CRUSADERS 28 REDS 15
FULLTIME
80min - Burke might be in for the second try after a bit of hot potato between the Crusaders backline. The ref is going to the TMO to check a couple of things. There seems to be a bit of obstruction so the Reds will have the penalty.
Reds with one final chance but the ball goes into touch and that's fulltime!
78min - Wilson tries to charge onto a Crusaders ball for the intercept but can't hold on and we'll have a scrum. Game really has been very messy. But the home team have done enough.
76min - Reds link up well down the left wing as they look to break into the Crusaders half. Stewart finds Wilson with a LONG cutout ball but his kick can only find a Crusader.
74min - Crusaders now looking to respond but Williams is penalised for holding on too long and the Reds find touch near the Crusaders 22m for the lineout.
72min - REDS TRY WILSON
Reds fluff another lineout but do enough to get the ball back as the win another penalty advantage. They switch right to Wilson, who steps inside to beat one and crash over for the try.
70min - Reds looking to hit right back as Stewart takes it up just 5m out from the try line. Wilson goes close before the Reds win the penalty for offside.
68min - CRUSADERS TRY CHRISTIE
Crusaders win another penalty and Jackson takes the quick tap! They're just a metre out as Chrstie crashes over the try line! We're going to the TMO. Looked held up initially. Christie was initially short, tried to spin out of the tackle and dot down. It's razor close and the TMO decides he's done enough and awards the try!
66min - Reds try to force the maul and then the turnover but the ref calls tackle and the visitors are penalised for the killing the ball. Burke finds touch inside the Reds 22m for the lineout.
64min - Errors seeping into both side's play now as the Reds look a good chance to mount a great attack but lose the ball at the cruical time. Reds trying but letting themselves down.
62min - Crusaders playing with another penalty advantage and are just 5 metres out from the try line. The ball spills out from the ruck and we'll come back. Crusaders take the quick tap but Blackadder knocks on straight away.
60min - Burke fields the kick and goes high but the Reds field it easy before Campbell is cracked by a huge hit. Reds still have it as Stewart goes long with the kick and we have a game of force-back on our hands. But the visitors concede the penalty for being in front of the kicker.
58min - REDS TRY ASIATA
Reds making great progress here through their forwards and have the penalty advantage. They're picking and going, and Asiata crashes over for the try! Great response from Reds as the replacement hooker goes over.
56min - TMO is looking at some potential foul play here by Matera. The Argentine picked up Petaia and dropped him on his shoulder/head...this could be red. Yellow at least. And it is indeed a yellow! Fair call. Matera will sit out the next 10 minutes.
54min - Another poor lineout throw sees the ball come the side of the Crusaders and Burke clears long to Daugunu to charge it back. Stewart puts the ball onto the boot but it's gone too far and we'll have a goal-line dropout.
52min - Reds looking to bash their way over the try line, Blackadder makes the tackle but is penalised for not rolling away and the visitors will have the lineout just 5m out.
50min - Vunivalu showing great strength again in the tackle but Petaia opts to kick and Fainga'anuku makes a meal of it and fumbles the ball into touch.
48min - Bridge does well to hold onto the ball and is met solidly in the tackle. Crusaders switch to the left but a low pass sees Havili knock on for the Reds scrum around their own 10m.
46min - Burke almost goes right through but he's tackled just a few metres out. The Crusaders shift right to Jordan who puts his head down and shows great strength but looks to be held up.
44min - Reds certainly looking much more threatening this half in the opening exchanges. But the Crusaders counter well at the breakdown and turn the ball over.
42min - We're back underway as the Reds have a lineout on the Crusaders 10m after a Burke clearance. Creighton shows great feet and cuts right through the Crusaders defence but can't link up with his support runner and they knock on.
HALFTIME
40min - Bridge bursts onto a ball from the scrum and the Crusaders are quickly into the Reds half. Jordan and Fainga'anuku look to link up but bit of mis-communication sees the ball go into touch. That'll be halftime!
38min - CRUSADERS TRY MCALISTER
Crusaders again win the lineout ball and McAlister has the ball at the back of maul. The red and blacks march their way towards the line and there's little the visitors can do as the hooker just falls over for the try.
36min - Crusaders opt for the lineout and will have so on the Reds 5m. They win the ball and look to maul their way over and they get another penalty.
34min - Crusaders putting together the phases now as they work their way inside the Reds 22m. Jordan is taken in a solid tackle but the visitors are pinged for being offside.
32min - Daugunu almost gets away from Bridge down the left wing but the All Black does enough to keep him at bay. Now a bit of handbags as McDermott takes offence to Fainga'anuku for tackling the player as he called for the mark.
30min - Vunivalu looks to make some metres and does! He goes right around Fainga'anuku with some quick feet but can't link up and loses the ball. Reds look to counter but concede the penalty at the breakdown.
28min - Jordan makes a rare mistake and knocks on the high ball. Reds can't do much better and lose it themselves so we'll have a scrum for the visitors.
26min - Blackadder taken in a good tackle and the Reds are right over him to win the breakdown penalty. Creighton will have a shot at goal and he nails it!
24min - Petaia spots some space and puts the kick through! Crusaders do well to field the ball but Reds turn it over right on the try line before Fainga'anuku steals it right back, allowing the home team to clear it.
22min - Bower looks to counter-ruck for the Crusaders but goes straight off his feet and the Reds win the penalty. Creighton finds touch just inside the Crusaders 22m.
Reds guilty of trying to be too clever at the lineout and knock on after a quick back-and-forth between hooker and the lifter. Crusaders will have the scrum.
20min - McDermott gets rid of the ball quickly behind a shaky Reds scrum but they knock on just a couple phases later and allows the Crusaders to clear.
18min - Fainga'anuku once again finds a bit of space down the left wing before the Crusaders decide to put boot to ball through Havili. Campbell fields and returns with interest! Reds can't field their own lineout ball but the Crusaders knock on.
16min - CRUSADERS TRY JORDAN
Reds guilty of attacking from behind the gain line and concede the turnover at the breakdown. Crusaders look to counter straight away! Havili makes a nice run before Ennor gets it, puts a step on, finds Jordan on the inside he strides over for the try,
14min - Reds go short with the lineout but Grace does well to steal the back before Burke clears long to Daugunu to run it back. They're inside the Crusaders half now.
12min - CRUSADERS TRY BURKE
Crusaders get the tight head at the scrum and walk right over the Reds! They go right before switching back left to Burke, he puts the step on, beats one and is for the easy try.
10min - Jordan almost goes right through from a scrum! They switch quickly to Barrett but the ball came too fast and the tackle dislodges the ball for the knock-on. Good scamble defence.
10min - Sevu Reece also going off for an HIA after earlier slipping in a tackle and copping a shoulder to the head. Thankfully no penalties or cards being handed out.
8min - Wilson almost finds a gap before Campbell decides to kick but Jordan fields it well before returning it with interest down field, great nudge.
6min - We're back underway after Faessler left the field for an HIA as Fainga'anuku makes another strong carry. Crusaders unsure of what to do with the ball it seems and both sides happy to exchange kicks.
4min - Time is off after Faessler went down after being on the receiving end of a Grace charge. He just got his head in the wrong position and is now being looked at.
4min - Jordan does brilliantly to grab the high ball and then beat a couple of defenders. Fainga'anuku is through a gap! He finds Matera in support, he shows the ball and looks to put the fend on but loses the ball just a couple metres out from the try line.
2min - Burke gets us underway and the Reds exit through McDermott. The Crusaders look to attack down the right wing but Grace knocks on and we'll have the first scrum.
Barrett brings out the Crusaders. There's also a late change to their team, with Drummond coming in for Hall at halfback.
The teams are about to make their way out onto the field. Shortly before, Richie Mo'unga confirmed that he has re-signed with NZ Rugby and the Crusaders until 2023.
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Kia ora, good evening and welcome to Newshub's live coverage of this Super Rugby Pacific clash between the Crusaders and Reds from Orangetheory Stadium in Christchurch.
The Crusaders have the chance to seal second place on the table, earning them home advantage for the quarter-finals and potentially the semi-finals should they progress.
They'll be without All Blacks Richie Mo'unga and Codie Taylor, who miss the game through injury but could've played if required.
Jack Goodhue will also sit out as he returns from a long-term knee injury but coach Scott Robertson has named an otherwise full-strength team.
Much like their opponents, the Reds have already locked up a finals berth but can only finish as high as fifth with a win tonight, which means an away semi-final should they qualify.
TAB odds: Crusaders $1.06, Reds $6.50
Teams:
Crusaders: 1-George Bower, 2-Brodie McAlister, 3-Oli Jager, 4-Scott Barrett (c), 5-Sam Whitelock, 6-Pablo Matera, 7-Ethan Blackadder, 8-Cullen Grace, 9-Mitch Drummond, 10-Fergus Burke, 11-Leicester Fainga'anuku, 12-David Havili, 13-Braydon Ennor, 14-Sevu Reece, 15-Will Jordan
Reserves: 16-Ricky Jackson, 17-Finlay Brewis, 18-Tamaiti Williams, 19-Zach Gallagher, 20-Tom Christie, 22-Chay Finaki, 23-George Bridge
Reds: 1-Dane Zander, 2-Matt Faessler, 3-Feao Fotuaika, 4-Seru Uru, 5-Ryan Smith, 6-Angus Scott-Young, 7-Fraser McReight, 8-Harry Wilson, 9-Tate McDermott, 10-Lawson Creighton, 11-Filipo Daugunu, 12-Hamish Stewart, 13-Jordan Petaia, 14-Suliasi Vunivalu, 15-Jock Campell
Reserves: 16-Richie Asiata, 17-Harry Hoopert, 18-Sef Fa'agase, 19-Angus Blyth, 20-Connor Vest, 21-Liam Wright, 22-Kalani Thomas, 23-Mac Grealy
Crusaders' David Havili relishing battle for All Blacks midfield selection
The battle for the All Blacks No.12 jersey continues to heat up, with only one more round of Super Rugby Pacific games before the playoffs.
What seemed a position of weakness just a year or two ago now poses head coach Ian Foster a welcome selection headache for the test series against Ireland in July.
Quinn Tupaea, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Jordie Barrett and David Havili are all worthy picks, with anyone's guess who will be named for the first match at Eden Park.
Rather than feeling the pressure, incumbent Havili embraces the challenge and views the Super Rugby playoffs as an ideal opportunity to stake his claim.
"I think it's awesome to have so much quality power out there at the moment and really makes you have to play good every week," he said.
"That's great for me, testing my ability every week against quality midfielders. There is quality out there, and the next couple of weeks are important for myself to go out there and put good performances in.
"It's something everyone loves to talk about and is a big topic at the moment. There's a month to go and hopefully, at the right time of the season, I can put in a couple of great performances together, especially going into finals week."
Forming combinations has perhaps been harder this season than most, with week-to-week changes a common theme for all teams in a congested Super Rugby season.
But Havili looks forward to the opportunity to play with regular Crusaders midfield partner Jack Goodhue - something we could potentially see against Ireland too.
"We push each other every week and every day," he said.
"He's been playing in the midfield a lot longer than me and I'm still learning off of him. He's had some great stuff for me over the last couple of years, and that relationship between me and Jack is only going to get better through the finals series."
The Crusaders can seal home advantage for the Super Rugby finals with victory against Queensland Reds, which could set up a potential quarter-final against the same opposition.
A win would secure second spot on the table, with only the Blues above them, but Havili isn't looking past Friday's clash.
"They're a team with quality strike power across the field... and you've got a big forward pack that likes to carry it forward and offload the ball," he said.
"Our forward pack has got a big job to do this weekend and hopefully we can get some of that quick ball that we had last weekend."
