Crusaders prop eyes a big lift
Meet the Crusaders’ latest tighthead prop who enjoys few things more than lifting tin.
Fletcher Newell, one of four rookies in the Crusaders’ 38-man roster for 2021, might even give some of former All Black Owen Franks’ records at the team’s Rugby Park headquarters a nudge with time.
After all, the rookie Canterbury prop recently broke Blair Prinsep’s Crusaders academy squat record, lifting a whopping 255kg.
Newell, 20, was as modest as it gets when he spoke to media after earning his first Super Rugby contract, leaving Crusaders coach Scott Robertson to talk up the Rangiora
High School old boy.
Robertson praised his unrelenting work-rate and powerful scrummaging, something he expects assistant coach Jason Ryan to hone.
He also pointed out how rare it was for a tighthead prop to be named the NZ Rugby age grade player of the year in 2019, an award usually snared by flashy tryscoring backs.
Newell and fellow rookies Chay Fihaki, Tamaiti Williams and Isaiah Punivai all came through the Crusaders academy, played for the champion Canterbury under19s last year, and just completed their first seasons with the red and blacks in the Mitre 10 Cup.
The selection of the 121kg Newell and 140kg Williams, both converted No 8s, means the Crusaders will take four specialist tightheads into next season. Michael Alaalatoa and Oli Jager are the veterans.
Newell was sure to pick Jager’s brain during Canterbury’s recent campaign, one which came with the type of lessons which will soon come thick and fast.
‘‘A big step up [this year] was that first game against North Harbour, scrummaging against Karl Tu’inukuafe, I learnt a lot from that,’’ Newell said.
‘‘It was a pretty awesome experience. Coming in as a young fella, you watch the guys on TV that have come before you.
‘‘A couple of the [Crusaders] boys have been around for quite a while, it’s just going to be awesome to learn off them. I can’t wait.’’
Fihaki shares the same excitement, having signed with the 11 times champions as a 19-yearold. He was schooled at Sacred Heart College in Auckland but moved to Christchurch a couple of years ago to join the academy.
The outside back, who also has the ability to play in the midfield, sunk his hometown in the final round of the Mitre 10 Cup season, when he drained a late long-range penalty to lift Canterbury to a 34-33 win.
‘‘Yeah, you don’t want to lose against your home town, especially knowing a couple of boys in that team, they would have ripped me out if I missed that kick. It was good to have one over them,’’ Fihaki said.
His parents this year followed the speedy and tall utility to Christchurch, where Robertson plans to unlock his potential.
‘‘A big [area if improvement] for me was around communication and stuff. Being a shy kid off the field, just trying to talk more on the field,’’ Fihaki said.
The bulk of the Crusaders will start training on January 11, before the All Blacks join them in the second week of February.