Crusaders destroy Reds

Brisbane - A relentless Crusaders compiled a record Super Rugby score at Suncorp Stadium to crush the Reds 57-29 on Sunday and issue an ominous warning to their competition rivals.

In the teams' first meeting in Brisbane since the 2011 title-decider, the Reds edged the Crusaders 17-16 in a tight first half but shipped five tries after the break as the seven-times champions ran riot.

Wings Nemani Nadolo and Johnny McNicholl each scored a brace of tries, with prop Wyatt Crockett and No 8 Luke Whitelock also touching down as the Crusaders won a fifth game in a row to cement their place in the top six.

The 2011 champion Reds scored four tries to take a bonus point from the match but were belted across the ground and remain bottom of the Australia conference.

Scorers:

Reds:

Tries: Jamie-Jerry Taulagi, Dom Shipperley, Rod Davies, Rob Simmons

Conversions: Quade Cooper (3)

Penalty: Cooper

Crusaders:

Tries: Nemani Nadolo (2), Wyatt Crockett, John McNicholl (2), Luke Whitelock

Conversions: Colin Slade (6)

Penalties: Slade (5)

Teams:

Reds:

15 Mike Harris, 14 Dom Shipperley, 13 Ben Tapuai, 12 Anthony Fainga'a, 11 Jamie-Jerry Taulagi, 10 Quade Cooper, 9 Will Genia, 8 Jake Schatz, 7 Beau Robinson, 6 Curtis Browning, 5 James Horwill (captain), 4 Rob Simmons, 3 Greg Holmes, 2 James Hanson, 1 Ben Daley

Substitutes: 16 Saia Fainga'a, 17 Albert Anae, 18 Jono Owen, 19 Ed O'Donoghue, 20 Dave McDuling, 21 Nick Frisby, 22 Ben Lucas, 23 Rod Davies

Crusaders

15 Israel Dagg, 14 Johnny McNicholl, 13 Rey Lee-Lo, 12 Ryan Crotty (captain), 11 Nemani Nadolo, 10 Colin Slade, 9 Andy Ellis, 8 Luke Whitelock, 7 Richie McCaw, 6 Jordan Taufua, 5 Samuel Whitelock, 4 Luke Romano, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Corey Flynn, 1 Wyatt Crockett

Substitutes: 16 Ben Funnell, 17 Tim Perry, 18 Nepo Laulala, 19 Jimmy Tupou, 20 George Whitelock, 21 Willi Heinz, 22 Tyler Bleyendaal, 23 Nafi Tuitavake