Five of the best: The top five performers in round eight of Super Rugby Aotearoa
There is just a fortnight remaining in Super Rugby Aotearoa, and, with one win separating them from the title, it’s fair to say the competition is the Crusaders’ for the taking.
The back-to-back-to-back reigning Super Rugby titleholders have set themselves up in a handy position leading into next week’s South Island derby with the Highlanders in Christchurch following their 32-19 win over the Chiefs on Saturday.
All Scott Robertson’s men need is a win against their southern rivals to seal the Kiwi domestic league, which would come as a devastating blow for the Blues.
After almost a decade of underachievement, the Aucklanders have impressed all season long under the guidance of Leon MacDonald, with Sunday’s 32-21 victory over the Highlanders in Dunedin highlighting their immense physicality up front.
That win keeps them just two point adrift from the Crusaders at the summit of the table, but with a bye week looming, the Blues will be relying on the Highlanders to produce a monumental upset and win at Orangetheory Stadium in six days’ time.
With all that in mind, here are the five best performers from round eight of Super Rugby Aotearoa.
Akira Ioane (Blues)
The key to the Blues’ win over the Highlanders at Forsyth Barr Stadium was their bruising defence, of which only allowed two tries despite an attacking onslaught by the hosts towards the end of the match.
It wasn’t only on the opposite side of the ball where the Blues shone, though – the silky, efficient play in the backline was complemented by the physicality shown in the forwards.
Patrick Tuipulotu and Ofa Tu’ungafasi were among the stars who led from the front for the visitors, but none shone brighter than man-of-the-match Akira Ioane, whose profile as a potential All Blacks candidate continues to rise.
It feels like Super Rugby Aotearoa has been a coming of age campaign for the 25-year-old loose forward.
The emergence of Hoskins Sotutu has provided the long-time starting No. 8 with some much-needed internal competition, and that seems to have brought the best out of Ioane as he’s flourished as part of a rejuvenated forward pack.
With Sotutu absent for the Highlanders clash, Ioane played the house down from the back of the scrum.
He blew Scott Gregory out of his tracks to score one try before setting another one up for Tu’ungafasi to cap off a busy, industrious display that did no harm to his chances of national selection.
Caleb Clarke (Blues)
Speaking of coming of age seasons, no other player has had the sort of breakout campaign that Blues wing Caleb Clarke has enjoyed on the Blues’ left wing.
New Zealand has a knack of producing large powerhouse power wings in the professional era – think Jonah Lomu, Julian Savea and Rieko Ioane.
Standing at 1.89m and 107kg, Clarke no doubt fits that bill, and – not for the first time this season – the Highlanders felt the full force of his destructive attacking prowess.
There's a growing chorus of support for Blues sensation Caleb Clarke to earn a maiden call-up to the All Blacks, and he showed why against the Highlanders in Dunedin.https://t.co/oBAY9oGRGc
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Not only is the 21-year-old able to run through or around people to score tries, though, but he’s also shown his innate awareness to set teammates up, which was evidenced on multiple occasions at Forsyth Barr Stadium.
Even after making light work of Josh Ioane, Clarke knew when to put Rieko into space with a deft offload in the lead-up to Finlay Christie’s first try.
He then replicated that after splintering the Highlanders’ defensive line and sucking in Sio Tomkinson and Dillon Hunt to play a pivotal role in TJ Faiane’s try, and did it again to assist Chrsitie’s second, proving his worth as more than a one-trick pony.
Sam Cane (Chiefs)
What better way to answer your vocal critics than produce a dogged, determined defensive effort against the competition’s top side.
That’s exactly what underfire Chiefs skipper Sam Cane did against the Crusaders, and in doing so, he nullified the boisterous crowd noise suggesting he isn’t up to the standard required of an All Blacks captain.
The Chiefs may have gone on to lose their eighth match on the bounce, but the 28-year-old didn’t go down without a fight.
Completing 18 tackles from 20 attempts, Cane he also managed to steal three turnovers for his side – both of which are statistics that no other player across the league topped over the weekend.
Playing with the sort of commitment to the cause that any leader would be proud of, the 68-test veteran will no doubt look to repeat that against the Hurricanes this weekend as the Chiefs eye their first win in five months.
Lachlan Boshier (Chiefs)
Equally as impressive in the Chiefs’ back row was Lachlan Boshier, who has overturned a difficult start to Super Rugby Aotearoa under the revised laws to return to the form that pushed him into All Blacks contention prior to the COVID-19 lockdown.
He wouldn’t look out of place in Ian Foster’s squad given the types of performances he’s produced over the past couple of matches, and he was again near-faultless on Saturday.
PLAYER RATINGS@mikerehu rates the Chiefs #CHIvCRU ???https://t.co/4Q668zHSHf
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Completing yet another robust display at FMG Stadium Waikato, the 25-year-old was a handful on both sides of the ball, coming away with a try, 19 running metres, two defenders beaten, a clean break, eight tackles from nine attempts, two turnovers and three lineouts won.
If that doesn’t scream all-round ability then it’s hard to know what does, and if the Chiefs are to win a game this season, you’d imagine Boshier would be at the forefront of their success.
Codie Taylor (Crusaders)
The battle for the All Blacks’ starting role at hooker is one that will be tightly contested for between Codie Taylor and Dane Coles right up until Foster names his first side of the year, but Taylor certainly did his chances no harm on Saturday.
If anything had harmed Taylor’s likelihood of donning the black No. 2 jersey, for that matter, it would probably be his lineout throwing, which has come under scrutiny in recent times for its waywardness.
PLAYER RATINGS
Finn Morton rates the Saders #CHIvCRU ???https://t.co/jy87oQSq3p
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Any qualms about his set piece work were put to rest in Hamilton, however, as Taylor threw all nine of his lineouts without losing possession, while also producing a talismanic outing with ball in hand.
His try and try assist were pivotal to the Crusaders’ win, while his work rate was evidenced in a performance that finished with 35 running metres, a clean break, a defender beaten and five out of six tackles completed.
Comments on RugbyPass
Lets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
10 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
9 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
10 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
9 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
35 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
35 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
5 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
6 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to comments