Defiant Queensland coach Jeff Miller insisted the Reds were still in the Super 12 rugby running after his youthful and winless side was massacred 59-24 by the Crusaders in Nelson.

The game was transferred to Nelson's Trafalgar Park because the Crusaders' regular home of Jade Stadium in Christchurch was hosting the cricket Test between Australia and New Zealand and, at one stage, it looked as if the Crusaders would finish with a cricket score.

Queensland scored the first try, but the Crusaders piled up the next 44 points on the way to registering their second half-century in as many weeks.

Tries to fullback Chris Latham and centre Junior Pelesasa in the last few minutes gave Queensland a bonus point, but the Reds' six-year losing streak stretched to 13 games.

Already depleted by injuries to forwards John Roe and Rudi Vedelago, the beleaguered Reds had three different captains during the game.

First choice skipper and five-eighth Elton Flatley left the field just before half-time with a nasty head wound which required stitching and is in doubt for next week's game against the Chiefs.

Flatley's wound required some stitching and he passed the captain's armband to prop Nick Stiles, who suffered a shoulder injury.

Lock Nathan Sharpe finished the game as captain.

The Queensland scrum was monstered by a Crusaders pack of near All Blacks strength and the clinical home team capitalised on numerous Reds turnovers, several of which they converted into tries.

"They do capitalise on opposition errors and they just waited for us to make mistakes," Sharpe said.

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