Reds just seem like they are panicking. If they just calm down a bit instead of trying to score on every single play, they might win this one comfortably. They definitely look more likely.
Reds
Match thread
Crusaders 2026
@Bones said in Reds vs Crusaders 2026:
Anyone know this guy @act-crusader ?
I’m just here for the dad jokes
Reds look vastly more physical - dominating most collisions.
Handling and decision making, not so much.
@ACT-Crusader said in Reds vs Crusaders 2026:
@Bones said in Reds vs Crusaders 2026:
Anyone know this guy @act-crusader ?
I’m just here for the dad jokes
@nostrildamus is pretty busy today.
@KiwiMurph said in Reds vs Crusaders 2026:
Was not impressed by Kellow
I’m sure I saw his name mentioned by someone in the All Black thread this week
The Reds have been the better team and deserve the win.
Can the Crusaders salvage something at the end ?
@Landers92 said in Reds vs Crusaders 2026:
@KiwiMurph said in Reds vs Crusaders 2026:
Was not impressed by Kellow
I’m sure I saw his name mentioned by someone in the All Black thread this week
Been waiting for 3 or 4 years for him to start delivering at Super level
Stil waiting
@Landers92 said in Reds vs Crusaders 2026:
@KiwiMurph said in Reds vs Crusaders 2026:
Was not impressed by Kellow
I’m sure I saw his name mentioned by someone in the All Black thread this week
I was just laying it on so he'd completely fail and we could easily rule him out. Honest
@ACT-Crusader said in Reds vs Crusaders 2026:
McReight has a cloak….
An amazingly quick "clear release".
Is Reece now a contact shy bitch? Imagine stopping to pass to a halfback and make him smash into contact.
@antipodean said in Reds vs Crusaders 2026:
@ACT-Crusader said in Reds vs Crusaders 2026:
McReight has a cloak….
An amazingly quick "clear release".
So quick I never saw it
@Landers92 said in Reds vs Crusaders 2026:
@Jnr called mark and got smoked. Hard one when he’s committed I guess. Looked cheap at the time, replay shows it wasn’t as bad as i first thought.
I'm slightly biased as they're my team, but he definitely smoked him.
@sparky said in Reds vs Crusaders 2026:
The Reds saved their season.
Crusaders are a shadow of what they have been.
Without Taylor and Jordan, This is who we thought they were. With them in the side, a different team.
@Grooter said in Reds vs Crusaders 2026:
Well my multi is a winner had a feeling Crusaders would struggle to win without Jordan & Taylor
Give us your tips mate. All we see every week is your comments saying you’re winning. Sharing is caring!
@ACT-Crusader started in the first half
@Bones said in Reds vs Crusaders 2026:
@ACT-Crusader said in Reds vs Crusaders 2026:
I’m just here for the dad jokes
@nostrildamus is pretty busy today.
No need for casual sexism. I'm here for the mum jokes as well.
@nostrildamus said in Reds vs Crusaders 2026:
@Bones said in Reds vs Crusaders 2026:
@ACT-Crusader said in Reds vs Crusaders 2026:
I’m just here for the dad jokes
@nostrildamus is pretty busy today.
No need for casual sexism. I'm here for the mum jokes as well.
Didn't disappoint
@antipodean said in Reds vs Crusaders 2026:
Hannah's physicality should have him in the national 80kg team.
Issac Ross without the freakish skills
Hannah/ shalfoon are a big reason for us being so shit this year, neither clears bodies at the breakdown or makes any meaningful tackles,.
Cahill hits hard and should be starting.
I'm also pissed off they put Lee on the bench and started Gardiner/ Kellow. Both were awful...
The talk in the other thread of Gardiner being an all blacks prospect is laughable..he's a fucking idiot and. I don't even want him in the crusaders.... Torian Barnes is way better.
Well that was what I call a fairly ordinary game. Reds were better team, but even they didn't need to be very good.
@SammyC said in Reds vs Crusaders 2026:
The talk in the other thread of Gardiner being an all blacks prospect is laughable..he's a fucking idiot and. I don't even want him in the crusaders.... Torian Barnes is way better.
A very frustrating player. Has the physical attributes to be so much better. I only saw parts of the game last night, but the bits I saw Gardiner did some very good things. His getting in a position to put a cover tackle on the Reds winger after he ran much of the field was top class, not many 6's his size in NZ at the moment are capable of that. He also shited bodies at ruck time effectively.
Not saying he should be an AB, but he does have some redeeming features and I can see why the Saders pick him.
I was surprised when they benched Lee as well, but looking at his stats since the Highlanders game, I do think it makes more sense. He was putting in much more mixed performances after his strong debut.
Lee’s output across his first 4 games: a very busy start followed by a dip in productivity and accuracy
Lee’s standout qualities coming up through the grades (SRU20 & NZ U20) were his work rate at the attacking breakdown and his defensive volume. His first game against the Highlanders strongly mirrored those qualities (0.19 tackles per minute), with an added benefit of an increased carrying game (10 carries in 66 minutes).
Since then, however, both his volume and his accuracy have suffered, missing 4 tackles out of 17 against Moana and being limited to just 3 carries in 49 minutes against the Drua. I’m guessing the coaches felt he was hitting a wall somewhat.
Furthermore, Lee’s limitations from age grade rugby – his lack of dynamism on attack – have since resurfaced, beating just two defenders out of 30 carries and not making a whole lot of metres out of those carries (avg. 1.5m per carry per 80). I presume it’s one of the reasons Gardiner was preferred against the Reds, with the latter more dominant in contact on attack (8 defenders beaten out of 53 carries, or 15% carrying dominance versus Lee’s 6%).
Lee’s performance from the bench against the Reds was positive though, returning to his standards in both volume (0.19 tackles per minute) and accuracy (86% tackle success). It's obvious that the Crusaders flanker is a promising player but the consistency at SRP level is, understandably, not quite there yet.