Crusaders winger Sevu Reece expressed his joy at finally breaking what he called a “curse” to become Super Rugby’s all-time leading try-scorer, helping propel his team to the top of the table.
Reece crossed the line from close range during a hard-fought 15-12 victory over the Highlanders in Christchurch on Saturday. It marked his 66th career try—all for the Crusaders—edging him past former Hurricanes scrum-half TJ Perenara to claim the record in the competition’s 30-year history.
The All Blacks winger, who has earned 32 caps for New Zealand, admitted he had begun to worry the milestone might elude him this season, having gone through the longest dry spell of his career with six games without a try.
He equaled Perenara’s record last week against the Waratahs before finally breaking it at home, ending the match with 66 tries from 84 appearances.
“At the start of the season, I was scoring freely and no one was talking about the record,” Reece told Sky TV. “But once the hype started, I couldn’t get over the line. Every week the media reminded me: ‘Just one more try’. That ‘one more’ ended up taking me nearly seven weeks. It honestly felt like a curse.”
Reece joked that his parents back in Fiji would likely celebrate the achievement with a bowl of kava, the traditional Pacific Island drink known for its calming effects.
While his record-breaking try may not have been the most eye-catching—requiring the TMO to confirm he grounded the ball underneath a heap of defenders—Reece was still thrilled to do it in front of the home crowd.
“I would’ve loved to finish it off with a diving try in the corner, something a bit flashier,” he admitted. “But a try’s a try, and to do it here, at home, in front of our supporters and my family, is just incredible.
“I’m so grateful to my teammates—both those with me now and the ones I’ve played alongside over the years.”
Among Super Rugby’s top 10 all-time try scorers, only Moana Pasifika’s Julian Savea remains active, sitting just behind Reece with 63 tries.
The win over the bottom-placed Highlanders moves the Crusaders to 45 points—two ahead of the second-placed Brumbies, who they face in the final round. The Chiefs, currently third with 41 points, still have two matches to play and could yet shift the standings.
