The Queensland Reds were ruled out for a weakness in the first half as a spirited comeback effort against the Crusaders in Christchurch seemed short-lived.
After conceding three unanswered attempts in the first half, the Reds scored their own two goals in the second half but it proved too low, too late as the Crusaders won 28-15 in a slippery state.
It was a brutal start for the Queenslanders, who lost hooker Matt Fessler in the fifth minute after a head injury to handle Cullen Grace.
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Fesler went downstairs to handle Grace, but his head slammed into Grass’s buttocks as a result of his actions.
The drama came to a halt shortly after the incident because of the tendency of Reds’ medical staff to favor Fessler before fielding him for HIA, which would disqualify him for the rest of the competition.
Fergus Burke (13th minute), Will Jordan (16 ‘) and Brody McAllister (36’) gave the Crusaders a half-time lead and Richie Asiata pushed the first half of the second half on his own in the 56th minute. .
Tom Christie scored in the 72nd minute in a match-ceiling attempt, three minutes later presenting Harry Wilson’s attempt as a mere consolation as the Crusaders held on for a thrilling win.
The Reds were without Wallace star James O’Connor, and the emptiness left by the veterans was evident in the first half, with captain Tate McDermott regretting the opportunity.
“We came out a bit stunned and if we give a team, especially the Crusaders, a 21-point head-start, it’s definitely not ideal,” he said after the match.
“We are really proud of how we got back into it and we will take it forward.
“It was as easy as holding the ball. When we stuck together as a team, we worked hard and we put it together periodically, we felt really good. It’s just about doing it for a long time.
“Once we fixed our kicking game, we applied pressure and caught the ball and it looked really good.”
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Reds coach Brad Thorne also lamented his team’s lack of restraint during the first half.
“The boys have fought a lot, but we have to be more intelligent,” he said.
“We have some work to do. The boys were competing hard there and that’s what I want.”
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