It was a determined win. The side adapted well to the wet conditions, while the forwards set a strong platform through their work at the breakdown and a strong scrum.
“We had to grind it out there towards the end, but I think the way our forwards stepped up was huge and the set piece went really well, so we’re really happy about that,” Crusaders captain David Havili told Sky Sport.
“It was quite tough last year in terms of where we finished. We just wanted to come back and work really and earn a spot in the finals. We’ve done that tonight.”
The win over the Reds was the first box ticked in the playoffs for Rob Penney’s side, who could now find themselves as the top seed if the Blues upset the Chiefs in Hamilton tomorrow night.
The Crusaders could have a nervous wait on the diagnosis of All Blacks prop Tamaiti Williams, who left the pitch late in the first half with a suspected knee injury.
Williams was one of five Crusaders try-scorers in the match, as the hosts built their way to a 27-0 lead before the Reds got on the board.
But it was a result that the Crusaders were made to work hard for.
Throughout the contest, the visitors were desperate in defence, stopping a number of promising attacks from the Crusaders and they were particularly effective at halting the lineout drive.
However, the Crusaders responded in kind. A number of times in the first half the Reds had possession deep in Crusaders territory only to be kept at bay by the defence and eventually cough up the ball.
Penney will also be buoyed by the discipline of his team, who didn’t concede a penalty for the first 35 minutes of the contest and were on the right side of an 11-6 penalty count. They did, however, have blindside flanker Ethan Blackadder receive a yellow card late in the piece.
The Crusaders took the lead about 16 minutes into the contest off an error at the Reds’ lineout. The ball went to ground and Scott Barrett was there to scoop it up and barge his way over the try line.
The hosts had plenty of good moments with ball in hand as they looked to build on their lead. Havili was heavily involved in carrying the ball and putting it on the boot, while Will Jordan was a constant presence.
But it was again the forwards getting the points as Williams crashed over from close range a couple of phases after a lineout drive was stopped shy of the line.
The Crusaders went into the break with a 12-point lead, and extended that with a bit of brilliance from Noah Hotham with about 24 minutes to go. Rivez Reihana also got among the try scorers about 10 minutes later to push the margin out to 27.
The Reds got on the board after Blackadder’s yellow card – first with a lineout drive through Josh Nasser before Fraser McReight won the race to a Harry Wilson kick in behind.
A late intercept try for Kyle Preston was the icing on the cake for the Crusaders, though, as they now turn their attention to next weekend – whoever they might meet.
Crusaders 32 (Scott Barrett, Tamaiti Williams, Noah Hotham, Rivez Reihana, Kyle Preston tries; Reihana 2 cons, pen)
Reds 12 (Josh Nasser, Fraser McReight try; Filipo Daugunu con)
HT: 12-0
