane where the Reds’ 2011 Super Rugby title-winning side — who beat the Crusaders in the final 10 years ago — was celebrated, the Cantabrians erased any Queensland-centric hopes of a similar result early on.
The Crusaders made light work of the Reds’ defensive structures right from kickoff, led by chief playmaker Richie Mo’unga, who was at his typical poaching best, pouncing on a loose ball to score their first before breaking free to set up the second for an early 14-0 lead.
The early platform was laid and the Crusaders’ high-octane attack and defensive line speed worked in tandem to produce an array of attacking opportunities. The Crusaders worked the ball out of their own half with unrivalled confidence, more often than not getting results.
That was helped by an incredible work rate at the breakdown led by their polarising back row trio of Whetukamokamo Douglas, Ethan Blackadder and Cullen Grace, as the visitors enjoyed 60 per cent of the ball on the night.
Mo’unga dug into his bag of tricks in the second half with a terrific solo effort for his third five-pointer, adding to an earlier score for Sevu Reece — his second — to make it 42-7.
The Reds came to life in patches with tries coming just before halftime to halfback Tate McDermott, before two in a matter of minutes courtesy of Harry Wilson and Suliasi Vunivalu in the second half saw them trail 49-21 with 15 minutes to play.
Hopes a valiant comeback however, were nullified, thanks to tries to replacement prop Tamaiti Williams and skipper Codie Taylor for the Crusaders in the final 11 minutes, to nail a nine-try showcase.
Crusaders 63 (Richie Mo’unga 3, Sevu Reece 2, Cullen Grace, Tamaiti Williams, penalty try, Codie Taylor tries; Mo’unga 8 cons) Reds 28 (Tate McDermott, Harry Wilson, Suliasi Vunivalu, Brandon PaengaAmosa tries; James O’Connor 4 cons). HT: 28-7.