Bower ready to step up

Scott Robertson had no idea who George Bower was when forwards coach Jason Ryan told him he wanted to bring the prop into the Crusaders ahead of the 2019 season.

‘‘Who?’’ was head coach Robertson’s response.

Ryan filled him in on the Lower-hutt-schooled Otago prop who had caught his eye at NPC level, predicting he had the potential to help bolster their front-row stocks.

Predominantly a backup through his first two-and-a-half seasons with the Christchurchbased franchise, Bower’s importance to the Crusaders has never been greater.

First, All Blacks loosehead Tim Perry retired ahead of the 2020 season. Now, Joe Moody is recovering from foot surgery and won’t play Super Rugby again this year.

Bower will start the final against the Chiefs in Christchurch on Saturday, the 28-year-old’s third consecutive run-on since Moody busted a foot against the Hurricanes last month.

‘‘He’s really made the most of his opportunity ... it’s pretty special for him to go on and have higher honours potentially. He fronts in games like this, finals – that’s when the All Blacks selectors will be really looking at it. Really happy with how he’s gone, he’s leaving his mark well there,’’ Ryan said.

‘‘I just look at workrate, first and foremost [when scouting]. I back myself to coach them how to scrum, but if they’ve got work rate and a real hunger to get off the ground and work hard in the first few steps, it’s a pretty good indicator.’’

Bower, who can play both sides of the scrum, spent time with the All Blacks last year but didn’t earn a cap, instead spending ample time in the gym and adding 7kg to his frame.

Weighing 118kg took some adjusting to at the start of the 2021 season, but Bower is comfortable in his skin as he prepares for the most important game of his career.

‘‘Gutted for Joe . . . but it’s given me an opportunity to play some minutes. I’ve just told myself I really need to step up and do what I do best, and that’s play, scrum.

‘‘I’m still picking off little things that I can work on, which is awesome.

‘‘More game time means you find a lot more things to work on. I’ve just slowly been chipping away the last couple of weeks, just building my game.’’

Bower, a late bloomer who was once paid $150 to act like an All Black for a jersey shoot in Dunedin,

will have his work cut out on Saturday against a forward pack operating at an unrecognisable level from the one which last played at Orangetheory Stadium.

The Crusaders made mincemeat of the Chiefs’ scrum during their 39-17 win in round three, sparking some harsh words, and a remarkable improvement.

A few weeks after Ryan called the Chiefs’ pack the best performing unit in the competition, he piled the praise on their scrum ahead of training yesterday.

‘‘It’s the benchmark. I think [scrum coach] Nick White’s done a great job with those boys. They’re scrummaging really well as a unit, they’re really connected, they’re going to be a good battle for us on Saturday night,’’ Ryan said.

While Bower is certain to start, whether rookie Tamaiti Williams or Isi Tuungafasi provides cover off the bench is another story.

Williams, who weighs almost 140kg, debuted off the bench in the 29-6 win against the Blues ahead of last week’s bye, helping earn a scrum penalty after the Crusaders had their difficulties in that department earlier in the match.

‘‘Tamaiti is a real point of difference player, he’s a real explosive ball carrier. He took his opportunity last week, so it will be a pretty close selection battle for Thursday between those two,’’ Ryan said, adding lock Quinten Strange was unavailable for the final due to a high-ankle sprain.

‘‘I’ve always said that scrummaging is a little bit like a rowing eight – you need everyone working together at the same time. A couple there against the Blues, we weren’t, we didn’t really fire. But I really challenge the boys on problem-solving and working out what’s going to happen ... they responded well.’’