Warriors show a sharper edge as hype builds
A potential broken thumb to rugged flanker Liam Squire could dampen the mood around the undefeated Highlanders.
Squire was substituted late in the first half of his team’s bruising 25-17 win against the Crusaders in Dunedin last night.
Highlanders coach Aaron Mauger couldn’t answer whether or not it was broken when he spoke to media after the match, but confirmed Squire would require a scan.
‘‘He just got a bang on the thumb, it was a bit sore,’’ an upbeat Mauger said. ‘‘We’ve got a fantastic bench, and I thought Elliot [Dixon] did a great job [after replacing him].’’
Should Squire’s thumb be broken, he could miss up to six weeks, as he did last year after fracturing one against the Cheetahs in South Africa.
Otherwise, last night was happy days for Mauger and assistant coaches Mark Hammett and Glenn Delaney, who celebrated their third consecutive win as they did their past two – with a celebratory beer in the coaches box.
There was much to like about their first win against the Crusaders since 2016, and just their third in the last 11 games between the teams.
Mauger praised the scrambling defence when the Crusaders repeatedly knifed them open late in the first half, and his team’s ability to find space with ball in hand. But it was co-captain Ben Smith who got the biggest pat on the back, for the part he played in a critical moment late in the first half.
‘‘Really proud of Ben for the way he managed that,’’ Mauger said after Smith convinced referee Nick Briant to refer a try he had awarded to Crusaders flanker Jordan Taufua to the TMO.
The Crusaders thought they had taken a 15-14 lead after Taufua had seemingly finished off a sweeping counter-attack, but Smith and the majority of the almost 21,243 strong crowd sniffed a Tim Bateman knock-on in the build up.
Smith wouldn’t leave Briant alone until he caved in.
‘‘I thought he [Smith] was right to ask the question and I praised Nick for listening,’’ Mauger said.
‘‘Just as well we’ve got a leader who is prepared to stand up for his team and challenge that moment, which was a pretty critical moment for us.’’
Crusaders coach Scott Robertson, having just lost consecutive matches for the first time since taking charge at the start of the last year, called the moment ‘‘massive’’. Last year all the talk was about the Warriors’ spine but two games into this season it should be about their stunning right edge.
Shaun Johnson, Tohu Harris, Peta Hiku and David Fusitu’a were sensational in the win over the Titans in Auckland yesterday. Just as they were the previous week against the Rabbitohs.
Given that Hiku and Harris are new to the Warriors NRL team this year, the way they’re playing together on attack makes it all the more remarkable.
Johnson and Harris are both great creators, while Fusitu’a is becoming one of the best finishers kick in the second half, was something to marvel at.
‘‘Fus is great in the air,’’ Hiku said. ‘‘But last week he picked up the ball at his feet when he was going at speed. He can do anything if you can get the ball to him.
‘‘Having him outside me is great, I’m so glad he’s there.’’
The hype going into this game at Mt Smart Stadium was big, because of the win over the Rabbitohs, but that’s only going to increase in the
Just as well we’ve got a leader who is prepared to stand up for his team and challenge that moment. Aaron Mauger