Starting flanker waits for Crusaders’ call
Crusaders’ quiet achiever Heiden Bedwell-Curtis jets to Japan next week unsure if he’ll be back at the club in 2019.
The blindside flanker was the lone non-All Black in the side’s starting forward pack in their
37-18 Super Rugby final victory over the Lions on Saturday.
Bedwell-Curtis was thrust into the starting lineup after Jordan Taufua suffered a broken arm in their semifinal win against the Hurricanes.
He turned in a strong showing in his 55 minutes before being replaced by Pete Samu, impressing with his powerful ball carrying, firm defence, and work at the breakdown.
It capped off a pleasing second season with the Crusaders for the
27-year-old, who wasn’t initially offered a contract for 2018.
Bedwell-Curtis started in 11 of
14 games and proved a reliable contributor when called upon by coach Scott Robertson.
Next week, he departs for Japan to take up a short-term deal with the Mitsubishi Dynaboars.
He doesn’t yet have a Super Rugby contract with the back-toback champions, but will warrant consideration with his performances.
‘‘Nar, I’m not too sure what I’m up to next year.
‘‘We’ll see how it goes, but going on from this year anything is possible.’’
Bedwell-Curtis could still lock down a spot with the Crusaders, who have until the end of October to finalise their 2019 squad.
Loose forward berths are at a premium with Whetu Douglas, who was a standout in five starts at No 8 last season before relocating to Italian Pro 14 club Treviso, rejoining the red-andblacks. Injury-prone Tom Sanders, who appeared in just four games for the Crusaders before a season-ending ankle injury, may be under pressure if the side wish to accommodate Bedwell-Curtis.
Sanders is midway through a two-year deal. Robertson is a keen admirer of Sanders’ play, calling him when he was at the Chiefs to lure him home to the Crusaders and previously coaching him with the Canterbury NPC side.
If the Crusaders can’t fit Bedwell-Curtis into their congested loose forward mix, he is sure to have other Kiwi suitors.
The Hurricanes, who BedwellCurtis has previously been a wider training player for, could have interest following Brad Shields’ move to English club Wasps.
After not featuring in the game-day 23 last year when the Crusaders overcame the Lions 25-17 in the final in Johannesburg, Bedwell-Curtis labelled playing in the decider as a career highlight.
‘‘It was just a special night and a special occasion to be a part of it. My memory of running out that tunnel and the crowd going for it and cheering, that’s something I’ll take forever with me.’’ He was called into the Crusaders’ squad as injury cover in pre-season and never left.