George Bridge of the Crusaders in action against Moana Pasifika. Photo / Photosport
George Bridge of the Crusaders in action against Moana Pasifika. Photo / Photosport
OPINION:
The Crusaders' depth is not what it used to be. That much was clear in their scratchy win against Moana Pasifika on Friday night.
Super Rugby new entrants Moana Pasifika and the Fijian Drua, who stunned the hapless Melbourne Rebels on the same night, well exceeded expectations over theweekend to serve early warning shots. Despite the significant odds stacked against their respective maiden Super seasons, they both intend to be competitive.
Friday's clunky performance, one of their worst in recent memory, drew a line through that prospect. Long gone are the days of hoarding three All Blacks first five-eighths.
Perhaps symptomatic of Canterbury's domestic struggles, having won five of nine games last season to prompt coaching changes, or the constant thinning of New Zealand talent to offshore clubs, but the Crusaders were a shadow of an unstoppable force against Moana.
Moana Pasifika made a mockery of their rank outsider status and severely compromised preparation. Making their competition debut with 11 rookies and coming off one preseason match a month ago after Covid ripped through their squad, Moana largely dominated the physical exchanges.
Their defensive line speed, commitment and aggression in contact rattled the Crusaders – often leaving them attempting to play behind the gain line off slow, static ball.
Without a front foot platform, former All Blacks halfback Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi and Simon Hickey could not ignite the inexperienced Crusaders backline.
Crusaders midfielders Dallas McLeod and Isaiah Punivai were upstaged by powerful counterparts Danny Toala and Levi Aumua. Moana Pasifika No 8 Henry Time-Stowers outshone former Pumas captain Pablo Matera.
Levi Aumua of Moana Pasifika tackled by two Crusaders players. Photo / Photosport
The Crusaders played as if they expected to score from every movement.
In his debut on the left wing, Kini Naholo forced miracle offloads with near every touch which led to several errors. He was far from alone. Even All Blacks wing George Bridge, while he went looking for work, was thumped so many times he should have emerged covered in welts.
Richie Mo'unga's performance off the bench in the second half – when he made a rash decision to run from under his sticks and popped an offload that Matera dropped to hand Moana their second try – underpins the pressure the Crusaders felt.
In the end, three of the Crusaders' five tries came from close range; Codie Taylor finishing two maul shunts off the bench.
While Moana lost by 22 points, they deserve credit for forcing the Crusaders to grind out an ugly win.
Moana Pasifika's efforts in many ways form the continuation of the blueprint for troubling the Crusaders.
Get in their face defensively; challenge them physically, take away Mo'unga's time and space and they are a completely different team. This is, essentially, how they lost successive games to the Highlanders and Hurricanes during Super Rugby Aotearoa last year, before regrouping to claim that title.
No doubt the widespread selection changes, which extended to prop Oli Jager and wing/centre Leicester Fainga'anuku pulling out late, caused disruption against Moana. But consistent vulnerabilities are beginning to emerge from the Crusaders.
The set piece remains their go to weapon; a source of comfort when the squeeze comes on. They enjoyed supreme dominance there against Moana, but much tougher tests await on that front.
There will be no Crusaders B team this week. Scott Robertson will recall his rested All Blacks – all seven of them.
Joe Moody, Scott Barrett, Sam Whitelock, Will Jordan, Fainga'anuku, David Havili, Sevu Reece, Mitchell Drummond, Braydon Ennor and Jager ticked off their required rest minutes last week and are now certain to return, giving the Crusaders a very different look.
Unbeaten after three games, and having banked two bonus points, the Crusaders sit in their customary top of the table position for now.
The next three weeks, though, will be revealing. Two matches against the Chiefs, who but for a Bryn Gatland missed penalty at Eden Park would be two-from-two, and one against the Blues will provide a true gauge of this year's Crusaders' credentials.
A couple of injuries, and Robertson could be nervous digging into his next tier.
