Ethan Blackadder

The Crusaders have overcome Brad Thorn's Queensland Reds 37-15 in Christchurch to secure a home DHL Super Rugby Pacific semifinal next weekend.

Some dazzling tries see the Crusaders get a Super Rugby Pacific semifinal berth. Scott Robertson won't be the only high-profile coach in New Zealand forced to ...

A beautiful mind crunching all the player stats. "Look, he is our player of the year, voted by the players and the coaches,'' Robertson noted. "It's pretty extreme, he's been one of the form loose forwards in the comp. You need journalists close enough to smell the liniment. His team-mates, also, will be feeling for the hard-nosed backrower who has been in excellent form on both sides of the ball this season. Now he may be contemplating a lengthy stretch on the sideline.

Three All Blacks stars are in doubt for the remainder of Super Rugby Pacific, as well as next month's test series against Ireland.

The loss of Papalii would be a major casualty for the Blues as the 12-test loose forward has been one of the form players in Super Rugby Pacific this season. According to the Herald, Papalii could be gone for the rest of the Super Rugby Pacific campaign due to “a medical issue” which leaves him “in doubt” for the three-test series against Ireland. Three All Blacks stars are in doubt for the remainder of the Super Rugby Pacific playoffs, as well as next month’s test series against Ireland.

The Queensland Reds will be out for revenge as they face the Crusaders in the first quarter-final of Super Rugby Pacific.

But still it was only an eight-point margin at the break, a Will Jordan knock-on in the lead-up denying the hosts a bonus try from a missed Reds lineout after the halftime siren had sounded. Those injuries were a nod to a brutal, high-intensity game that the Reds - other than in the scrum - matched the powerhouse side. At that point the Reds were daring to dream of breaking a 19-game losing run away from home against New Zealand opposition, let alone notch their first win in Christchurch since 1999.

The four-tries-to-two victory came at a significant cost for the All Blacks and Crusaders, though, with impressive loose forward Ethan Blackadder departing in ...

They are now 0-6 against New Zealand teams this season, losing five of their past six games to all comers, and they last won in Christchurch 23 years ago. In many respects this performance continued a frustrating trend after similar skill-based issues blighted their patchy 28-15 win against the Reds last week. Trailing 16-8 at halftime, the Reds should have snaffled the lead early in the second spell, only for Lawson Creighton to push a penalty wide. The Reds were rank outsiders for good reason. Two overthrown lineouts also proved costly. After a superb performance from openside flanker at the breakdown and with ball in hand, Blackadder was in serious pain when he left the field and is likely to face an extended stint on the sideline.

While handling errors hurt their attack on multiple occasions, the forward pack made sure to keep them in the contest with a strong set piece.

The Queensland pack struggled significantly to hold their own against the Crusaders' scrum. They almost looked to have pushed that lead out further on the stroke of halftime with Leicester Fainga'anuku diving over to score but replays showed another painful knock-on in the build-up to the try and left the scoreboard at 16-8 heading into the break. The only issue was they weren't converting on it.

The match also saw Wallabies scrumhalf Tate McDermott and All Blacks flanker Ethan Blackadder both suffer nasty second-half injuries. McDermott took an ...

Brumbies v Hurricanes - 11:45 The match also saw Wallabies scrumhalf Tate McDermott and All Blacks flanker Ethan Blackadder both suffer nasty second-half injuries. Chiefs v Waratahs - 06:35

Canterbury Crusaders forward Ethan Blackadder looks set to miss New Zealand's three-test series against Ireland next month due to a shoulder injury while ...

Canterbury Crusaders forward Ethan Blackadder looks set to miss New Zealand's three-test series against Ireland next month due to a shoulder injury while Auckland Blues' Dalton Papalii is in doubt as a result of suspected appendicitis. Canterbury Crusaders forward Ethan Blackadder looks set to miss New Zealand's three-test series against Ireland next month due to a shoulder injury while Auckland Blues' Dalton Papalii is in doubt as a result of suspected appendicitis. The final meeting will be played in Christchurch on July 16.

Blackadder left the field during the Crusaders' win over the Reds in the Super Rugby quarterfinals on Friday with his arm in a sling, and coach Scott Robertson ...

Canterbury Crusaders forward Ethan Blackadder looks set to miss New Zealand's three-test series against Ireland next month due to a shoulder injury while ...

The final meeting will be played in Christchurch on July 16. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com

Crusaders head coach Scott Robertson admits that Ethan Blackadder is likely to miss the rest of the season after he suffered a shoulder injury.

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Ethan Blackadder looks set to miss New Zealand's three-test series against Ireland next month due to a shoulder injury, while his fellow loose forward ...

"After developing symptoms, he had an operation to remove his appendix on Friday," the Blues said in a statement. The final meeting will be played in Christchurch on July 16. "He's unlikely to be involved for the rest of the season for us, and hopefully it's not an operation" that's required, Robertson said.