Crusaders break record, Chiefs edge Blues, Reds too good for 'Tahs

SATURDAY WRAP: The Crusaders’ wingers crossed eight times between them as Macca Springer tied Sean Wainui’s record for most tries in a Super Rugby game.

Flyers Sevu Reece (three tries) and Springer (five) tormented the Force in Christchurch on Saturday in a 55-33 victory.

It was the Crusaders’ (3-1) second impressive defeat of Australian opposition after last Sunday’s rout of the Queensland Reds, while the Force have lost three straight games since beginning the season 2-0.

Simon Cron’s Force squad rested stars Nic White, Ben Donaldson, Hamish Stewart and Carlo Tizzano, while Dylan Pietsch (knee) and Nick Champion de Crespigny (concussion) were injured.

Simply incredible 🙌#SuperRugbyPacific | #CHIvBLU pic.twitter.com/tMW5rGsfP4

— Super Rugby Pacific (@SuperRugby) March 15, 2025

The Chiefs have hung on for a remarkable 32-31 win over the Blues in a thrilling in Hamilton.

The Blues had a chance to win the game when a perfect cross-field kick from Stephen Perofeta found Rieko Ioane right on the chest with five minutes to go.

Debutant Xavi Taele was handed the kick from the sideline and looked on its way to sneak in before slamming into the right upright.

In a chaotic final minutes, the visitors won a penalty with a minute left through Anton Segner but didn’t find touch.

A strange call to kick it back to the Blues gave them a final chance, with a cross-field kick cleaned up by the Chiefs to ensure top spot on the ladder.

The Chiefs got off to the perfect start as late replacement Daniel Rona crossed for the opener.

The hosts had an eight-point lead before winger AJ Lam, who was in for Caleb Clarke, answered straight back.

Damian McKenzie took advantage of some confusion from a dropped ball to spin and score for a 15-7 lead.

However, the Blues were desperate to vault off the bottom of the ladder and score either side of half-time through Mark Tele’a and Corey Evans.

It gave them a four-point lead before the Chiefs’ bench proved the difference.

A yellow card to Taele opened the space for Tupou Via’i to crash over as Cortez Ratima extended their lead to ten points.

The Blues kept themselves in the game through Marcel Renayta’s try from close with 15 minutes to go before the chaotic ending.

McKenzie’s 71st-minute penalty goal proved critical after Ioane’s late try, with the Chiefs ensuring they would stay top at the end of the ladder.

Meanwhile, the Blues leap over Moana Pasifika and Fijian Drua thanks to the losing bonus point, but face a tough challenge against the Crusaders next week.

Wallabies teammates Harry Wilson and Andrew Kellaway have reignited Australian rugby’s greatest rivalry before the Queensland Reds ended the NSW Waratahs’ unbeaten Super Rugby Pacific start.

But a potentially serious shoulder injury to star Reds and Wallabies No.7 Fraser McReight was a sore point in their 35-15 bonus point win on Saturday night at Suncorp Stadium.

There was no love lost as the Waratahs, boasting former longtime Reds Taniela Tupou and Lawson Creighton, arrived looking to dent their rivals’ top-four aspirations.

All the results below

Quick hands and incredible ball movement 🔥#SuperRugbyPacific | #REDvWAR pic.twitter.com/wjx2SWDLj2

— Super Rugby Pacific (@SuperRugby) March 15, 2025

Crusaders 55-33 Western Force

The scorers:

For Crusaders:
Tries: Springer 5, Reece 3, Jordan;
Cons: Kemara, O’Connor 4

For Western Force:
Tries: Grealy, Harris, Williams, Potter
Cons: Burey, Miln
Pens: Burey 3

Teams: 

Crusaders: 15 Will Jordan, 14 Sevu Reece, 13 Braydon Ennor, 12 David Havili (captain), 11 Macca Springer, 10 Taha Kemara, 9 Kyle Preston, 8 Christian Lio-Willie, 7 Tom Christie, 6 Corey Kellow, 5 Antonio Shalfoon, 4 Scott Barrett, 3 Fletcher Newell, 2 Codie Taylor, 1 Tamaiti Williams.
Replacements: 16 Ioane Moananu, 17 George Bower, 18 Seb Calder, 19 Tahlor Cahill, 20 Ethan Blackadder, 21 Mitchell Drummond, 22 James O’Connor, 23 Levi Aumua.

Western Force: 15 Mac Grealy, 14 Harry Potter, 13 Sio Tomkinson, 12 Reesjan Pasitoa, 11 George Poolman, 10 Max Bury, 9 Isaak Fines-Leleiwasa, 8 Reed Prinsep, 7 Kane Koteka, 6 Will Harris, 5 Darcy Swain, 4 Jeremy Williams (captain), 3 Tom Robertson, 2 Brandon Paenga-Amosa, 1 Marley Pearce.
Replacements: 16 Ryan Coxon, 17 Nic Dolly, 18 Atu Moli, 19 Sam Carter, 20 Josh Thompson, 21 Henry Robertson, 22 Coby Miln, 23 Divad Palu.

Referee: Damon Murphy
Assistant referees: Jeremy Markey, George Myers
TMO: Brett Cronan

Chiefs 32-31 Blues

The scorers

For Chiefs
Tries: Rona, McKenzie, Vaa’i, Ratima
Cons: McKenzie 3
Pens: McKenzie 2

For Blues:
Tries: Lam, Tele’a, Evans, Renata, Ioane
Cons: Plummer 2, Taele

Teams:

Chiefs: 15 Shaun Stevenson, 14 Emoni Narawa, 13 Anton Lienert-Brown, 12 Quinn Tupaea, 11 Leroy Carter, 10 Damian McKenzie, 9 Xavier Roe, 8 Luke Jacobson (captain), 7 Jahrome Brown, 6 Simon Parker, 5 Tupou Vaa’i, 4 Naitoa Ah Kuoi, 3 George Dyer, 2 Brodie McAlister, 1 Ollie Norris.
Replacements: 16 Samisoni Taukei’aho, 17 Aidan Ross, 18 Sione Ahio, 19 Jimmy Tupou, 20 Samipeni Finau, 21 Cortez Ratima, 22 Josh Jacomb, 23 Daniel Rona.

Blues: 15 Corey Evans, 14 Mark Tele’a, 13 Rieko Ioane, 12 Xavi Taele, 11 Caleb Clarke, 10 Harry Plummer, 9 Sam Nock, 8 Anton Segner, 7 Dalton Papali’i, 6 Cameron Christie, 5 Laghlan McWhannell, 4 Patrick Tuipulotu (captain), 3 Ofa Tu’ungafasi, 2 Kurt Eklund, 1 Jordan Lay.
Replacements: 16 Nathaniel Pole, 17 Joshua Fusitu’a, 18 Angus Ta’avao, 19 Josh Beehre, 20 Cameron Suafoa, 21 Finlay Christie, 22 Stephen Perofeta, 23 AJ Lam.

Referee: Ben O’Keeffe
Assistant referees: Stu Curran, Jackson Henshaw
TMO: Glenn Newman

Reds 35-15 Waratahs

The scorers:

For Reds
Tries: Murray, Wilson, Asiata, McReight, Blyth
Cons: Lynagh 5

Waratahs 15
Tries: Reilly, Gleeson
Con: Edmed
Pen: Creighton

Teams:

Reds: 15 Heremaia Murray, 14 Lachie Anderson, 13 Filipo Daugunu, 12 Hunter Paisami, 11 Tim Ryan, 10 Tom Lynagh, 9 Tate McDermott (captain), 8 Harry Wilson, 7 Fraser McReight, 6 Seru Uru, 5 Ryan Smith, 4 Josh Canham, 3 Zane Nonggorr, 2 Matt Faessler, 1 Sef Fa’agase.
Replacements: 16 Richie Asiata, 17 Alex Hodgman, 18 Jeffery Toomaga-Allen, 19 Angus Blyth, 20 Joe Brial, 21 Kalani Thomas, 22 Harry McLaughlin-Phillips, 23 Dre Pakeho.

Waratahs: 15 Andrew Kellaway, 14 Triston Reilly, 13 Henry O’Donnell, 12 Joey Walton, 11 Max Jorgensen, 10 Lawson Creighton, 9 Teddy Wilson, 8 Leafi Talataina, 7 Charlie Gamble, 6 Rob Leota, 5 Ben Grant, 4 Hugh Sinclair (captain), 3 Taniela Tupou, 2 Dave Porecki, 1 Angus Bell.
Replacements: 16 Mahe Vailanu, 17 Tom Lambert, 18 Siosifa Amone, 19 Felix Kalapu, 20 Jamie Adamson, 21 Langi Gleeson, 22 Jack Grant, 23 Tane Edmed.

Referee: James Doleman
Assistant referees: Marcus Playle, Fraser Hannon
TMO: Richard Kelly