Presented By
        Presented By
          Menu

          ESPN

          • scores

          You have reached ESPN's Australian edition. Stay on current site or go to US version.

          • NBA
          • NFL
          • Football
          • NBL
          • AFL
          • NRL
          • Rugby
          • Cricket
          • Olympics
          • More Sports
            • F1
            • NHL
            • MLB
            • World Baseball Classic
            • Golf
            • Tennis
            • NASCAR
            • IndyCar
            • espnW
            • Netball
            • NCAAM
            • WNBA
            • NCAAF
            • NCAAW
            • NCAA
            • Boxing
            • MMA
            • WWE
            • X Games
            • Betting Blog
            • Horse Racing
          • Tipping
          • Listen
          • Disney+
          • Rugby

          • Home
          • Scores
          • Tipping
          • Fantasy Rugby
          • Fixtures & Results
          • Tables
          • RugbyNow
          • Statsguru
          Super Rugby Pacific 2024
          CrusadersCrusadersCRU
          28
          04/05FT
          33
          Queensland RedsQueensland RedsQUE
          • Dallas McLeod(38')
          • Corey Kellow(52')
          • Quinten Strange(57')
          • Sevu Reece(74')
          • Leigh Halfpenny(40')
          • Chay Fihaki(53', 57', 75')
          • Fraser McReight(22')
          • Tim Ryan(25', 68')
          • Jeffery Toomaga-Allen(43')
          • Harry Wilson(61')
          • Lawson Creighton(23', 27', 44', 63')
          • SummarySummary
          • ReportReport
          • CommentaryCommentary
          • Match StatsMatch Stats
          • Player StatsPlayer Stats
          • LineupsLineups
          • TableTable

          Reds hold off Crusaders to end 25-year drought

          • AAP
          Multiple Authors
          May 5, 2024, 08:07 AM
          • Copy Link
          • Email
          • Print

          Fraser McReight has led a Queensland Reds charge in Christchurch to snap his side's 25-year losing streak against the Crusaders in New Zealand.

          The Reds beat the Crusaders 33-28 on Saturday, stoic defence in the final minutes after building a 12-point lead with six minutes to play staving off what looked set to be another gutting near miss.

          It was the Reds' first win in the city since Tim Horan, Ben Tune, Toutai Kefu, Daniel Herbert and Nathan Sharpe wore the jersey in 1999 - and just the Crusaders' second loss to an Australian side in Christchurch since 2004.

          The visitors played brilliant counter-attacking rugby, Tim Ryan's double making it five tries in two Super Rugby Pacific starts for the 20-year-old and unheralded No.10 Lawson Creighton's kicking game superb.

          Harry Wilson of the Reds celebrates scoring a try Kai Schwoerer/Getty Images

          Back from a two-game suspension, flanker McReight showed his class at the breakdown, backrow partners Liam Wright and Harry Wilson followed him and winger Mac Grealy was impactful.

          Victory made it three wins against New Zealand sides this year for the Reds, their only trans-Tasman losses coming via after-the-siren tries to the Hurricanes and Blues.

          The five-tries-to-four win improved them to 5-5, putting them on the doorstep of the top four.

          "It's massive. We really banded together after some close losses and it's great to change that here," Wright said.

          "We knew we needed physicality and our strong set-piece and you saw that with our scrums at the end. We trusted each other and closing those individual moments was really important."

          The Crusaders, who have shown vast improvement since an 0-5 start, dropped to 2-8 and lost captain and All Blacks star Scott Barrett to an apparent back injury after just 14 minutes.

          After eight penalties in the first 16 minutes, it was the Reds who opened the scoring through McReight, with fullback Jock Campbell's clean break setting the platform.

          Four early kicks in behind the Crusaders defence amounted to nothing initially, but eventually created the space for Josh Flook to break down the left wing.

          Campbell was involved again as winger Ryan finished an 80-metre special.

          Dallas McLeod got the hosts on the board in the 38th minute but the Reds regained control when prop Jeffery Toomaga-Allen scored from a line-out turnover to begin the second half.

          The Crusaders scored the next two, Quinten Strange's try to level the scores controversially upheld when replays were unable to say conclusively the ball had been held up.

          Harry Wilson then did it himself, charging down an exit kick and regathering to score a try that stunted the comeback.

          Ryan earned another when he sped onto Campbell's chip kick, and when Ryan Smith forced a turnover with a heads-up defensive play soon after the Reds looked home.

          But Ryan gave away a lineball offensive penalty with the Reds in prime position and Sevu Reece raced off for his 100th first-class try.

          The Crusaders burnt down the left edge again seeking the go-ahead try but were stopped, with the Reds able to withstand one last push and rewrite the record books.

          • Terms of Use
          • Privacy Policy
          • Your US State Privacy Rights
          • Children's Online Privacy Policy
          • Interest-Based Ads
          • About Nielsen Measurement
          • Your Privacy Choices
          • Contact Us
          • Disney Ad Sales Site
          • Work for ESPN
          • Corrections
          GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1-800-GAMBLER or 1-800-MY-RESET, (800) 327-5050 or visit gamblinghelplinema.org (MA). Call 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY). Call 888-789-7777/visit ccpg.org (CT), or visit www.mdgamblinghelp.org (MD), 1-800-981-0023 (PR). 21+ and present in most states. (18+ DC/KY/NH/PR/WY). Void in ONT. Eligibility restrictions apply. Terms: draftkings.com/sportsbook. On behalf of Boot Hill Casino (KS). Pass-thru of per wager tax may apply in IL.
          Copyright: © 2026 ESPN Enterprises, LLC. All rights reserved.

          Standings

          Super Rugby Pacific
          RTeamGPPDP
          1HUR14+26455
          2CHI14+19051
          3CRU14+10041
          4BLU14+4438
          5QUE14-2237
          6ACT14+2934
          7WES14-2530
          8NSW14-4928
          9HIG14-9724
          10FIJ14-14321
          11MOA14-2919
          Full Table