The Queensland Reds inflicted a heavy defeat on the Canterbury Crusaders yesterday with a stunning 41-20 Super 14 victory.
The Reds claimed a four-try bonus point victory to break an 11-year drought against the seven-time Super rugby champions.
Wallaby fly-half Quade Cooper was the Reds’ hero with 31 points from two tries, three conversions and five penalty goals.
The Crusaders, sorely missing the leadership of All Blacks skipper Richie McCaw, suffered their worst defeat in six years since crashing out 43-19 to the New South Wales Waratahs at home.
It was the Reds’ first victory over the Crusaders since their 36-23 win in Christchurch in 1999 and their first at home since 1998.
The champion New Zealanders turned in one of the worst performances in years but it was a magical night for the Reds, who have been the worst performing Australian province for the last three Super 14 seasons.
The Reds, with Cooper and scrum-half Will Genia in sparkling form, led 14-6 at half-time after Cooper started and finished a try in the 36th-minute.
Queensland gradually pulled away from the misfiring Crusaders with winger Digby Ioane charging on to a grubber kick from center Anthony Faingaa and racing away for a try and a 27-6 lead in the 57th minute.
Canterbury got back to 27-13 with a converted try to scrum-half Andrew Ellis in the 62nd minute, but the Reds pulled away again with another runaway try to Rod Davies minutes later.
BONUS POINT
The Reds sealed victory when Cooper picked up a dropped Ellis pass and strolled over for his team’s fourth try and a scoring bonus point six minutes from time.
The Crusaders gained a consolation try from Brad Thorn in the final minute with Dan Carter converting.
Queensland’s triumph was tempered by the likely long-term loss of skipper and Wallaby lock James Horwill with suspected damaged knee ligaments.
In an earlier Super 14 match yesterday, Paul Williams scored two tries as the Auckland Blues fired in the second half to clinch a tense 19-15 victory over the Otago Highlanders in Dunedin.
The Blues redeemed last week’s second half capitulation against the Wellington Hurricanes as they overcame a 12-7 half-time deficit against their southern rivals.
Williams scored the Blues’ first two tries and was prominent in a backline full of attacking talent.
His second try and another to Rene Ranger in the 52nd and 56th minutes put the Blues on track to win in a competitive second half.
FRUSTRATING
For the Highlanders, it was a second frustrating loss in the opening two weeks of the season after they appeared on track for victory until midway through the second spell.
Michael Hobbs would have been the hero if the Highlanders had prevailed, tackling fiercely, scoring a try and making several telling breaks. However, he had a poor night kicking for goal, as did opposite number Stephen Brett.
The Blues made the early running scoring after eight minutes with a try to by Williams.
Four minutes later the Highlanders hit back through a try to Israel Dagg close to the sideline.
Midway through the spell Hobbs went over after Blues prop Tony Woodcock dropped the ball from a defensive lineout on the 22 as the visitors again lived up to their reputation for erratic form.
After the break, Williams’ second try came after a partially charged-down Highlanders kick put several Blues players onside and prop John Afoa made the initial charge to put the fullback into space with the tryline beckoning.
Ranger scored midway through the spell as the Highlander’s defense found itself outnumbered on the right flank, and only gritty defense denied the Blues another try in the last quarter.
Taiwan kept their hopes of advancing to next year’s World Baseball Classic (WBC) alive with a 9-1 victory over South Africa in a qualifier at the Taipei Dome on Saturday, backed by solid pitching. Taiwan last night played against Nicaragua. As of press time, Nicaragua was leading 6-0. Bouncing back from Friday’s struggles on the mound, when Taiwanese pitchers surrendered 15 runs to Spain, Team Taiwan on Saturday kept the visiting team in check, allowing just one run in the bottom of the fourth inning. Starting pitcher Sha Tzu-chen struck out one and allowed no hits, except for a hit-by-pitch over
Taiwan kept its hopes of advancing to the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC) alive with a 9-1 victory over South Africa in a qualifier at the Taipei Dome last night, backed by solid pitching. Bouncing back from Friday’s struggles on the mound, when Taiwanese pitchers surrendered 15 runs to Spain, Team Taiwan kept the visiting team in check, allowing just one run in the bottom of the fourth inning. The win was crucial for Taiwan, as a loss would have eliminated the team from contention for the next WBC. Starting pitcher Sha Tzu-chen (沙子宸) struck out one and allowed no hits, except for
Team Taiwan are set to face Spain in a win-or-go-home match tonight for the final berth at the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC), despite losing to Nicaragua 6-0 in the WBC qualifier at the Taipei Dome on Sunday. The home team’s loss on Sunday means Nicaragua finish first in the qualifier round in Taipei with a perfect 3-0 record and advances to next year’s finals. After crushing South Africa 9-1 earlier on Sunday, Spain took second place in the four-team qualifier with a 2-1 record. With a 1-2 record, Taiwan finished third while South Africa placed at the bottom with
Team Taiwan avoided missing the World Baseball Classic (WBC) for the first time by defeating Spain 6-3 in a do-or-die game in Taipei last night. After narrowly escaping a mercy-rule loss to Spain in the WBC Qualifiers opener on Friday last week, the home team — winner of last year's WBSC Premier12 title three months ago — got their revenge against the 2023 European champions at Taipei Dome. "It felt quite different from when we won the Premier12," Taiwan captain Chen Chieh-hsien (陳傑憲) said after the game, recalling the ups and downs the team has experienced over the past few days. Unlike in
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