The Queensland Reds ventured across the Tasman needing to rewrite 30 years of history.
With no Australian team ever crossing the ditch to beat a New Zealand side on foreign soil in a finals match, the odds were always stacked against Les Kiss’ men.
Throw in the dozen All Blacks in Rob Penney’s side, the Crusaders’ 29-0 finals record at home and a far superior 11-3 season record compared to 8-6, and it always seemed like the Reds would need a miracle to keep their season alive.
It didn’t happen. Balls were spilled, the scrum collapsed and the hopes of the Reds drowned in the wet of Christchurch as the Crusaders won 32-12.
Harry Wilson reacts during the Reds’ qualifying loss against the Crusaders at Apollo Projects Stadium on June 06, 2025. (Photo by Kai Schwoerer/Getty Images)
The score line didn’t even paint the entire picture, with Reds linchpin Harry Wilson summing up their evening’s work by saying “We didn’t fire a shot until the last ten minutes”.
The visitors scored two late tries, but the Crusaders had their hands around the Reds’ throats for much of the game.
Indeed, the home side led 27-0 before a yellow card to Ethan Blackadder allowed the Reds a brief, albeit far too late opening, as the visitors scored two late tries before they paid the price for trying to run the ball out of their half in search of a third and instead conceded another five-pointer themselves. It was the Crusaders’ fifth of the night.
“Obviously really disappointed with the result,” Reds captain Tate McDermott said.
“You’ve got to give credit to the Crusaders, particulalry out here tonight, they were all over us at the breakdown and at the collision area and we just couldn’t get into our cycle.
“They’re really good at disrupting your ball and slowing you down and they did a good job at that, so you’ve got to take your hat off to them.
“It’s really disappointing for our supporters – they’ve been with us all year, but again we’ve fallen over at the quarterfinals.”
The defeat was the Reds’ fourth straight quarterfinal exit, having been knocked out by the Crusaders in 2022 before consecutive defeats to the Chiefs.
While the Crusaders will host another semi-final, having responded clinically after their horror 2024 season.
Tom Lynagh didn’t feature in the second half following a concussion. (Photo by Joe Allison/Getty Images)
The Reds had a couple of early chances but couldn’t take them.
Joe Brial lost the ball close to the Crusaders’ line, before Josh Canham coughed up possession on the home side’s 10 metre line.
The bombed chances allowed the Crusaders to not just kill off the Reds’ immediate hopes, but it also allowed the home side to scrum their way into opposition territory and, ultimately, on the scoreboard.
The home side led 12-0 late in the first-half, before Jock Campbell, who was forced to shift in the playmaking role after a concussion to Tom Lynagh, was turned over. While the Crusaders didn’t quite kill off the Reds by half-time, more pain was to come in the second half.
Despite some gallant and brave defence from the visitors, the Crusaders’ young halves Noah Hotham and Rivez Reihana put the game to bed by midway through the second half.
“The game certainly puts you in a despondent mood,” Kiss said.
“They punished us. Their set-piece and scrum particularly put us under pressure and we couldn’t adapt quick enough.
“In terms of the season, there’s a lot of pleasing things. We have a game that’s compelling when we get it going, maybe the conditions tonight and the set-piece pressure just pushed us off that tonight. We needed to be a bit more direct and earn the front yard before we went out the back.”
The Reds’ key threats were silenced by the Crusaders’ army of All Blacks.
Fraser McReight barely got the chance to go near the ball, while Tate McDermott couldn’t the quick ball he craved as the Crusaders repeatedly shoved the visitors back when they attempted to spread the ball to the edge.
Nor were they helped by a scrum that got blown off the park in the opening 60 minutes.
The result means the Brumbies are the last remaining side in this year’s competition, with Stephen Larkham’s men to host the Hurricanes on Saturday night.
Victory would see them travel to Christchurch to take on the Crusaders, while defeat, presuming the Blues go down to the table-topping Chiefs, would see them head to Hamilton.
Christy Doranhttps://www.theroar.com.au/2025/06/06/didnt-fire-a-shot-reds-rocked-by-crusaders-as-key-men-shut-down-during-nightmare-qualifying-final-loss/‘Didn’t fire a shot’: Reds rocked by Crusaders as key men shut down during nightmare qualifying final loss
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