Super Rugby's best and worst - round 13

Richie Mo'unga of the Crusaders. Photosport

Kris Shannon reviews the best and worst performers from the latest Super Rugby action.

Back of the week

Richie Mo'unga (Crusaders)
In a match featuring an All Black first five of the past and one potentially of the future, Richie Mo'unga ended up the best pivot on the field. The Crusaders man outplayed Aaron Cruden and ensured his side weren't sunk by Damian McKenzie, producing an all-round performance of authority that belied his 22 years. Mo'unga's running game was his best feature, leading both teams with 88 metres while beating five defenders and making a brilliant break to create the try that, along with his subsequent sideline conversion, put the Crusaders in charge in the final quarter. A 16-pointhaul and yet another example of this country's enviable No 10 production line.

Forward of the week:

Brad Shields (Hurricanes)
It's easy to forget, given the Vince Aso-Ngani Laumape show that eventually followed, but the Hurricanes earned ascendancy against the Cheetahs by relying on a dominant lineout drive, beating the South African side at their own game. And Shields was at the centre of that dominance, collecting six catches to continue his impressive season at the set piece. With 30 lineout wins, the loose forward sits near the top of the Kiwi rankings, with Scott Barrett the only recent All Black lock who has matched that tally. Shields was also decent on the ground against the Cheetahs, ranking second with 87 metres and setting up Ben Lam's try.

Coachkiller

Jaco van Heerden (referee)
Usually a referee will earn a team's ire for erring on a key decision or two. But van Heerden seemed pretty determined to steal the whole show in the Blues' loss to the Stormers. There was the red card he shouldn't have given, with both of Matt Duffie's yellows debatable. There was the red card he didn't give but should have, with Piers Francis knocked out in a clear case of foul play. And then there were the two Stormers tries that could have been ruled out. His fellow members of the officiating crew also deserve some blame but, as the man with the whistle, van Heerden's in the gun.

The Fab Four

1) Crusaders
34-21 win over Chiefs
1st in NZC, 1st overall
Now, after the Crusaders have in consecutive weeks swept aside their two fiercest challengers, it seems a trick of a memory that the red-and-blacks endured such struggles to start the campaign. But looking back, they were underwhelming in a season opening home win over the unimpressive Brumbies, then had to produce miraculous comebacks in their next three matches, the last two (away to Reds, home to Blues)in games that should've been straight forward. Their perfect year could have been very different.

2) Lions
51-14 win over Bulls
1st in SAC2, 2nd overall
With every hurdle the Crusaders overcome, it's looking more likely the Lions will be left to rue another disastrous trip to Argentina. Last year, after working their way into pole position, the Lions rested players in the final week against the Jaguars and were eventually forced to travel to Wellington for the final. And this year, in their third game, the Lions did likewise and suffered a similar setback, a sole slip-up that's now appearing increasingly costly.

3) Hurricanes
61-7 win over Cheetahs
2nd in NZC, 5th overall
You know there's something wrong with a competition when a team can score 61 points and manage only their third-biggest win of the season. By adding the Cheetahs to the Sunwolves and Rebels in their collection of routs, the Hurricanes have absolutely bullied the bottom three teams on the standings. As a result, the champs' points differential is now +282. Want another sign of Super Rugby's issues? The points differential of the team directly above them on the table is +2.

4) Highlanders
55-6 win over Force
4th in NZC, 7th overall
The Highlanders would be the competition's form team in an alternate universe in which the two topsides hadn't combined for only one defeat in 24 matches. Unfortunately for the southern side, in reality they can't quite climb out of seventh spot, being stuck there for the last four weeks. As it stands, that would mean a trip to Johannesburg in the quarter-finals. If things change at the top, it could be a trip to Christchurch. Either way, tough times.