VIDEO: Crusaders keep home play-off record flawless

MATCH REPORT: The Crusaders improved their perfect record in home finals to 30-0 with a 32-12 victory over the Reds at their Christchurch fortress on Friday.

Needing to become the first Australian side in three decades to win a play-off match in New Zealand to make the semifinals, the writing was on the wall for the Reds well before they kicked off at Apollo Projects Stadium.

Adding to the odds stacked against Les Kiss’s side, the Reds had lost 13 of their previous 14 games against the 12-times Super Rugby kings, while the Crusaders were also riding a 16-match winning streak in finals stretching back to 2016.

Queensland had at least been the only Australian team in 21 trips across the Tasman to upset the Crusaders.

But the Reds’ class of 2025 proved their own worst enemies, conceding the first five penalties of the match on Friday night.

💯 effort!#SuperRugbyPacific | #CRUvRED pic.twitter.com/r84HwLWl8U

— Super Rugby Pacific (@SuperRugby) June 6, 2025

The Crusaders, typically, made the ill-disciplined visitors pay with the only two tries of the first half – to injured prop Tamaiti Williams before he hobbled off, and his All Blacks captain Scott Barrett – to take a 12-0 lead into the break.

The deficit could have been greater if former Reds and Wallabies playmaker James O’Connor hadn’t blundered with an errant kick for touch as the Crusaders threatened to post a third try in the shadows of halftime.

Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt may have taken note, but O’Connor’s unforced error mattered little to the Crusaders, who resisted an early second-half challenge to put the Reds to the sword.

If the Crusaders’ third try, to livewire halfback Noah Hotham in the 55th minute, didn’t all but end the contest, a penalty goal to Rivez Reihana most certainly put the Reds out of reach, trailing 0-27 and running out of time.

The Reds’ exit from the finals leaves the Brumbies as Australia’s last team standing.

After finishing third in the minor premiership, the Brumbies host the fourth-placed Brumbies in the third and last quarter-finals on Saturday night.

A moment of magic by Noah Hotham 🔥#SuperRugbyPacific | #CRUvRED pic.twitter.com/84cwQdKFLn

— Super Rugby Pacific (@SuperRugby) June 6, 2025

The scorers:

For Crusaders:
Tries: Barrett, Williams, Reihana, Hotham, Preston;
Cons: Reihana 2
Pen: Reihana

For Reds:
Tries: Nasser, McReight
Con: Daugunu

Teams: 

Crusaders: 15 Will Jordan, 14 Chay Fihaki, 13 Braydon Ennor, 12 David Havili (captain), 11 Sevu Reece, 10 Rivez Reihana, 9 Noah Hotham, 8 Christian Lio-Willie, 7 Tom Christie, 6 Ethan Blackadder, 5 Antonio Shalfoon, 4 Scott Barrett, 3 Fletcher Newell, 2 Codie Taylor, 1 Tamaiti Williams.
Replacements: 16 George Bell, 17 George Bower, 18 Kershawl Sykes-Martin, 19 Tahlor Cahill, 20 Cullin Grace, 21 Kyle Preston, 22 James O’Connor, 23 Dallas McLeod.

Reds: 15 Jock Campbell, 14 Lachie Anderson, 13 Josh Flook, 12 Hunter Paisami, 11 Filipo Daugunu, 10 Tom Lynagh, 9 Tate McDermott (captain), 8 Harry Wilson, 7 Fraser McReight, 6 Joe Brial, 5 Ryan Smith, 4 Josh Canham, 3 Zane Nonggorr, 2 Richie Asiata, 1 Sef Fa’agase.
Replacements: 16 Josh Nasser, 17 Jeffery Toomaga-Allen, 18 Nick Bloomfield, 19 Angus Blyth, 20 John Bryant, 21 Kalani Thomas, 22 Dre Pakeho, 23 Tim Ryan.

Referee: Paul Williams
Assistant referees: Angus Mabey, Mike Winter
TMO: Richard Kelly

Source: SuperRugby