Queensland Fall Short Again in Finals as Crusaders Advance to Super Rugby Pacific Home Semi

A group of former internationals expressed their disappointment over Queensland’s failure to adapt to the conditions and implement a plan B, as the Crusaders comfortably concluded their season with a 32-12 victory in the rain on Friday night.

The Reds have now exited in the first round of the Super Rugby finals for four consecutive years, each time falling to a Kiwi side.

Questions were raised regarding their leadership in chilly Christchurch, where Queensland was under the guidance of Wallabies coach-in-waiting Les Kiss and Test captain Harry Wilson occupying the No.8 position.

It’s worth noting that most Super Rugby teams would have faced difficulties against the Crusaders, who sport an impressive 30-0 record at home in playoff matches.

However, the Reds struggled to make an impact and left Australia with their championship hopes hinging solely on the Brumbies, who are scheduled to face the Hurricanes in Canberra on Saturday night. The Crusaders delivered nothing extraordinary; they simply excelled in the fundamentals and maintained consistency throughout.

“The balance was indeed questioned, wasn’t it? Because they (Reds) opted not to kick for penalty goals (over the course of the season),” stated former All Blacks captain Justin Marshall during the Stan Sport coverage.

“They aimed to play with flair. They’ve got attacking prowess and exciting players, but finding a plan B is essential.

“What they will learn from this season is that while they know their strengths, they must improve when implementing a plan B.

“Tonight, they were effectively shut down and lacked an alternative strategy.”

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Wallabies and Queensland legend Tim Horan echoed similar sentiments.

“The challenge for the Queensland Reds is… the way Les Kiss has set up his side to play expansive, attacking rugby,” Horan stated.

“When faced with a physical Crusaders side in wet conditions, they struggled to adjust. They’re accustomed to an open game with ball-in-hand and offloading, which simply didn’t work tonight.”

The second-ranked Crusaders will host a semi-final at home next Friday against the highest-seeded losing team, while the Reds will need to regroup ahead of their Mad Monday and the upcoming July 2 match against the British and Irish Lions.

Lock Scott Barrett and prop Tamaiti Williams scored tries in the first half, showcasing the Crusaders’ dominant forward play in difficult conditions and bitterly cold weather.

Halfback Noah Hotham shone in the second half, scoring a remarkable solo try, and after adding a conversion and penalty to bring the score to 22-0 at the hour mark, rising star No.10 Rivez Reihana crossed the line, extending the Reds’ woes.

“The conditions tonight made it challenging to execute that fast-paced, attacking style of rugby,” acknowledged Crusaders legend Andy Ellis.

“The Crusaders were exceptionally physical across the board – in the scrum, breakdown, and defense – showcasing their clinical nature. This performance was a hallmark of a Crusaders playoff showing… they dominated at the breakdown.

“Their defence was tenacious until around the 20-minute mark when the game was sealed. The early scrums also resulted in multiple penalties against the Reds. It is tough to win playoff matches when your opponent is willing to match you physically.”

The result means that Australian franchises hold an unfortunate record of 0-20 in playoff matches played in New Zealand.

“While I’m deeply disappointed with the outcome, I’m also proud of this team and our season,” Reds captain Tate McDermott stated.

“They outplayed us in the breakdown and the collision areas, preventing us from finding our rhythm.”

Although the Reds competed vigorously and created early opportunities, they were often thwarted by handling errors close to the try line.

They finally managed to break through in the 70th minute when substitute hooker Josh Nasser scored from a lineout drive.

Just six minutes later, flanker Fraser McReight found the try line following an exquisite kick from his close friend Wilson.

Replacement halfback Kyle Preston also finished with an intercept try for the Crusaders in the dying minutes.

Queensland also faced a significant blow when Wallabies pivot Tom Lynagh suffered a head injury midway through the first half. With Harry McLaughlin-Phillips also unavailable due to a head injury assessment, fullback Jock Campbell took on the playmaking responsibilities.

“This defeat indeed brings a feeling of despondency; however, credit must go to the Crusaders,” Kiss remarked.

“They exploited our weaknesses, particularly in the set piece and scrumming, which placed us under significant pressure. We failed to adapt swiftly enough.”

Kiss will have one final opportunity with the Reds next season before succeeding Joe Schmidt as the Wallabies coach ahead of the 2027 Rugby World Cup to be held in Australia.

“We have a captivating game when we find our rhythm,” he added.

“Perhaps the conditions contributed to the pressure we faced in the set piece, pushing us off our game plan. We needed to be more direct at times…

Furthermore, losing Tommy didn’t help our cause.

“Going in aggressive requires a level of physicality which must go hand-in-hand.”

In the 15th minute, the Crusaders capitalised on a breakdown turnover, with captain David Havili finding touch just 5m from the Reds’ line.

Josh Canham successfully secured the ball for the Reds, but while passing to McReight, Barrett intervened, regaining possession and driving over for the match’s opening try.

In the 20th minute, the Crusaders capitalised on a penalty near the Reds’ 22 when McDermott was deemed not to be supporting his weight during a ruck.

They opted for a lineout, with Barrett winning it, and after several thrusts, Williams crossed for another try.

The 140kg All Blacks prop, however, later departed the field with a knee injury.

Reihana converted one out of two attempts, giving the Crusaders a 12-0 lead at halftime.

He temporarily left the field for a head injury assessment before halftime, which allowed Wallabies veteran James O’Connor to unexpectedly appear against his former Reds team.

Hotham scored an impressive try in the 57th minute after following up his own kick, and Reihana added to his tally after the Crusaders relentlessly pressured the Reds defence from their lineouts.

“It’s an incredibly disappointing end to the season,” Wilson remarked.

“I felt we failed to find our rhythm and struggled to make an impact until the closing minutes… We came into this match with real belief. While we made the quarter-finals again this year, we fell short, and that’s disheartening.

“Despite numerous injuries, finishing fifth and bringing in young talent that played well this season is promising. It’s up to us now to elevate our game for next year.” – with AP