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The 42
4 days ago
- Sport
- The 42
Crusaders thump Reds to book Super Rugby semi-final spot
THE CRUSADERS ARE through to the Super Rugby Pacific semi-finals after a 32-12 victory over the Queensland Reds on Friday. In frigid conditions in Christchurch — visiting Reds prop Zane Nonggorr was visibly shivering as the game was about to start — the hosts scored five tries and generally controlled territory to stifle the visitors. 'It's beautiful Christchurch weather,' Crusaders scrum-half Noah Hotham said. 'Cold, dark and wet… I love it.' Reds outside centre Josh Flook gave his side early hope slicing through the Crusaders defence, but without anything to show for it. That woke Rob Penney's Crusaders up, and they started to methodically work their way forward, kicking smartly for field position and forcing a number of errors, which gave them possession in dangerous positions. Advertisement All Blacks captain Scott Barrett opened the scoring in the 16th minute, stripping his man after a defensive Reds lineout, before gathering and diving over the line. Prop Tamaiti Williams scored the Crusaders second 12 minutes later. He had just received treatment on his knee and, sporting a heavily strapped leg, got in near the corner after a powerful rolling maul. Williams succumbed to the injury moments later, replaced by George Bower. Les Kiss' Reds suffered their own injury concern when out-half Tom Lynagh failed a head-injury assessment during the half-time break. Hotham scored the third try for Canterbury with a spectacular chip and chase, before out-half Rivez Reihana added a fourth. The Reds did receive a glimmer of hope with 12 minutes remaining. Josh Nasser crossed for a try after Crusaders loose forward Ethan Blackadder was yellow carded for a clothesline tackle on fullback Jock Campbell. Fraser McReight then dotted down after an audacious chip ahead by fellow loose forward Harry Wilson, but it was too little, too late. 'We had to really grind it out there at the end, but I think the way our forwards stepped up was huge, and the set piece went really well,' Crusaders captain David Havili said. Reds scrum-half Tate McDermott admitted the Crusaders were 'all over us'. 'Obviously we're really disappointed with the result. I'm really proud of this group and the season we had, but you've got to give credit to the Crusaders.' Crusaders replacement Kyle Preston added a fifth try for the home team as time expired. Canterbury will now host one of the two semi-final match-ups, which will be settled after Saturday's qualifying matches between the Chiefs and the Blues, and the Brumbies and the Hurricanes. – © AFP 2025
Associated Press
4 days ago
- Sport
- Associated Press
Crusaders beat the Queensland Reds 32-12 to clinch a home semifinal in Super Rugby
CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand (AP) — The Crusaders produced a clinical performance in difficult conditions to beat the Queensland Reds 32-12 Friday and claim home advantage in next week's Super Rugby semifinals. Lock Scott Barrett and prop Tamaiti Williams scored first-half tries to reward an outstanding performance from the Crusaders' forwards in wet, slippery conditions and bitterly cold temperatures. Scrumhalf Noah Hotham defied the conditions in the second half to score a superb solo try and, after kicking a conversion and penalty to make the score 22-0 at the hour mark, flyhalf Rivez Reihana scored a try which took the game beyond the Reds. 'Typical Christchurch weather, cold, wet and dark and we love it,' Hotham said. The result means the Crusaders are now 30-0 in home playoff matches while Australian teams are 0-20 in playoff matches in New Zealand. 'Obviously we're really disappointed with the result but I'm really proud of this group and the season that we had,' Reds captain Tate McDermott said. 'They were all over us at the breakdown and collision area and we just couldn't get into our cycle.' The Reds fought hard and created early chances which often were undone by handling errors close to the goalline. They finally had success in the 70th minute when Josh Nasser scored from a lineout drive. Then, in the 76th minute, Fraser McReight scored from a kick by fellow backrower Harry Wilson. Replacement scrumhalf Kyle Preston finished with an intercept try for the Crusaders in the last minute. The Crusaders had scrum superiority which produced four penalties in the first half alone and dominated the collisions and the breakdown. The Reds suffered a major setback when they lost Wallabies flyhalf Tom Lynagh to a head injury midway through the first half. 'We had to grind it out near the end there but I think the way our forwards set it up was huge and our set piece was huge so we're really happy with that,' Crusaders captain David Havili said. In the 15th minute the Crusaders won a breakdown turnover and Havili put the ball out five meters from the Reds line. Josh Canham won the ball cleanly for the Reds but in transferring it to Fraser McReight, Barrett got a hand in the way. He regained the ball and drove over for the first try of the match. In the 20th minute, the Crusaders won a penalty close to the Reds 22 when McDermott was ruled to be not supporting his weight at a ruck. The Crusaders kicked to the corner, Barrett won the lineout and after several thrusts, Williams forced his way over. He limped from the field a few minutes later with a knee injury. Rivez Reihana landed one of two conversions and the Crusaders led 12-0 at halftime. Reihana left the field temporarily for a head injury assessment before halftime which allowed veteran flyhalf James O'Connor to make an earlier than expected appearance against his former Reds teammates. Hotham pursued his own kick to score a brilliant try in the 57th minute and Reihana scored after the Crusaders had sorely pressed the Reds' defense from lineouts. In other matches in the first playoff round, the Chiefs will play the Auckland-based Blues in Hamilton and the ACT Brumbies will play the Wellington-based Hurricanes on Saturday. ___ AP rugby:
RNZ News
4 days ago
- Sport
- RNZ News
Super Rugby Pacific: Crusaders scrum the Reds out of the play-offs
Will Jordan of the Crusaders. Photo: John Davidson / It wasn't pretty, but the Crusaders have recorded a dominant 32-12 win over the Reds in Christchurch. The result means the Crusaders can sit back and watch tomorrow's games to find out who they'll play in next weekend's semi-finals, while the Reds will be wondering where it all went wrong after such a promising start to the season. A good start would be to look at their scrum, which was smashed to bits by the Crusaders from start to finish in tough conditions thanks to the horrific weather battering the South Island. The Crusaders racked up a 5-0 penalty count early in the first half, with three coming off scrums which in turn were converted into excellent field position. Scott Barrett got the home side on the board first with a well taken yet slightly questionable try from a turnover near the Reds' line. It certainly appeared that the All Blacks captain came in from an offside position but the referee and TMO seemed more preoccupied with whether Barrett grounded the ball, which he did so the try stood. The only other scoring in the first half, despite a couple of decent Reds linebreaks, was when Tamaiti Williams crashed over in the 27th minute. The Reds really needed to score straight after the break if they were to have any chance, however by that stage the game had regressed into more of a kicking duel. A half break by Christian Lio-Willie out of nowhere set up the try of the match to Noah Hotham, with the halfback regathering his own kick despite the attention of several Reds defenders. From then on, the result was inevitable, and while the Reds were eventually rewarded with a couple of late tries, it was clear that they'd resigned themselves to defeat long before. It wasn't all perfect for the Crusaders, though. Williams' try was his last act before leaving the field with a knee injury, while Ethan Blackadder was yellow carded for a needless high tackle. Still, tonight's job was done, and they now sit one game away from ultimate redemption for last season. Read how the game unfolded with RNZ's live blog:
Otago Daily Times
08-05-2025
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
‘War' first, a few laughs second
Crusaders halfback Noah Hotham prepares to kick during a Super Rugby Pacific game earlier this season. PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES Noah Hotham is looking forward to sharing a drink with lots of his Highlanders mates tomorrow night. But he hopes there will be more bubbles in his fizz than theirs. The former Highlanders under-20 captain returns to Forsyth Barr Stadium this weekend with the high-flying Crusaders for the Super Rugby southern derby. Everywhere the halfback looks, there will be a player — Cameron Millar, Fabian Holland, Oliver Haig and others — with whom he has gone into battle for either the Baby Landers or the New Zealand under-20 team. "I spent a good amount of time down in Dunedin and I've got a lot of friends on that team," Hotham told the Otago Daily Times. "But they're the enemy this week. "After the game, we'll share some laughs, but before that, it's war." Hotham, 21, is particularly relishing the match-up at No 9 with Highlanders sparkplug Folau Fakatava. "Folau is a good mate of mine, and I learnt a lot off him when I was down in Dunedin. "It's always good to play against him. He's a great fella and obviously a great player and an attacking threat. "I love going up against a halfback who is real competitive. It only makes me better and more hungry." It was not a lot of fun for Hotham a year ago when the Crusaders were beaten 32-29 in Dunedin thanks to a masterclass from Millar, who scored 27 points. Hotham captained the Highlanders under-20 team. That was part of a grim season for the Crusaders as the perennial champions plunged to ninth place. "It was probably quite foreign to lots of people here who are used to winning quite often," Hotham said. "But a lot of it just came down to small moments. "This year, we're just taking it one week at a time, because the competition's so tight that anyone can tip up anyone on their day. "Our focus is only on the Landers this week for what should be a good southern derby down in Dunedin." Cam Roigard and Cortez Ratima would appear to be the leading contenders to play halfback for the All Blacks this season. Hotham and Fakatava are in a wider group of talented No 9s, including Finlay Christie, Xavier Roe and possibly another Crusader in Kyle Preston, eager to impress coach Scott Robertson. Hotham earned his sole test cap last year when he made an early entrance off the bench against Fiji in San Diego. He became the third in his family to represent New Zealand, following older brother Legin in the Touch Blacks and sister Jazmin in the Black Ferns Sevens. "It was obviously something very special. "But I just need to keep my feet on the ground and keep other thoughts at the back of my mind. It's about the present and doing whatever I can to help the Crusaders." Hotham is loving life in Christchurch, where he has bought a house and recently re-signed with the Crusaders until 2027. "It's exciting times for me and I'm really grateful to be here and learning lots."
