Crusaders race to the top
The six tries to one win saw them overtake fellow New Zealand franchise the Chiefs – who will play the Highlanders in a crunch match in Hamilton on Saturday.
The Crusaders and Chiefs are both on 37 points after nine matches, but the Crusaders' 33-point winning margin saw them creep ahead of the Chiefs on points differential.
Try-machine Waisake Naholo's suspension proved no hindrance as another Fijian wing, Jone Macilai-Tori, stepped up with a three-try effort.
He had two in the first eight minutes and Crusaders skipper Kieran Read said it set up the win.
"It certainly does help when you have a start like that," he said.
The result was the Crusaders fifth straight victory over the Reds since the Queenslanders defeated them in the Super Rugby Final in 2011.
Macilai-Tori scored his first try from an overlap after four minutes, then latched onto the end of a slick assist from the base of a scrum for his second.
Scott Barrett crossed for the Crusaders third after pressure from a line-out drive in the 33rd minute to make it 21-0 after the conversion.
Macilai-Tori then completed his hat-trick just after the restart, running onto free space into the corner for his third.
He had another disallowed for a double movement, but Jordan Taufua and Codie Taylor completed the rout.
Man of the match: Apart from a very effective maul – which saw Kieran Read being yellow carded for repeated illegal collapsing – the Reds offered very little that threatened the Crusaders. The finishing ability of Crusaders wing Jone Macilai earned him a hat-trick of tries. However, Crusaders flank Jordan Taufua was not just a menace at the breakdown, but sold one of the most 'audacious dummies to score a try and wins our award.
The scorers:
For the Crusaders:
Tries: Macilai 3, Barrett, Taufua, Taylor
Cons: Mo'unga 3, McKenzie
For the Reds:
Try: Magnay
Yellow card: Kieran Read (Crusaders, 58 – repeated infringements, collapsing the maul illegally)
Teams:
Crusaders: 15 Israel Dagg, 14 Johnny McNicholl, 13 Kieron Fonotia, 12 David Havili, 11 Jone Macilai, 10 Richie Mo'unga, 9 Mitchell Drummond, 8 Kieran Read (captain), 7 Matt Todd, 6 Jordan Taufua, 5 Sam Whitelock, 4 Scott Barrett, 3 Mike Alaalatoa, 2 Codie Taylor, 1 Wyatt Crockett.
Replacements: 16 Ben Funnell, 17 Joe Moody, 18 Owen Franks, 19 Luke Romano, 20 Tim Boys, 21 Andy Ellis, 22 Ryan Crotty, 23 Marty McKenzie.
Reds: 15 Karmichael Hunt, 14 Chris Feauai-Sautia, 13 Campbell Magnay, 12 Anthony Fainga'a, 11 Eto Nabuli, 10 Jake McIntyre, 9 Nick Frisby, 8 Curtis Browning, 7 Liam Gill, 6 Hendrik Tui, 5 Rob Simmons, 4 Ben Matwijow, 3 Greg Holmes, 2 Andrew Ready, 1 James Slipper (captain).
Replacements: 16 Saia Fainga'a, 17 Sef Fa'agase, 18 Sam Talakai, 19 Cadeyrn Neville, 20 Michael Gunn, 21 James Tuttle, 22 Sam Greene, 23 Junior Laloifi.
Referee: Brendon Pickerill
Assistant referees: Jamie Nutbrown, Kane McBride
TMO: Chris Wratt
