Blues players look on in disappointment after the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific Final match between the Blues and the Crusaders at Eden Park. Photo / Photosport.co.nz
Blues players look on in disappointment after the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific Final match between the Blues and the Crusaders at Eden Park. Photo / Photosport.co.nz
OPINION
How the players rated in Saturday's Super Rugby Pacific final at Eden Park.
CRUSADERS
15. Will Jordan - 8 Competition's joint-leading tryscorer has been a threat all season. While the clean breaks were scarce here, he kicked smartly and was a constant threat.
14. Sevu Reece - 7 The lightning wingercould find little space here, but stayed busy and was always involved. Rewarded for a solid chase game with a late comedy try.
Crusaders winger Sevu Reece celebrates winning the Super Rugby Pacific final. Photosport
13. Jack Goodhue - 7 He's back. In his sixth appearance since an ACL injury last April, centre bumped off tacklers, delivered slick offloads and showed how vital his class can be in a big clash.
12. David Havili - 8 His smart attacking kicks were a point of difference in the all-All Blacks four-man midfield mash-up. Showed great game management in a night of high stakes.
11. Leicester Fainga'anuku - 8 New All Black went into Beast Mode at tryline twice in first half, second time setting up Bryn Hall's key try. Bruising assaults were a constant reminder of who was in charge.
10. Richie Mo'unga - 9 Ran the game. Early breaks underlined menace of this 32-test All Black. Tidy drop kick in 13th minute was a message to ABs selectors. Give him the black No 10 jersey.
Richie Mo'unga kisses the trophy after winning another Super Rugby title. Photosport
9. Bryn Hall - 8 A quietly industrious link for Mo'unga all season, he was more visible and electric in the final. Capped his final game for the Crusaders with 40th-minute try.
8. Cullen Grace - 7 Great lineout work, which heaped pressure on the Blues pack. Scored twice in semifinal against Chiefs, but was head-down and driving in the trenches in this match.
7. Tom Christie - 8 Competition's leading tackler stayed busy throughout and delivered textbook defence moves. Carried well and bossed the breakdowns in the absence of Ethan Blackadder.
6. Pablo Matera - 7 Waved through by the judiciary to play this match despite a swag of yellow cards. Well-travelled Argentine was in his element in rough and tumble. And that kick!
5. Sam Whitelock - 7 Experience counts, and this guy has more ABs tests than all the Blues forwards put together. It showed, and you can bet it counted in the days leading in to the match
4. Scott Barrett (c) - 9 Won the ball, carried the ball, smashed the breakdown. Delivered everything you want from a world-class lock. Neutrals will hope to see this form in a black jersey.
3. Oli Jager - 7 Biggest man in the starting lineups was busy in that brutal first half and got his 128kg frame into everything. Bonus points for his side dominating set pieces
2. Codie Taylor - 6 In a team with as many VCs as the Upham family, the hooker was an able leader for a pack that battled hard right on the advantage line and took no prisoners.
1. George Bower - 7 Useful early touches and great sense of space for such a big unit. Hard-working part of the pack that had the game in their kitbag by the end of 40 minutes.
15. Stephen Perofeta - 5 Tough night for the new All Black. The competition's top point scorer had few chances to shine, as Crusaders kicked smartly and pinned him down.
14. AJ Lam - 5 Had few chances to shine in this match after stepping up nicely this season in absence of Caleb Clarke. Struggled to show his threat on short side and short ball.
13. Rieko Ioane - 4 Standards were high in midfield, with four All Blacks strutting their stuff. The visitors did a great job of keeping him out of the game. Could have done more to get into it?
12. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck - 4 The big-name code-switcher's 12th game of top-flight rugby was his toughest, and probably his most anonymous. Outshone by the versatile Havili.
11. Mark Telea - 4 Early scrambling tackle saved a try. But, as with his fellow Blues outside backs, there were very few chances for the winger to make an impact on attack.
Dejected Blues team watch the presentations. Photo / Photosport.co.nz
10. Beauden Barrett - 6 Couldn't spark anything in first half, but found his feet as Blues dictated pace of game into final quarter. He was the Mark Waugh to brother Scott's Steve.
9. Finlay Christie - 7 The smallest man on the park showed just about the biggest ticker in defence. Great hustle for 58th-minute try that almost sparked a revival.
8. Hoskins Sotutu - 5 Dragged into the tight work where he was useful in key turnovers. Showed quick wits to take advantage of charge-down chance in second half.
7. Adrian Choat - 4 Blues were dudded for possession and territory in first half — turnovers just wouldn't come for the fill-in No 7. Pulled for speedster skipper Dalton Papalii at halftime.
6. Akira Ioane - 5 Most experienced Blues player was barely seen, as Crusaders pack dragged the life out of the hosts early and forced the ball-carrying loosies to battle in the tight.
5. Tom Robinson - 4 A standout performer all season, tagged as neither-a-lock-nor-aflanker. Worked hard around the park in the final, but the Blues' lineout was the Crusaders' gimp.
Dalton Papalii of the Blues look on in disappointment after the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific Final match between the Blues and the Crusaders. Photo / Photosport.co.nz
4. Josh Goodhue - 4 Subbed early in second half as Blues scrambled to sort out the dysfunctional lineouts. On the back foot elsewhere. His brother Jack got the bragging rights
3. Nepo Laulala - 4 Lucky to go cardless in 17th minute when referee's call was more common sense than rulebook stickler. Fifty-three minutes of backpedalling toil.
2. Kurt Eklund - 2 Māori All Black hooker will have to carry the can for lineout yips. With that crucial set piece completely unreliable, the Blues struggled and desperation crept in.
1. Alex Hodgman - 6 Another to finish a confused shift after 53 minutes. The forward pack's ropey start carried through all facets deep into the game, and they couldn't put heat on the visitors.
Reserves: 16. Soane Vikena - 4 17. Karl Tu'inukuafe - 4 18. Ofa Tuungafasi - 3 19. Luke Romano - 6 20. Dalton Papalii - 6 21. Sam Nock - 4 22. Bryce Heem - 4 23. Zarn Sullivan - NA
