Reds snap 15-year hoodoo with thrilling win over Crusaders

WRAP: The Reds have snapped a 15-year hoodoo in a 31-26 win against the defending champion Crusaders, keeping their Super Rugby Pacific finals aspirations intact.

But they may count the cost of the historic win, with playmaker Carter Gordon injuring his right knee in Saturday night’s clash at Suncorp Stadium.

The Wallabies’ No.10 contender left the field in the 44th minute after coming off second best from a tackle, and he later had his knee in a brace and was holding crutches.

Gordon’s loss would be significant for Queensland (5-3) as they push for a finals spot with their next three games against top-four sides.

Regardless, the Reds snapped a horror losing streak to the Crusaders, having not beaten them in Brisbane since the 2011 Super Rugby grand final.

It came as that 2011-winning Queensland squad watched the current side rebound from their 42-19 home thumping by the Western Force last round.

Victory wasn’t easy as the visitors stayed in the contest despite the Reds dominating, but late tries to winger Filipo Daugunu and substitute Louis Werchon secured Queensland’s victory and cemented their position inside the league’s top six.

Daugunu dazzled all game in his 100th competition appearance, running for 120 metres and scoring a try.

*The Hurricanes have firmly established themselves as title favourites with a 42-19 win over the Blues in Wellington.

Fullback Callum Harkin and scrumhalf Cam Roigard were among the standouts as Clark Laidlaw’s team continues to run riot in Super Rugby Pacific.

Returning fullback Harkin sliced through for the opener, running a great line in the fourth minute.

The hosts smothered the Blues and eventually had a 14-0 lead after Billy Proctor dived over.

The Blues were hungry for a road win, sporting either shaved or dyed blonde hair in honour of retired teammate Cam Suafoa, who called time on his career due to cancer.

They composed themselves and eventually rallied through in-form centre AJ Lam to get on the board.

Lovely work from the backline sparked the Blues as Codemeru Vai’s hands set up his fellow winger Caleb Clarke in the corner.

Clarke finished brilliantly in the corner for his 39th try in his Blues career, reducing the margin to two.

Fehi Fineanganofo steadied the ship for the hosts, with Roigard’s break creating enough chaos for the damaging winger to do what he does best and cross the line.

It gave the Hurricanes a 21-12 lead heading into the break, which they quickly extended after the break via Asafo Aumua.

Aumua found himself piloting an unstoppable rolling maul, breaking clear at the end for the try.

Roigard’s kicking game started to cause all sorts of chaos, producing a masterclass for his chasers as they kept the Blues under pressure.

But just as the ‘Canes looked as if they were threatening to run away with it, the game was flipped on its head when Fineanganofo was yellow-carded for a clear high shot on Mason Tupaea.

It flipped the field completely, and instead of defending their line, the Blues were crashing over the Hurricanes as Malachi Wrampling kept the visitors in the fight.

In the end, the class of the Hurricanes was on full display as Harkin restored the lead when he scooped up Ruben Love’s deflected grubber and dived over for his second.

Cam Roigard sealed the win with a quick tap try with ten minutes to go.

Remarkably, it sets up another top-of-the-table clash for next week, with the Chiefs leapfrogging the Blues after their win over Moana Pasifika.

*Damian McKenzie became the Chiefs’ highest-ever try scorer in his side’s dominant 62-17 win over Moana Pasifika at Rotorua International Stadium.

The result sees the Chiefs go to the top of the Super Rugby Pacific table, pending the top-of-the-table clash between the Hurricanes and the Blues on Saturday night.

McKenzie clocked up a record 43rd try for the Chiefs early in the second half, which saw him surpass Sitiveni Sivivatu’s record.

The All Black playmaker also brought up 1500 points, just the second time a NZ player has achieved that for one team in Super Rugby.

Chiefs duo Quinn Tupaea and Kyren Taumoefolau were also in devastating form as they tore apart Moana Pasifika.

The Super Rugby Pacific Player of the Year leader was at his best, scoring a double and setting up two more in the one-sided rout.

Meanwhile, Taumoefolau scored two of his own as they go top of the ladder for a couple of hours before the Hurricanes-Blues contest.

The hosts’ tough fortunes were summed up in the 28th minute when a bloodied Tom Savage was yellow-carded for a head-on-head shot, leaving them down to 14.

It gave McKenzie a chance to get in on the fun, getting his second late in the contest. With those five pointers, the Chiefs’ superstar became the all-time leading try scorer (44), whilst also bringing up 1,500 points in Super Rugby.

It sees the flyhalf close in on Morne Steyn (1,551) and Beauden Barrett (1,576) on the all-time point-scoring table, with Dan Carter still comfortable at the top (1,708).

The Chiefs face the Hurricanes next weekend, while Moana Pasifika will be out to rebound against the NSW Waratahs.

*Zac Lomax has been unable to inspire the Western Force to victory in his professional rugby union debut as they went down to the Fijian Drua 22-24 in a thriller in Lautoka.

Ex-NRL and State of Origin star Lomax looked comfortable after coming off the bench to the wing in the 60th minute before a raucous Fiji crowd, five weeks after signing his two-year deal with next year’s home World Cup front of mind.

Lomax registered 40 run metres and two clean breaks but did not get to enjoy a winning debut after Ben Donaldson missed with a long-range penalty attempt in the 80th minute that could have secured victory.

The loss left the WA-based side’s finals hopes on life support as they sit well below the sixth-placed Reds on the ladder.

For the Drua, they kept their 100 per cent record against the Force in Fiji intact, ending a three-game losing streak as winger Isikeli Basiyalo (102 metres, one try) starred in his competition debut.

Victory was doubly welcome for their fans after Cyclone Vaianu lashed parts of the tropical island earlier in the week.

*Find all Saturdays’ scores and scorers below:

Chiefs 62-17 Moana Pacifika

Scorers:

For Chiefs:
Tries: Tupaea 2, Taumoefolau 2, Thompson 2, McKenzie 2, Finau, Jacomb;
Cons: McKenzie 6

For Moana Pasifika:
Tries: Alaimalo, Pole, Faiilagi;
Con: Pellegrini

Teams

Moana Pasifika: 15 William Havili, 14 Solomon Alaimalo, 13 Tevita Latu, 12 Lalomilo Lalomilo, 11 Glen Vaihu, 10 Jackson Garden-Bachop, 9 Augustine Pulu, 8 Semisi Tupou Ta’eiloa, 7 Niko Jones, 6 Miracle Faiilagi (captain), 5 Veikoso Poloniati, 4 Tom Savage, 3 Paula Latu, 2 Millenium Sanerivi, 1 Malaki Hala-Ngatai
Replacements: 16 Samiuela Moli, 17 Abraham Pole, 18 Atu Moli, 19 Jimmy Tupou, 20 Semisi Paea, 21 Melani Matavao, 22 Patrick Pellegrini, 23 Tyler Pulini

Chiefs: 15 Liam Coombes-Fabling, 14 Leroy Carter, 13 Kyle Brown, 12 Quinn Tupaea, 11 Kyren Taumoefolau, 10 Damian McKenzie, 9 Cortez Ratima, 8 Simon Parker, 7 Jahrome Brown, 6 Samipeni Finau, 5 Tupou Vaa’i (captain), 4 Seuseu Naitoa Ah Kuoi, 3 Reuben O’Neill, 2 Tyrone Thompson, 1 Ollie Norris
Replacements: 16 Brodie McAlister, 17 Jared Proffit, 18 Sione Ahio, 19 Fiti Sa, 20 Luke Jacobson, 21 Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, 22 Josh Jacomb, 23 Reon Paul

Referee: Marcus Playle
Assistant referees: James Doleman, Fraser Hannon
TMO: Glenn Newman

Western Force 22-24 Fijian Drua

Scorers:

For Fijian Drua:
Tries: Cakobau, Rabitu, Armstrong-Ravula, Basiyalo
Cons: Armstrong-Ravula 2

For Western Force:
Tries: Epenisa, Pietsch, Williams, Harris
Con: Donaldson

Teams

Fijian Drua: 15 Isikeli Rabitu, 14 Isikeli Basiyalo, 13 Tuidraki Samusamuvodre (co-captain), 12 Virimi Vakatava, 11 Ilaisa Droasese, 10 Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula, 9 Issak Fines-Leleiwasa, 8 Elia Canakaivata, 7 Motikiai Murray, 6 Etonia Waqa, 5 Joseva Tamani, 4 Isoa Nasilasila (co-captain), 3 Mesake Doge, 2 Zuriel Togiatama, 1 Penaia Cakobau
Replacements: 16 Mesulame Dolokoto, 17 Emosi Tuqiri, 18 Samuela Tawake, 19 Vilive Miramira, 20 Kitione Salawa, 21 Isoa Tuwai, 22 Simione Kuruvoli, 23 Manasa Mataele

Western Force: 15 Mac Grealy, 14 George Bridge, 13 Hamish Stewart, 12 Bayley Kuenzle, 11 Dylan Pietsch, 10 Ben Donaldson, 9 Henry Robertson, 8 Vaiolini Ekuasi, 7 Jack Daly, 6 Nick Champion de Crespigny, 5 Jeremy Williams (captain), 4 Franco Molina, 3 Misinale Epenisa, 2 Brandon Paenga-Amosa, 1 Sef Fa’agase
Replacements: 16 Nic Dolly, 17 Marley Pearce, 18 Harry Johnson-Holmes, 19 Lopeti Faifua, 20 Will Harris, 21 Agustin Moyano, 22 Kurtley Beale, 23 Zac Lomax

Referee: Damon Murphy
Assistant referees: Jordan Way, Jeremy Markey
TMO: James Leckie

Hurricanes 21-12 Blues

Scorers:

For Hurricanes:
Tries: Harkin, Proctor, Fineanganofo
Cons: Love 3

For Blues:
Tries: Lam, Clarke
Cons: B Barrett

Teams

Hurricanes: 15 Callum Harkin, 14 Josh Moorby, 13 Billy Proctor, 12 Jordie Barrett (co-captain), 11 Ruben Love, 10 Cam Roigard, 9 Peter Lakai, 8 Du’Plessis Kirifi (co-captain), 7 Devan Flanders, 6 Warner Dearns, 5 Caleb Delany, 4 Pasilio Tosi, 3 Asafo Aumua, 2 Xavier Numia, 1 Fehi Fineanganofo
Replacements: 16 Raymond Tuputupu, 17 Siale Laukai, 18 Tevita Mafileo, 19 Isaia Walker-Leawere, 20 Brad Shields, 21 Brayden Iose, 22 Ereatara Enari, 23 Jone Rova

Blues: 15 Zarn Sullivan, 14 Codemeru Vai, 13 AJ Lam, 12 Caleb Clarke, 11 Beauden Barrett, 10 Finlay Christie, 9 Malachi Wrampling, 8 Anton Segner, 7 Che Clark, 6 Sam Darry (captain), 5 Josh Beehre, 4 Marcel Renata, 3 Bradley Slater, 2 Ofa Tu’ungafasi, 1 Xavi Taele
Replacements: 16 James Mullan, 17 Mason Tupaea, 18 Sam Matenga, 19 Tristyn Cook, 20 Torian Barnes, 21 Taufa Funaki, 22 Pita Ahki, 23 Payton Spencer

Referee: Nic Berry
Assistant referees: Reuben Keane, Louis Trisley
TMO: Brett Cronan

Reds 31-26 Crusaders

Scorers:

For Reds:
Tries: McReight, Gordon, Ryan, Daugunu, Werchon
Cons: Gordon, Campbell, McLaughlin-Phillips

For Crusaders:
Tries: Lio-Willie Fihaki 2, Bell
Cons: Kemara, Reihana 2

Teams

Reds: 15 Jock Campbell, 14 Filipo Daugunu, 13 Josh Flook, 12 Hunter Paisami, 11 Tim Ryan, 10 Carter Gordon, 9 Kalani Thomas, 8 Harry Wilson, 7 Fraser McReight (captain), 6 Joe Brial, 5 Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, 4 Seru Uru, 3 Nick Bloomfield, 2 Matt Faessler, 1 Aidan Ross
Replacements: 16 Richie Asiata, 17 Jeffery Toomaga-Allen, 18 Zane Nonggorr, 19 Hamish Muller, 20 Vaiuta Latu, 21 Louis Werchon, 22 Harry McLaughlin-Phillips, 23 Isaac Henry

Crusaders: 15 Johnny McNicholl, 14 Chay Fihaki, 13 Leciester Fainga’anuku, 12 David Havili (captain), 11 Sevu Reece, 10 Taha Kemara, 9 Noah Hotham, 8 Christian Lio-Willie, 7 Corey Kellow, 6 Dom Gardiner, 5 Jamie Hannah, 4 Antonio Shalfoon, 3 Fletcher Newell, 2 George Bell, 1 George Bower
Replacements: 16 Manumaua Leitu, 17 Finlay Brewis, 18 Seb Calder, 19 Tahlor Cahill, 20 Johnny Lee, 21 Louie Chapman, 22 Rivez Reihana, 23 Dallas McLeod

Referee: Angus Gardner
Assistant referees: George Myers, Matt Kellahan
TMO: Aaron Paterson

Additional source @SuperRugby