1
Crusaders set for talent logjam after utility back David Havili reveals his preferred playing position
Crusaders utility back David Havili has revealed he would prefer to play fullback this season as he targets a return to the All Blacks.
ADVERTISEMENT
Havili was a standout for the Christchurch-based franchise in 2020 as he played a starring role for the side in between an emergency bowel surgery and a broken thumb both before and after New Zealand’s nationwide COVID-19 lockdown.
Flourishing in his utility role, the 26-year-old featured mostly at fullback last year, but also spent time at first-five, and is capable of covering in the midfield as well.
So good were Havili’s performances across the backline that many projected him to be included in Ian Foster’s All Blacks squad for the Bledisloe Cup and Tri-Nations, but his international prospects were scuppered by his thumb injury.
Now back at Crusaders headquarters for pre-season training after helping guide Tasman to a second successive Mitre 10 Cup title, questions have been raised over where he will be deployed following Braydon Ennor’s season-ending knee injury.
The one-test All Blacks midfielder ruptured his ACL while playing for the South Island in last year’s North vs South clash in Wellington, leaving the Crusaders without one of their key players.
Given his ability to play at second-five, Havili looms as a suitable replacement, but, as he told reporters on Wednesday, he sometimes views his versatility as a source of frustration as it is at fullback where he would rather play.
ADVERTISEMENT
“I thrive on it, but, at the same time, it can be frustrating at times,” he said of his ability to play in three separate positions.
“But, any jersey that I put on for the Crusaders, I’m going to do my best for the team, whether that’s in the midfield or out the back, but I’m definitely looking forward to the challenge this year.”
However, just because he can play equally well in either position doesn’t necessarily mean Havili harbours an equal desire to play in both spots.
“There could be injuries all over the backline, so it definitely plays in my favour that I can play in a couple of other positions, but if I can get into the No. 15 position, [that’s] where I’m most preferred,” he said when asked if Ennor’s injury could see him move into the midfield.
ADVERTISEMENT
Havili attributed the open style of play and aerial duels that comes with the No. 15 jersey as the reason why it’s his favourite position.
The Crusaders will be without their second-string hooker for the entire Super Rugby season.https://t.co/D262lKcHb1
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) January 26, 2021
“I just think there’s a lot of freedom. You can pop up anywhere and it’s a good place to be when you’re at the back and you’re sort of taking high balls. I just really enjoy being at the back.”
As impressive as he was for the Crusaders while playing at fullback last year, Havili’s eagerness to play there could create a logjam of talent in the position given the presence of rising All Blacks star Will Jordan and injury cover Josh McKay.
Add to the mix the likes of All Blacks pair George Bridge and Sevu Reece, as well as talented youngster Leicester Fainga’anuku, and the Crusaders have a stacked outside back cohort which might force Havili into the No. 12 jersey.
It’s a predicament Crusaders assistant coach Scott Hansen feels his side are fortunate to have considering the depth of talent at their disposal.
“We’re lucky enough that we’ve got versatility there in Dave. We’ll put the best team that we can out each week and [pick] players in positions we feel can contribute,” he told reporters.
Hansen added that the value of having someone who can cover as many positions as Havili is significant, and noted that having players of that ilk is “one of the greatest strengths” for the Crusaders.
“I think it’s really important. You look at the selection, at what it gives you both on the field and the bench and the way you can play around with your player roster there, around your makeup, so it’s vital for us.
“We’re very lucky that we’ve got Davey that can fill all those roles, and not only fill them, but fill them as a world-class distributor.”
Regardless of where Havili ends up playing, the three-test All Black is eager to put his injury concerns and positional worries aside as he aims for a return to the international stage for the first time since 2017.
“I’m fully fit this year, which is quite nice to be. But, for me, just being competitive each week and really pushing what jersey I’m playing in each week and just being real consistent in what I do,” he said of what’s required of him for an All Blacks comeback.
“I think I’m playing really well and really consistent and hopefully I can carry on from what I started at Mitre 10 Cup level.”
Super Rugby Trans-Tasman is still four months away, but a Brumbies star is already eyeing a title challenge when Australia's Super Rugby sides go head-to-head with their New Zealand opposites.https://t.co/wOrL3Vm08x
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) January 27, 2021
Comments on RugbyPass
Honestly, I am a bit lost here …. Ireland - RSA was (at least in my opinion) perhaps (from a purely technical / rugby-skills-show point of view) the pinnacle of the RWC2023 - almost flawless playing (putting aside the kicking of RSA which was the difference between the two teams), rugby at it’s very best …. if I were a Bok and after the game some Irish lads came around saying “see you in 5 weeks same place”, I definitely wouldn’t have thought of it as being in any way “arrogant”, rather a sort of jolly “if we both continue to play like this, no one could stop us” - besides, few of us fans would have, at that time, been surprised to see the same teams playing on 23 september and 28 october 2023 ….. well, we all know Ireland chose to hit a slump to keep the QF curse alive …..
133 Go to commentsThere’s value gleaned from having an All Black star running and training with your team. How many games he starts (or even where he plays in the backline) will be decided on a week by week basis based on the needs for that week. But the overall learning and growth for all concerned, I’d think, is massively beneficial. Especially for Irish players.
7 Go to commentsSon, whith just " raw athlete “ , you are able to beat “ better rugby players “ by 74 points…. May be England should recruit in athletics….
1 Go to commentsPffft. It’s not a one-way street bud and Irish teams don’t seem to have had an issue taking kiwi players previously.
7 Go to commentsParticularly great to have captain Scott Barrett back after going off last week for the Crusaders. Codie Taylor a real leader and mighty Tamaiti Williams join Fletcher Newell in the front row. Those 2 will make a big difference. Great bench with the likes of Tom Christie, Jamie Hannah etc who are playing well. Should be a great derby.
1 Go to commentsDoes a blitz defence not have a weekness against a well-placed grubber kick, perhaps angled cleverly. All the defence is up and the full-back can only cover so much ground. Thoughts?
28 Go to commentsWhile Iose is destructive in the Canes set-up, he is not big for an international 8 and could struggle against the top teams. With his speed, he could be developed into a seven but, as Ben points out, he doesn’t show a scavenging game with the Canes or make dominating tackles. Sotutu has shown a step up this year and attitude plus motivation seems to be the big areas of growth. Deserves another AB shot imo.
3 Go to commentsNaholo is my only question mark for this side. He wasn’t the only one who had a forgettable game against the Brumbies but he was passive, defensively poor and generally lacked energy. Needs to get a whole lot busier for me. I would have liked to see Sullivan on that wing with Higgins on the bench (if staying with a 6-2 as BeegMike points out on here!)
3 Go to commentsWell, I am sure that Eben said exactly what he meant to say, exactly how he meant to say it. Does he strike you as a man that doesn't know arrogance when he sees it. He should know it because he has shaken the arrogance out of many foes before.
133 Go to commentsPls get it into your thick arrogant heads that the final was played by two Southern Hemisphere teams. The best against the best and that Argentina was just unlucky otherwise non of the Northetn Hemisphere teams would have seen the light of day.
133 Go to commentsAs long as New Zealand youth are involved in sport they are passionate for, and are well supported, it’s all good. I love league as well as rugby. NRL clubs have long since scouted the First 15 competitions, the NH and Japan scout super rugby and NPC. It’s a miracle there’s any players left for the all blacks to pick from.
4 Go to commentsI'm a Bok fan, so I don't say this lightly, but he is one of my all time favourite players. I am really going to miss watching him play. Thanks for many great memories. You are a true legend of the game.
3 Go to commentsBest way to deal with all of this is to play another game.
133 Go to commentsIt’s 12-15 games Luke. Ringrose has barely played in 2024 and Henshaw and Keenan have also been out for spells in the same time period. There are always injuries and for younger players to play with the likes of Barrett will be great for them. It’s just looking for negatives where there are none.
7 Go to commentsAndy Goode pushing his own agenda with very dubious considerations on refereeing performances. Luke Pearce speaking a bit of French doesn’t make him a good and adequate referee for the Champions Cup final; his latest refereeing performance in particular was not so great.
4 Go to commentsJordie knows that he has to earn the right to put on the jersey, whatever that jersey might be.
7 Go to commentsThe best outside centre in the world at one point. He will be greatly missed.
3 Go to commentsYip his great for the big moments when needed as a safa really enjoy watching him
4 Go to commentsOne that will start to come up from now on is penalties for back pushes during kick chase scrambles. Very difficult to detect. In Croke Park if you replay the Hendy NH try, you will see Furbank push Porter in the back, who collides with Larmour knocking the ball across into Hendy’s path to dot down. A more significant example was in the RWC QTR final where Arendse pushes Fickou into two other French players for the ball to spill into Arendse’s path for him to gather and run in to score SAs first try. Not cheating if you are not caught and very difficult to spot but with kicking becoming so critical I feel its an area that will referreeed/TMO-ed more.
4 Go to commentsWhat a pathetic little twit Andy Goode is, as if we care what he thinks…..😂
133 Go to comments