Super Rugby Pacific

Brumbies crush Crusaders to end 26-year drought in Christchurch

Published

2 months ago

22nd February 2026

Brumbies James Slipper during the Crusaders v Brumbies, Super Rugby Pacific match, Apollo Projects Stadium, Christchurch, New Zealand. Sunday, 22 February 2026, (Photo by Martin Hunter / action press)

The Brumbies ended a 26-year hoodoo with a stunning 50–24 demolition of the defending champion Crusaders in Christchurch, scoring five second-half tries to inflict the hosts’ heaviest home defeat since 2001 on a day layered with significance—James Slipper’s 200th Super Rugby appearance, and the 15th anniversary of the Christchurch earthquake.

Key moments

3 mins – MISSED PENALTY BRUMBIES: Ryan Lonergan strikes the right post from 38 metres after Christian Lio-Willie is penalised for playing the ball on the ground. The Crusaders survive a sloppy start in which they spill the kick-off and are forced to scramble inside their own in-goal. (Crusaders 0–0 Brumbies)
9 mins – TRY CRUSADERS: David Havili opens the scoring with a trademark power finish. George Bell finds his jumper and the Crusaders set a lineout drive that edges towards the line. Havili takes it at first receiver, bumps off one Brumbies centre and carries the other over the whitewash to ground the ball. Taha Kemara converts. (Crusaders 7–0 Brumbies)
19 mins – TRY BRUMBIES: Andy Muirhead sparks the visitors into life. James Slipper carries strongly to the left before Kadin Pritchard punches through the middle. Muirhead hits a hard line, steps back inside the defence and reaches out to score a well-taken try. Lonergan converts from the left. (Crusaders 7–7 Brumbies)
24 mins – TRY CRUSADERS: George Bell finishes a dazzling Crusaders counter. Kemara spots space in behind and drops a perfectly weighted chip kick for Chay Fihaki, who splits the defence and drags in both defenders near the 22. He offloads off the deck to Bell, who is fair flying and dives over under the posts. Kemara converts. (Crusaders 14–7 Brumbies)
29 mins – TRY BRUMBIES: James Slipper scores in his 200th match. Muirhead cuts through the middle again and finds Cadeyrn Neville, who slips through Kemara and charges towards the line before being hauled down by Havili five metres out. The offload falls perfectly for Slipper, who flops over in the left corner to the delight of the travelling support. Lonergan converts. (Crusaders 14–14 Brumbies)
36 mins – YELLOW CARD CRUSADERS: Antonio Shalfoon is sent to the sin bin for repeated infringements. The Crusaders concede six penalties in succession, most inside their own 22, leaving referee Ben O’Keeffe no option. The Brumbies opt for a five-metre scrum. (Crusaders 14–14 Brumbies)
37 mins – TRY BRUMBIES: Charlie Cale drives the visitors in front from the scrum. The set piece screws awkwardly but Cale picks from the base and charges hard to the left, targeting Noah Hotham and carrying three defenders over the line to force the ball down. Lonergan’s conversion is dragged wide in the breeze. (Crusaders 14–19 Brumbies)
Half-time: Crusaders 14–19 Brumbies. The visitors deserve their lead after dominating territory with 85 per cent possession in the Crusaders’ half, aided by the breeze and a 6–0 penalty count. The Crusaders have been forced into 130 tackles to the Brumbies’ 49. Will Jordan and Fihaki have shown glimpses on the counter, but the hosts have been their own worst enemy with handling errors and ill-discipline.
49 mins – YELLOW CARD BRUMBIES: Cadeyrn Neville is sent to the sin bin for a professional foul. Hotham takes a quick tap from a free kick and Neville drags him down, having clearly not retreated ten metres. (Crusaders 14–19 Brumbies)
52 mins – HELD UP CRUSADERS: Leicester Fainga’anuku, on as a half-time replacement, makes an instant impact with a powerful linebreak from close range. But Cale and Rob Valetini combine to spin him on his back and hold him up over the line. A crucial defensive effort from the 14-man Brumbies. (Crusaders 14–19 Brumbies)
54 mins – TRY BRUMBIES: Kadin Pritchard pounces on a horror bounce. Lachie Shaw steals a Crusaders lineout, and the Brumbies work into midfield before Declan Meredith drops an inch-perfect chip kick in behind. The ball takes a wicked bounce, sitting perfectly for Pritchard on the angle. He bursts through Kemara and charges away down the left edge for his maiden Super Rugby try. Lonergan’s conversion drifts wide. (Crusaders 14–24 Brumbies)
57 mins – TRY CRUSADERS: Sevu Reece strikes back immediately. Codie Taylor works a return ball at the front of a lineout, and the Crusaders shift it quickly through the hands. Kemara opens it right up and Reece is freed on the edge, walking in an easy try in the left corner. Kemara hits the left post with the conversion. (Crusaders 19–24 Brumbies)
59 mins – TRY BRUMBIES: c races away for his double. From broken play after the restart, Tane Edmed finds Ollie Sapsford in space on the left. Sapsford feeds it back inside for Cale, who shows impressive pace to streak away down the left edge. Dom Gardiner is then shown a yellow card after a review for a shoulder to the head of Muirhead in the build-up. Edmed converts. (Crusaders 19–31 Brumbies)
68 mins – TRY CRUSADERS: Leicester Fainga’anuku finally breaches the line. Louie Chapman works a couple of wider passes to create the space, and Fainga’anuku chops back infield, sliding through two tackles to score down the left edge. Kemara misses the conversion and the deficit stays at seven. (Crusaders 24–31 Brumbies)
73 mins – TRY BRUMBIES: Liam Bowron finishes a trademark Brumbies maul. The visitors win a penalty on the 22, kick for the corner, and set a rolling drive that the Crusaders cannot stop. Bowron initially falls short but goes again, leaping over the line from close range. Edmed’s conversion blows across the face. (Crusaders 24–36 Brumbies)
77 mins – TRY BRUMBIES: Rob Valetini crashes over for the bonus point. The Brumbies work patiently through the phases, sending the Crusaders backwards, and Valetini is the man to eventually power over in front of the posts with the home side running out of defenders. Edmed converts. (Crusaders 24–43 Brumbies)
79 mins – TRY BRUMBIES: Corey Toole produces individual brilliance to cap a famous afternoon. After the Brumbies turn the ball over from the restart, Cale offloads well to set the attack in motion. The ball is worked wide to Toole 55 metres out, and he races into the backfield before standing up Reece and Tamaiti Williams on the 22, offering a dummy and rounding both to score under the posts. Edmed converts. (Crusaders 24–50 Brumbies)
Full-time: Crusaders 24–50 Brumbies

Before kick-off at Apollo Projects Stadium, the crowd fell silent to mark the 15th anniversary of the Christchurch earthquake, with first responders present to acknowledge their tireless work in the weeks and months that followed. When the whistle blew, both sides delivered a contest worthy of the occasion—though it was the Brumbies who ensured the afternoon belonged to them.

The opening exchanges were scrappy, with both sides struggling to settle. The Crusaders spilled the kick-off and were forced to clear from deep, but early defensive resolve helped them weather pressure inside their own 22, with Valetini held up in a crunching tackle that set the physical tone. When the hosts struck through Havili’s powerful carry from the lineout drive, the script appeared familiar—the Crusaders finding a way at home as they have so often over the past quarter-century.

Muirhead had other ideas. Filling the shoes of the injured Tom Wright at fullback, the 28-year-old was electric throughout, repeatedly tearing through the Crusaders’ defensive line with his aggressive running lines and willingness to back his footwork. His try in the 19th minute was the spark, and his assist for Slipper’s milestone score ten minutes later was the emotional centrepiece of the afternoon.

Slipper’s try drew a roar from the travelling support. Having scored just once in his previous two Super Rugby seasons, the 36-year-old prop—playing his 200th match, 104 with the Reds and 96 with the Brumbies—was on the receiving end of a chain of offloads that began with Muirhead’s midfield break and ended with Neville’s pass on the five-metre line. He now sits two matches behind former All Black Wyatt Crockett’s all-time record of 202 appearances.

“It’s up there as one of the best,” Slipper said afterwards. “We knocked off the Blues at Eden Park last year, and that’s a bit of a hoodoo for us. Like most Aussie teams, we’ve come here, and we put up a fight, but we never get the chocolates. So for today to come away with a result, and the way it ended up, is a big result for us.”

The Crusaders were not without their moments. Bell’s try in the 24th minute, finished after Fihaki’s superb break from Kemara’s deft chip kick, was the sharpest attacking passage the hosts produced all afternoon. But the pattern of the first half was relentless Brumbies pressure, aided by the breeze at their backs and a 6–0 penalty count that pinned the Crusaders inside their own territory for long periods.

Forced to make 130 tackles to the Brumbies’ 49, the hosts eventually cracked. Shalfoon’s yellow card for repeat infringements handed the visitors a five-metre scrum, and Cale needed no second invitation, picking from the base and carrying three defenders over the line to send the Brumbies into the break with a deserved 19–14 lead.

The second half followed a similar pattern: the Brumbies striking against the run of play, the Crusaders unable to capitalise when they had their chances. Neville’s yellow card for a professional foul gave the hosts a period with the extra man, and Fainga’anuku’s explosive linebreak looked destined for a try until Cale and Valetini combined to hold the powerful centre up over the line—a defining defensive moment that preserved the Brumbies’ lead.

Pritchard’s try three minutes later was a gift from the rugby gods, Meredith’s chip kick taking a horror bounce that sat perfectly for the young centre. But Cale’s second, finished with impressive pace down the left after Sapsford’s break, was all class. Gardiner’s subsequent yellow card for head contact on Muirhead compounded the Crusaders’ misery, and at 31–19 with 20 minutes remaining, the visitors were firmly in command.

Fainga’anuku’s score in the 68th minute briefly trimmed the gap to seven and raised the possibility of one of the Crusaders’ trademark comeback surges. It proved a false dawn. The Brumbies returned to what they do best—patient, accurate forward play—and Bowron’s try from the maul effectively ended the contest.

Valetini’s bonus-point try and Toole’s length-of-the-field stunner in the final three minutes merely added gloss to a performance that was dominant from start to finish. The Brumbies coughed up just five penalties across the 80 minutes, conceding none until the 49th minute, and their loose forward trio of Valetini, Rory Scott and Cale comprehensively outplayed the Crusaders’ back row.

“Super proud,” captain Lonergan said. “Super stoked to do it for big Jimmy on his 200th.”

For Rob Penney’s Crusaders, the title defence is already in tatters. Successive defeats to open the season—a first since their 2017 title-winning campaign—leave them staring down the barrel, with away trips to the unbeaten Chiefs and Blues to follow before a rematch with the Highlanders.

“That was pretty brutal,” Penney said. “We started off well and created a few opportunities but were just lacking cohesion. Our set piece, particularly our lineout, imploded. We’re in a bit of a hole now and we need to get ourselves out of it.”

A faltering lineout, 14 turnovers, three yellow cards across the two rounds, and a second-half capitulation that saw them concede 31 points after the break—the defending champions have plenty to fix, and precious little time in which to do it.

What’s next

The Crusaders face a daunting road trip to Hamilton to take on the unbeaten Chiefs next Saturday. The Brumbies return home to Canberra to host the Blues in a clash between the competition’s only two teams with perfect records.

Teams

Crusaders: 15 Will Jordan, 14 Chay Fihaki, 13 Braydon Ennor, 12 David Havili (c), 11 Sevu Reece, 10 Taha Kemara, 9 Noah Hotham, 8 Christian Lio-Willie, 7 Ethan Blackadder, 6 Dom Gardiner, 5 Jamie Hannah, 4 Antonio Shalfoon, 3 Fletcher Newell, 2 George Bell, 1 Finlay Brewis. Replacements: 16 Codie Taylor, 17 Tamaiti Williams, 18 Seb Calder, 19 Tahlor Cahill, 20 Corey Kellow, 21 Louie Chapman, 22 James White, 23 Leicester Fainga’anuku.

Brumbies: 15 Andy Muirhead, 14 Ollie Sapsford, 13 Kadin Pritchard, 12 David Feliuai, 11 Corey Toole, 10 Declan Meredith, 9 Ryan Lonergan (c), 8 Charlie Cale, 7 Rory Scott, 6 Rob Valetini, 5 Cadeyrn Neville, 4 Lachie Shaw, 3 Rhys van Nek, 2 Billy Pollard, 1 James Slipper. Replacements: 16 Liam Bowron, 17 Blake Schoupp, 18 Tevita Alatini, 19 Toby Macpherson, 20 Luke Reimer, 21 Klayton Thorn, 22 Tane Edmed, 23 Hudson Creighton.

Match details

Crusaders 24 (Tries: David Havili, George Bell, Sevu Reece, Leicester Fainga’anuku; Conversions: Taha Kemara 2/4)
Brumbies 50 (Tries: Andy Muirhead, James Slipper, Charlie Cale 2, Kadin Pritchard, Liam Bowron, Rob Valetini, Corey Toole; Conversions: Ryan Lonergan 2/4, Tane Edmed 3/4; Penalties: Ryan Lonergan 0/1)
Half-time: 14–19

Yellow Cards: Antonio Shalfoon (Crusaders, 36′), Cadeyrn Neville (Brumbies, 49′), Dom Gardiner (Crusaders, 59′)

Venue: Apollo Projects Stadium, Christchurch

Referee: Ben O’Keeffe (New Zealand)
Assistant Referees: Maggie Cogger-Orr, Warwick Lahmert
TMO: Richard Kelly

Related Topics:ACT Brumbies Canterbury Crusaders Super Rugby Pacific

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Super Rugby Pacific

Hurricanes make two changes for Blues top-of-table clash

The Hurricanes have named a settled side for their top-of-table Super Rugby Pacific clash against the Blues, with Callum Harkin returning from concussion at fullback.

Published

1 day ago

8th April 2026

rugbyisthegame

Hurricanes make two changes for Blues top-of-table clash

Hurricanes Callum Harkin try during the Hurricanes v Force, Super Rugby Pacific match, McLean Park, Napier, New Zealand. Friday, 13 March 2026, (Photo by Paul Taylor / action press)

The Hurricanes have named a settled side for their blockbuster Super Rugby Pacific encounter against the Blues in Wellington on Saturday, making just two changes to the team that dismantled the Reds 52-14 a fortnight ago.

Key team news:

Callum Harkin returns from concussion to start at fullback, pushing Josh Moorby to the right wing
Pasilio Tosi starts at tighthead prop in the only other change to the starting XV
Raymond Tuputupu named on the bench for his first appearance of the season
Both teams locked on 25 points at the top of the standings
Heritage Round fixture with fans on field at the end of the match

Coming into this week’s top-of-the-table encounter following last week’s bye, head coach Clark Laidlaw has kept faith with the core of his team. The forward pack remains largely unchanged, with Caleb Delany and Warner Dearns retained in the second row, while blindside flanker Devan Flanders, co-captain Du’Plessis Kirifi, and No 8 Peter Lakai make up the loose forward trio.

In the backline, the halves partnership of Cam Roigard and Ruben Love continues, as does the midfield combination of co-captain Jordie Barrett and centre Billy Proctor. Fehi Fineanganofo stays on the left wing.

The return of Harkin at fullback represents the most significant change to the backline. The youngster cleared return-to-play protocols earlier this week and slots straight back into the starting XV, allowing the versatile Moorby to shift out wide.

On the bench, hooker Raymond Tuputupu is in line to make his first appearance of the season. He joins tighthead prop Tevita Mafileo and veteran loose forward Brad Shields as new figures among the replacements.

Laidlaw said his side is ready for the challenge that awaits at Hnry Stadium. Both teams enter the contest in strong form, riding four-game winning streaks and refreshed from the bye week.

The Hurricanes are without several players through injury, most notably tighthead prop Tyrel Lomax, who remains sidelined with an ankle issue.

Hurricanes team to face Blues:

15. Callum Harkin
14. Josh Moorby
13. Billy Proctor
12. Jordie Barrett (co-c)
11. Fehi Fineanganofo
10. Ruben Love
9. Cam Roigard
8. Peter Lakai
7. Du’Plessis Kirifi (co-c)
6. Devan Flanders
5. Warner Dearns
4. Caleb Delany
3. Pasilio Tosi
2. Asafo Aumua
1. Xavier Numia

Replacements: 16. Raymond Tuputupu, 17. Siale Lauaki, 18. Tevita Mafileo, 19. Isaia Walker-Leawere, 20. Brad Shields, 21. Brayden Iose, 22. Ereatara Enari, 23. Jone Rova

Match details: Hurricanes v Blues, Hnry Stadium, Wellington. Saturday 11 April 2026, 7:05pm NZST. Live on Sky Sport NZ.

Super Rugby Pacific

Former All Blacks flanker returns to Highlanders for 2027 season

Published

3 days ago

7th April 2026

rugbyisthegame

Former All Blacks flanker returns to Highlanders for 2027 season

All Blacks Shannon Frizell emerges from the tunnel to warm up prior to the 2023 Rugby World Cup final between New Zealand and South Africa at the Stade de France, Paris, France, Saturday, October 28, 2023 (Photo by Lynne Cameron / action press)

Shannon Frizell is heading home. The Highlanders confirmed on Tuesday that the 33-Test All Black will return to Dunedin for the 2027 Super Rugby Pacific season, ending a successful stint in Japan as he targets a place in New Zealand’s squad for the Rugby World Cup in Australia.

Key facts:

Frizell, 32, has signed with New Zealand Rugby and will rejoin the Highlanders for the 2027 Super Rugby Pacific season
The blindside flanker will be available for Tasman in the 2026 NPC from mid-year
He has won back-to-back Japan Rugby League One titles with Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo in 2024 and 2025
Frizell’s last All Blacks appearance was in the 2023 Rugby World Cup final defeat to South Africa
He has 68 Highlanders caps and 33 Test caps for New Zealand

The Tongan-born loose forward’s contract with New Zealand Rugby will see him arrive back in the country in mid-2026, making him available to represent Tasman in the NPC before linking up with the Highlanders the following year. The timing is significant: it should see Frizell become eligible for All Blacks selection for the November internationals, giving him roughly twelve months to press his case with new head coach Dave Rennie ahead of the World Cup.

Frizell departs Japan as a two-time champion. Since joining Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo after the 2023 World Cup, the powerful blindside flanker has been instrumental in the club’s dominance, helping secure back-to-back Japan Rugby League One titles in 2024 and 2025. He made an immediate impact in his first season, scoring five tries in his opening three matches including a remarkable four-try haul against Kobelco Kobe Steelers. His form earned him selection for the ANZAC XV that faced the touring British & Irish Lions in Australia last year.

It is a homecoming laden with both sentiment and ambition. Frizell made his Highlanders debut in 2018 as an impact substitute against the Stormers and went on to earn All Blacks selection later that same year. He amassed 68 appearances in the blue, gold and maroon before heading overseas, and his return will add significant firepower to Jamie Joseph’s forward pack.

The Highlanders head coach welcomed the announcement with enthusiasm. “Shannon returning to the Highlanders is a real bonus for the club, and it’s great to see a seasoned international player prepared to return to Super Rugby to have a crack at making the All Blacks,” Joseph said. “He knows our culture well, he’s a hard-working player, and he’ll fit seamlessly into our team.”

Frizell’s Test pedigree is beyond question. He started five matches at the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France, including an 80-minute, two-try performance in the semi-final victory over Argentina. He also started the final against South Africa, though that match ended in heartbreak with a narrow 12–11 defeat in Paris — Frizell was yellow-carded in just the second minute of that encounter.

His return adds an intriguing dimension to the competition for New Zealand’s number six jersey. No player has locked down the starting blindside role since Frizell’s departure, with Wallace Sititi, Samipeni Finau, Ethan Blackadder, Luke Jacobson and Simon Parker all given opportunities with varying degrees of success. While Sititi was named World Rugby Breakthrough Player of the Year in 2024 after impressive performances from blindside, he spent much of 2025 at number eight following Ardie Savea’s shift to openside.

Rennie, who previously coached in Japan with the Kobe Steelers, will have been monitoring Frizell’s form closely. The loose forward has missed much of the current Japanese season with a broken hand but is expected to return for the League One playoffs, where Toshiba will be chasing a third consecutive title under coach Todd Blackadder.

Highlanders CEO Roger Clark emphasised the importance of the signing to the club’s long-term project. “Over the last few seasons the club has worked hard at rebuilding and growing the talent pool we believe we need to be competitive in one of the toughest professional leagues in the world,” Clark said. “The arrival of Shannon will give further impetus to that, and it’s exciting news for our fans to welcome back a player of his calibre.”

NZR Interim Chief Executive Steve Lancaster echoed the sentiment, highlighting the broader significance of experienced players returning to domestic rugby. “We’re really pleased to have Shannon returning to New Zealand and look forward to seeing him back in action in the NPC later this year,” Lancaster said. “Any time a player with international experience comes home is a boost to the game here and it’s great to see Shannon’s desire to represent his provincial union, Super Rugby club and country remains as strong as ever.”

Frizell follows a path already trodden by his Toshiba teammate Richie Mo’unga, who signed an 18-month contract with NZR last year and remains committed to playing at the 2027 World Cup despite Scott Robertson’s departure as All Blacks coach in January. The pair’s returns underscore the magnetic pull of a home World Cup for New Zealand’s overseas contingent.

At 32, Frizell is entering the final chapter of his international career. But with his physicality as a ball-carrier, his lineout presence, and his big-match experience, he arrives back in Super Rugby with plenty still to offer — and a World Cup mission to accomplish.

Super Rugby Pacific

Franco Molina hat-trick stuns Reds as Force claim statement win

Published

6 days ago

4th April 2026

rugbyisthegame

Franco Molina hat-trick stuns Reds as Force claim statement win

SUPER RUGBY REDS FORCE, The Force celebrate a try during the Super Rugby Pacific Round 8 match between the Queensland Reds and the Western Force at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, Saturday, April 4, 2026. (IMAGO / AAP)

Franco Molina produced a stunning hat-trick as the Western Force pulled off a 42–19 bonus-point upset over the Queensland Reds at Suncorp Stadium — their first bonus-point win over the Reds since 2012.

The result keeps the Force’s finals hopes alive as they improved to 2–5, while the Reds slipped to 4–3 and dropped to sixth on the ladder — a defeat that could have shot them into third place with a win.

Key moments

12 mins – TRY FORCE: The Force build through phases before Franco Molina snipes around the ruck to dot down beside the posts. Ben Donaldson converts. (Force 7–0)

17 mins – TRY REDS: A slick set-piece move from the lineout sees Hunter Paisami pop a lovely ball out the back, sending Tim Ryan through a massive gap to score under the sticks. Jock Campbell converts. (Force 7–7)

24 mins – TRY REDS: The Force collapse at scrum time and Kalani Thomas taps quickly, stepping past two defenders before firing to Joe Brial, who barges over. Campbell hits the post. (Reds 12–7)

32 mins – TRY FORCE: Molina burrows low through multiple pick-and-goes before muscling his way over for his second. Donaldson converts. (Force 14–12)

40 mins – TRY FORCE: A brilliant counter sparked by Dylan Pietsch opens space down the left. Nick Champion de Crespigny strides away and draws the fullback before linking with Mac Grealy on the inside to score. Donaldson converts. (Force 21–12)

Half-time: Force 21–12. The Force head into the sheds with a nine-point lead after a lively first half. Molina has been immense, while the Reds have looked dangerous but let themselves down with errors at key moments.

50 mins – TRY FORCE: Donaldson stabs a perfectly weighted cross-kick to the right wing and Darby Lancaster flies high above Campbell to take a clean catch and score in the corner. Lancaster limps off with an ankle injury. Donaldson converts. (Force 28–12)

54 mins – YELLOW CARD REDS: Harry Wilson is sent to the bin for head-on-head contact with Molina. The Force immediately attack with a man advantage.

59 mins – TRY FORCE: The Force win the lineout and charge around the corner. Brandon Paenga-Amosa shrugs off a defender and dots down beside the posts. Donaldson converts. (Force 35–12)

76 mins – TRY REDS: Josh Flook gets a brilliant short ball from Wilson on the right wing and breaks clean through from 70 metres out. He draws the fullback and fires to Filipo Daugunu, who streaks away to score in the corner. Harry McLaughlin-Phillips converts. (Force 35–19)

80+1 mins – TRY FORCE: Molina gets it one-off the ruck, bumping off defenders and carrying two players over the line with him to complete a stunning hat-trick and seal the bonus point. Donaldson converts. (Force 42–19)

Full-time: Western Force 42–19 Queensland Reds

Match report

NRL convert Zac Lomax was expected to make his rugby union debut off the bench, but the former St George Illawarra and Parramatta star was ruled out less than an hour before kick-off due to hamstring tightness.

“Zac trained fully on Thursday but only got up to 80 per cent speed,” Force head coach Simon Cron explained. “He was just a bit tight in his hamstring. Maybe got a very minor strain in there. Because he’s a power athlete who, if we put him away down the edge, he’s going to sprint, it’s just too high a risk for him and for us.”

Lomax, who signed a two-year deal with Rugby Australia with the 2027 home World Cup the obvious carrot, will now target his debut against the Fijian Drua in Lautoka next weekend.

In the absence of injured captain Jeremy Williams, Argentina international Molina stepped up with a performance that drew gasps from commentators. “What have we just witnessed from the second rower?” Tim Horan said on Stan Sport after Molina completed his hat-trick.

The Pumas lock opened the scoring in the 12th minute with a smart snipe around the ruck. Brandon Paenga-Amosa wound up close to the line, with Jack Daly hammering away just short before Molina caught the defence napping, dotting down beside the posts for a converted try.

His second came just past the half-hour mark after a 50-22 kick put the Force in prime position. Molina burrowed low through multiple pick-and-goes, with Daly having another dig before Molina muscled his way over with help from his fellow forwards.

His third was the most emphatic. With the clock red and a bonus point at stake, Molina got it one-off the ruck, bumping off defenders and carrying two players over the line with him to complete a stellar performance. Beyond his tries, Molina was influential in several clutch lineout plays, including a crucial steal inside his own 22 when the Reds were threatening in the second half.

The Force had started brightly, with Darby Lancaster making a brilliant catch from Henry Robertson’s box kick before breaking the line. Fraser McReight’s work at the breakdown won a penalty to relieve pressure, but the visitors maintained their stranglehold on territory.

The Reds responded well to Molina’s opener through a beautifully worked set-piece move. Joe Brial secured the lineout cleanly and Seru Uru shifted the ball right, finding Hunter Paisami to dig into the defensive line. Paisami then popped a lovely ball out the back after sucking in defenders, sending replacement Tim Ryan through a massive gap to score under the sticks.

When the Force collapsed at scrum time, halfback Kalani Thomas showed quick thinking by tapping immediately. He stepped past two defenders before firing a great ball to Brial, who barged over to give Queensland a 12–7 lead after 24 minutes.

But the Force regained control through Molina’s second try and then struck a hammer blow right on half-time. A brilliant counter sparked by Dylan Pietsch saw him make a damaging run beyond halfway. The ball went left as Mac Grealy spotted space, firing it to stand-in captain Nick Champion de Crespigny on the wing. Champion de Crespigny strode away with no one around him, drew the fullback, and linked with Grealy on the inside, who strolled in to score down the left flank.

The Force headed into the sheds with a 21–12 lead — and crucially, they had finally converted a halftime advantage into victory after four losses this season despite leading at the break.

The Reds came out firing after the interval, with Paisami making an early break following Harry Wilson’s decoy line. But the Force’s scramble defence held firm, and they soon took complete control.

Ben Donaldson produced a moment of magic to extend the lead. With advantage being played, he stabbed a perfectly weighted cross-kick to the right wing. Lancaster flew high above Jock Campbell in the contest, taking a clean catch to score in the corner. The winger landed awkwardly, rolling his ankle badly, and limped off to be replaced by Kurtley Beale — one of several casualties on a brutal night.

When Reds captain Wilson was sent to the sin bin for head-on-head contact with Molina, the Force capitalised immediately. They won the lineout and charged around the corner, with Harry Johnson-Holmes getting close before Paenga-Amosa went at pace, shrugged off a defender, and dotted down beside the posts to extend the lead to 35–12.

“We spoke about it all week, sticking to our process,” Champion de Crespigny said afterwards. “We’ve been in a lot of games and haven’t been able to seal it out. Key moments letting them back in. We wanted today to have the complete performance.”

Josh Flook sparked an 80-metre counter-attack in the 76th minute, receiving a brilliant short ball from Wilson on the right wing and breaking clean through. Flook drew the fullback and fired to Filipo Daugunu, who had the gas to streak away and score in the corner. Harry McLaughlin-Phillips converted from the sideline, and the try threatened to deny the Force their bonus point.

But Molina had the final say. The Force won a scrum in the Reds 22 and attacked with intent as the siren sounded. Nic Dolly and Beale had cracks before Molina got it one-off the ruck and powered his way over for his hat-trick.

“It keeps our fire going inside of us,” Champion de Crespigny said of the result. “We’ve got that belief of where we want to go. We want to be the first team from the Force to be in the finals. That’s our objective.”

While Molina grabbed the headlines, flyhalf Donaldson was outstanding in his battle against Wallabies rival Carter Gordon. He finished with a perfect six-from-six off the tee, ran incisive lines, and kicked potently both in-play and at goal.

“Thursday I thought was his best training of the year,” Cron said of Donaldson. “Vocal. Flattening up. Taking on the line. He did that tonight again which was awesome for the team.”

The Force’s stats told the story: 42 defenders beaten to Queensland’s 17, 514 metres gained, and 180 carries compared to the Reds’ 94.

Both sides suffered casualties. Teenage Reds winger Treyvon Pritchard, earning his first start on his 19th birthday, lasted less than 10 minutes after failing his Head Injury Assessment following a cover tackle that helped stall a Force attack. Force prop Tom Robertson followed soon after when he was caught out of position tackling Tim Ryan, appearing to be knocked out after collecting Ryan’s elbow to the head.

For the Force, both starting wingers failed to finish — Pietsch limped off with a foot injury at half-time (described as precautionary), while Lancaster’s ankle injury from his spectacular try finish left him on crutches at full-time.

“It’s tough. I’m feeling flat. We were off tonight,” Reds captain Fraser McReight said. “At times, we were not clinical or accurate enough. Our discipline let us down and, at times, we were not up to scratch with our physicality. We’ll come back in at the start of next week, we’ll figure out what went wrong and get back into it.”

Reds coach Les Kiss — the Wallabies boss-in-waiting — acknowledged the challenge ahead. “Credit to the Force. They held the ball well and they punished our error rate. We’ll assess that game as hard as we always do. It’s not a throwaway line… we find out about ourselves in moments like this and we will go hard at our next challenge against the Crusaders.”

Cron praised Champion de Crespigny’s leadership: “We lost two Wallabies before this game in Carlo (Tizzano) and Jeremy who couldn’t play. Tom Robertson goes down 13 minutes into it, then Pietschy goes off, Darby goes off. Crep just led them all the way without any fault.”

He was also glowing about former Reds fullback Grealy’s display against his old side: “He played brilliantly tonight. He’s one of the players in our group who’s a bit of a lifeblood. He’s a funny man, or thinks he is. As you saw tonight, he’s talented.”

What’s next

The Reds host the Crusaders at Suncorp Stadium next Saturday in one of the biggest games of the season. The Force will remain in Brisbane before flying to Fiji to face the Drua in Lautoka.

Teams

Reds: 15 Jock Campbell, 14 Filipo Daugunu, 13 Josh Flook, 12 Hunter Paisami, 11 Treyvon Pritchard, 10 Carter Gordon, 9 Kalani Thomas, 8 Harry Wilson, 7 Fraser McReight (c), 6 Joe Brial, 5 Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, 4 Seru Uru, 3 Nick Bloomfield, 2 Josh Nasser, 1 Aidan Ross.
Replacements: 16 Matt Faessler, 17 Jeffery Toomaga-Allen, 18 Zane Nonggorr, 19 Hamish Muller, 20 Vaiuta Latu, 21 Louis Werchon, 22 Harry McLaughlin-Phillips, 23 Tim Ryan.

Force: 15 Mac Grealy, 14 Dylan Pietsch, 13 George Bridge, 12 Bayley Kuenzle, 11 Darby Lancaster, 10 Ben Donaldson, 9 Henry Robertson, 8 Vaiolini Ekuasi, 7 Jack Daly, 6 Nick Champion de Crespigny (c), 5 Darcy Swain, 4 Franco Molina, 3 Misinale Epenisa, 2 Brandon Paenga-Amosa, 1 Tom Robertson.
Replacements: 16 Nic Dolly, 17 Sef Fa’agase, 18 Harry Johnson-Holmes, 19 Lopeti Faifua, 20 Will Harris, 21 Agustin Moyano, 22 Kurtley Beale, 23 Hamish Stewart.

Match details

Western Force 42 (Tries: Molina 3, Grealy, Lancaster, Paenga-Amosa; Conversions: Donaldson 6/6)
Queensland Reds 19 (Tries: Ryan, Brial, Daugunu; Conversions: Campbell 1/2, McLaughlin-Phillips 1/1)
Half-time: 21–12
Yellow card: Harry Wilson (Reds, 54′)

Venue: Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Referee: Ben O’Keeffe (NZ)
Assistant referees: Todd Petrie, Warwick Lahmert
TMO: Richard Kelly