Crusaders claim small moments costly in loss to Reds, Will Jordan’s attacking threat missed

Monday, 13 April 2026

Johnny McNicoll (C) celebrates a try he helped set up for Christian Lio-Willie, but the Crusaders’ All Black fullback was missed in the loss sto the Reds’ at Suncorp Stadium.

ANALYSIS: Rob Penney had a cryptic response to the inevitable post-match press conference question after the loss to the Reds: “Did the Crusaders miss Will Jordan?”.

The Crusaders coach was quick to say after Saturday’s 31-26 defeat in muggy Brisbane that “obviously the replacement [Johnny McNicholl] is a well-regarded player’’.

But he added: “Will Jordan is world class, he’s at the peak of his game. Any team he plays for would benefit from having him on the field.

“So I think that probably answers your question.”

The Reds, inspired by the guests-of-honour presence of their 2011 Super Rugby champion team - the last Queensland side to beat the Crusaders in Brisbane - leapfrogged the South Islanders into fifth place, with the Crusaders dropping to sixth.

The five-point defeat at Suncorp Stadium may further fuel the theory that the Super Rugby Pacific champions can’t win without Jordan, currently out with a calf injury and set to miss next Saturday’s clash with the Western Force in Perth.

In fact, they have lost a couple of times with their All Blacks star - in the opening round at the Highlanders where he came off the bench and the following week at home to the Brumbies.

Will Jordan, pictured against the Fijian Drua, is being missed by the Crusaders on their two-match Australian tour.

McNicholl, who won 10 Wales caps as an outside back, was, in fact, one of the better backline performers in Brisbane, collecting two try assists with long cut-out passes for Christian Lio-Willie and then Chay Fihaki. He and Sevu Reece led the backline attack with 44m, McNicholl registering 13 carries - the most by a Crusaders.

But while the 35-year-old, who beat three defenders, has lost little of his zip, the Crusaders clearly missed the extra incision Jordan routinely provides on counter-attack, particularly through the middle of the field.

Much of the Crusaders’ impetus was expected to come from midfield, but Leicester Fainga’anuku (who later shifted to No 8) and David Havili were shut down by the Reds and were unable to beat a defender whereas their opposites Josh Flook and Hunter Paisami (with five tacklers eluded) were able to provide more penetration.

The Crusaders collectively beat just 14 defenders to the Queenslanders’ 23.

Havili’s pinpoint tactical kicking was invaluable, however, for the Crusaders’ conceding valuable field position and possession and his deft pass from first receiver set up the momentum for the first of Fihaki’s tries.

The winger’s second score, for a bonus point on the stroke of fulltime, may prove vital in the final analysis.

Penney and Lio-Willie said this was a game lost in small moments, but the Crusaders had too many average spells.

The cloying conditions and slippery pitch made the ball greasy, turning what Penney termed “a ding-dong battle’’ into a war of contrition.

Penney felt the Crusaders fought back strongly from a “pretty tenuous’’ period in the first quarter when Reds skipper Fraser McReight and fly half Carter Gordon scored after Lio-Willie had put the visitors ahead in the fifth minute.

Chay Fihaki, pictured against the Force in 2025, scored two tries against the Reds in Brisbane.

At 19-all, with around 60% possession in the second half, the coach was feeling hopeful, but the Crusaders squandered a chance to go ahead with a handling error.

Havili put his finger on the key issue when he told Stan Sport TV that the slippery ball took its toll and “we couldn’t really execute towards the end of the second half, and they finished on top of us”.

Two tries in quick succession in the final 10 minutes - the first to Reds’ winger Filipo Daugunu on his 100th Super Rugby appearance and the second a 70m runaway effort by replacement halfback Louis Werchon left the Crusaders playing catch-up with time running out on the clock.

They were left with the bonus point consolation after Fihaki’s second try from a pass by rookie halfback Louie Chapman.

Fletcher Newell, on the burst against the Drua, had another busy game for the Crusaders in Brisbane.

But, in general, the Crusaders struggled in the second half to get the ball wide to Reece and Fihaki - a symptom of the greasy pill, although the Reds’ try-scoring wingers Daugunu and Tim Ryan saw more action.

Despite the defeat, the Crusaders had some big ticks in key areas. The lineout was excellent again with all 17 throws secured and they forced the Reds into five lineout errors, the scrum was also 100% perfect and hooker George Bell nabbed his fifth try of the season from a copybook lineout maul - all factors that would have left forwards coach Dan Perrin a satisfied man.

Lio-Willie had a powerful game at No 8 before making way for Fainga’anuku’s forward shift, and Dom Gardiner buried himself in the tight. But the Reds dominated the breakdown, wining 83 rucks to 62.

All Blacks tighthead Fletcher Newell - the most consistent Crusader this season - pulled off a try-saving tackle on Paisami to limit the Reds’ halftime lead to two points.

The reality was the Reds could have won by more than five points had they converted their opportunities, but some blinkered ball runners ignored support runners on their outside or inside with the try-line looming.

The Crusaders will stay in Queensland until Tuesday before leaving for Western Australia.

The job in Perth - a place the Crusaders have had four wins, three losses and a draw from eight matches since 2007 - will be made the more harder by the fact the Force will be smarting from a 24-22 loss to the Fijian Drua in Lautoka.