Crusaders embarrassed as Brumbies rack up 50 points for first win in Christchurch in 26 years

Sunday, 22 February 2026

Brumbies loose forwards Rob Valetini and Charlie Cale celebrate the Australian team’s first win over the Crusaders in Christchurch since 2000.

At Apollo Projects Stadium Christchurch: Brumbies 50 (Andy Muirhead 19’, James Slipper 29’, Charlie Cale 37 ’ 59’, Kadin Pritchard 54’, Liam Bowron 73’, Rob Valetini 76’, Corey Toole 78’ tries; Ryan Lonergan 2 conv); Tane Edmed 3 con) Crusaders 24 (David Havili 9’, George Bell 24’, Sevu Reece 57’, Leicester Fainga’anuku 67’ tries; Taha Kemara 2 con, HT: 19-14.Yellow cards: Antonio Shalfoon (Crusaders, 36’), Cadeyrn Neville (Brumbies 48’), Dominic Gardiner (Crusaders, 59’).

The Brumbies celebrated legendary prop James Slipper’s 200th Super Rugby game with a massive statement first win in Christchurch for 26 years after putting 50 points on the hapless Crusaders.

Rob Penney’s champions are now without a win in 2026 after shipping eight tries in a humbling 50-24 loss at Christchurch’s Apollo Projects Stadium on Sunday in one of their worst performances at the Addington ground.

They did not even get a bonus point and nor did they deserve one.

Leaky lineouts (they completed just 54%), handling fumbles, two yellow cards and general ring-rustiness plagued the Crusaders and Penney admitted they were “just in a bit of a hole at the moment’’.

“We’ve got to get ourselves out of it and we’ll be working hard to do that.”

Penney praised the Brumbies and said the game as “pretty brutal’’ and that the Crusaders had started ”creating a bit“ but made too many errors.

Brumbies captain Ryan Lonergan clears the ball.

“We just lacked quite a bit of cohesion”, he said admitting “the last 20 [minutes] were embarrassing”.

At halftime the Brumbies - brilliantly led by Ryan Lonergan - could sniff a first-ever win at Apollo Projects Stadium and a first in Christchurch since 2000 when coach Stephen Larkham was still in the No 10 jumper.

Sevu Reece of the Crusaders is tackled by Andy Muirhead and Corey Toole of the Brumbies.

They enjoyed 60% possession in the first half and led 19-14 at the break after three tries to elusive Andy Muirhead, their livewire fullback, Slipper on his 200th Super Rugby game and promising No 8 Charlie Cale.

Cale completed a double as the Brumbies ran riot with five tries in the second half - three in the final seven minutes after the Crusaders seemed to throw in the towel.

Brumbies fullback Andy Muirhead scored a try in a livewire individual display against the Crusaders.

Penney should have been livid as he supped his halftime cuppa after his charges continued with their error-ridden display from the Highlanders defeat Dunedin the first spell. While the defence was punishing at times, too many mistakes were made and six penalties - some penalties conceded.

Referee Ben O’Keeffe, who didn’t award the Crusaders a penalty until the 49th minute, lost his patience with the home team near the interval, yellow carding lock Antonio Shalfoon for repeated team infringements.

George Bell scores in one of the Crusaders’ few highlights.

Havili scored early from first receiver after a lineout, but they blew a try when Sevu Reece failed to back his pace after searing breaks by Will Jordan and Noah Hotham. His disappointing kick allowed the Brumbies to relieve the pressure.

Muirhead put the visitors back on level terms with a well-constructed try. A strong Slipper carry laid the platform that led to Muirhead running a clever angle to bamboozle the defence.

James Slipper celebrates a rare Brumbies win in Christchurch on his 200th Super Rugby game.

But the Crusaders edged ahead again after Chay Fihaki hurtled onto the ball inside his own half and committed two tacklers on the 22. Hooker George Bell showed plenty of gas to loom up for the offload and dot down under the posts.

But the Brumbies secured the next two scores.

The Crusaders missed vital tackles on Muirhead and rangy Brumbies lock Cadeyrn Neville in the lead-up to Slipper scoring to mark his milestone. The 36-year-old front rower even got a ripple of polite applause from the notoriously partisan Christchurch crowd to match his acclamation before kickoff and on his departure.

The clinical Brumbies made the most of their man advantage with Shalfoon in the sinbin, bashing away at the Crusaders’ line before Cale broke from a scrum to power over.

The only question is would a five-point lead be enough with the Crusaders to get the benefit of the breeze in the second half.

In the end the Brumbies won by 26 points.

Despite being down to 14 men with Neville sinbined for a professional foul, they drew first blood in the second spell after a kind bounce from a kick allowed livewire centre Kadin Pritchard to score.

But Reece - Super Rugby’s top try-scorer- scored and Faianga’nuku, who had been held up earlier, used his footwork and power to rumble over from a Louie Chapman pass while the Crusaders were a man short with Dom Gardiner in the bin for a high tackle.

But it was all over red rover when Brumbies replacement hooker Liam Bowron, star man Rob Valetini and winger Corey Toole scored late.