Crusaders’ Mr Versatile hailed as ‘special talent’
David Havili doesn’t know where he will play when he’s injected into what’s sure to be a typically feisty derby against the Chiefs in Christchurch tomorrow afternoon.
It could be fullback or first fiveeighth.
He might be required to slot into the Crusaders’ midfield, or play on the wing.
‘‘If you look across all sports, not many people can do what he can do,’’ coach Scott Robertson said of the 25-year-old.
Robertson yesterday named the same 23 which dispatched the Hurricanes 39-25 in Wellington last weekend.
A fair call, given Havili is the team’s Swiss Army knife. He can play every position but halfback in the backline, and not just a little.
It’s why Robertson can confidently go into crunch games without a specialist backup pivot – Brett Cameron or Fergus Burke – behind Richie Mo’unga.
‘‘Luxury is the word. He is a special talent, he is unique in our game,’’ Robertson said.
Havili, the form Super Rugby player in the opening month of the competition pre-Covid, played fullback in three early year games, but was asked to play first-five against the Chiefs in Hamilton in February.
The Crusaders lost 25-15, but Havili looked the part, setting up two Sevu Reece tries to shoot out to an early 12-3 lead.
So Havili, a regular starter at fullback the past three seasons, will take his place on the pine at Orangetheory Stadium, not quite knowing where he will play.
‘‘It’s not so much knowing every single detail,’’ Havili said when asked how he prepares to cover multiple positions.
‘‘It’s about being bone deep in my preparation and just being around the guys I need to be.
‘‘It’s not so much about covering the whole backline, there is a lot of guys that can cover centre, wing, fullback.’’
In his first game since recovering from bowel surgery, Havili scored the match-sealing try playing at second-five eighth last weekend, after centre Braydon Ennor was forced off with a quad haematoma at halftime.
Ennor’s quick recovery has allowed a rarity – Robertson naming the identical 23 in two consecutive regular season games.
The fourth-year head coach has resisted the urge to rotate players into the side, including flanker Tom Christie, who made a staggering 111 tackles in six games earlier this year, 23 more than anyone else in Super Rugby.
Super Rugby Aotearoa is too short and sharp for teams to stumble out of the blocks, something both the 0-2 Chiefs and Hurricanes have done.
‘‘We know the nature of the competition, it’s a sprint. Short and sharp. We’ve got four games and a bye, we just want to get a rhythm early, give these guys an opportunity to play together, build those combinations,’’ Robertson said.
‘‘It’s really important to get off to a good start, and that’s what we’ve done with the team that’s played well last week, we’ve rewarded them and given them another crack.’’