Crusaders victorious
Habitual champions targeting additional trophies for cabinet
Scott Robertson’s next challenge as Crusaders coach shouldn’t be underestimated.
There is little time to soak up the feverish high of defending their Super Rugby Aotearoa crown, not when there’s a transTasman competition kicking off this week.
Just how he and his assistants refocus their troops ahead of Saturday night’s competition opener against the Brumbies in Christchurch will be telling.
After all, it’s an unfamiliar challenge. Typically, the Crusaders, unshackled from training commitments, celebrate winning titles well into the following week.
‘‘We’ll have a couple of shandies,’’ Robertson said after their 24-13 triumph over the Chiefs in the Super Rugby Aotearoa decider on Saturday night.
The team could be heard celebrating well into the night at Orangetheory Stadium in Christchurch after sealing a recordextending 12th title, before heading to a private function.
Robertson and co certainly weren’t rushing to plonk themselves in front of a television set to
watch the Brumbies and Reds clash in the Super Rugby Australia final in Brisbane.
Rather, there was singing, dancing, chanting, you name it, as the euphoric red and blacks toasted their fifth title in as many seasons.
‘‘A real final. For our beautiful little stadium, which had its overdue date five years ago, it’s brought some great moments out,
hasn’t it?,’’ Robertson said. ‘‘We’ll connect [yesterday], and we’ll have a good flush on Monday.’’
Then it’s business as usual at Rugby Park, where they will prepare for the wounded Brumbies, who were pipped by a last-ditch James O’Connor try.
Whether the Crusaders have flankers Ethan Blackadder and Sione Havili Talitui available won’t be clear until tomorrow.
Blackadder played on despite dislocating a finger in the decider, but will no doubt be feeling the pinch after his digit was badly mangled.
Havili Talitui is in HIA protocol after he took a knock to the head warming up for the match, forcing Robertson to replace him with Tom Sanders.
The good news is Braydon Ennor got through 17 minutes in his first professional game since rupturing his ACL in his rightknee last September.
Whether he starts in the No 13 jersey on Saturday remains to be seen, but replacing the in-form Leicester Fainga’anuku would be brave.
‘‘Honestly, I actually don’t know how he does it. The determination in his leg drive,’’ Crusaders pivot Richie Mo’unga said after Fainga’anuku made life miserable for the Chiefs with his rampaging charges. ‘‘When you get to know Leicester, you know why he plays like he does. He’s pretty gangsta [cool], what you see is what you get. That’s how he carries, that’s how he plays.’’
Robertson, having uncorked his latest breakdancing routine, and posed for a plethora of photographs extending five digits – one for each of the five straight crowns they’ve won – was asked how the latest title compared to the rest.
He called them all ‘‘special’’. However, as Crusaders lock Sam Whitelock told Stuff last year, it’s difficult to go past the droughtsnapping win against the Lions in Johannesburg in 2017.
‘‘That was a cauldron, and we hadn’t won it for 8-9 years, so to win that to start it, you’ll never take that away from us, that sort of got us on a roll.
‘‘But every one is special, to beat Kiwi teams, and we call them origin matches, State of Origin, they’re that intense, they’re more than just a club game. It’s pretty special. That trophy is ours now.’’
Richie Mo’unga sure did his best to silence any remaining detractors during Saturday night’s triumphant Super Rugby Aotearoa final.
You don’t need to dig deep to find people who believe the Crusaders and All Blacks pivot goes missing in big games, particularly when donning the black jersey.
However, if his performance in the Crusaders’ 24-13 win against the Chiefs in the decider in Christchurch wasn’t standing up in a big game, what is?
Mo’unga was sublime as rain tumbled out of the Christchurch sky when the Crusaders were on the ropes, clinging to a 15-13 lead with team-mates Codie Taylor and Sevu Reece in the bin.
The Chiefs were sniffing a remarkable upset with 20 minutes to play. That is until Mo’unga swung the game the way of the hosts with a series of clutch plays after Chiefs utility Damian McKenzie kicked the ball his way.
Mo’unga started fading towards the sideline with the ball still in the air, before gobbling up the pill and making a couple of players miss tackles as he powered the Crusaders inside the 22.
‘‘Yeah, what a play, what a player. That’s freakish,’’ Crusaders coach Scott Robertson said.
A moment later, he banged over a drop goal, before pinning the Chiefs deep inside their 22 with a booming punt which beat McKenzie into touch.
You could sense the Chiefs’ bubble bursting.
‘‘Then he backed it up later when he kicked long, made that tackle, and we turned it over. They are some quarterback plays. He’s special,’’ Robertson said.
Mo’unga, who added two late penalty goals to ice the game and finish with 14 points, also provided the peach of a cut-out ball to put Reece over for the game’s opening try, which he converted from out wide.
Speaking after the game, the satisfaction pumping through the Christchurch product’s veins was evident.
‘‘Man, honestly, just in awe of this team and what it’s achieved the last five years. I really wanted this one really bad, eh. And it just feels so good. And I said to a few of the boys in there, just don’t underestimate what we’ve done, because it’s a hell of an achievement,’’ he said.
The Crusaders are 57-5 when Mo’unga has played since 2017, and he was also clutch in the team’s home finals in 2018 and 2019, against the Lions and Jaguares, respectively.
‘‘It’s just what we do as Crusaders. It’s what we love, the big stage, we love finals footy. To break it down even more, it’s built on pressure and care, that’s what our team thrives on,’’ Mo’unga said.
‘‘I want to see where I can influence the team positively. In big games like this, you need your big players to stand up, and for me I love that pressure, I love that ability to try and take control.’’
Mo’unga saved special praise for David Havili, who was again superb in the midfield, where he’s been forced to play despite openly preferring fullback.
Havili, who set up Will Jordan’s first half try with a sweet grubber kick, is the form midfielder in the country, and is knocking loud on All Blacks coach Ian Foster’s door.
‘‘It’s just been awesome playing inside him, he’s got the best skills in the team, passing and kicking, it’s nothing new. We all knew he was capable of this.’’