Five-stars: The five top performers from round five of Super Rugby Aotearoa
Another round of Super Rugby Aotearoa has blitzed by us, but the weekend’s results has provided a clear indication of which side is in the driver’s seat to take out the inaugural Kiwi title.
The Crusaders’ 26-15 victory over the Blues in Christchurch on Saturday proved the 10-time Super Rugby champions are still the team to beat as they won the battle of the competition’s two undefeated sides.
The results puts them six points clear of the Blues heading into their bye week, while the Aucklanders will need to regather themselves ahead of what’s set to be an intriguing clash against the Hurricanes in Wellington.
Leon MacDonald’s men can expect a much sterner contest than what they faced at the beginning of last month, as the Hurricanes continued to bounce back from a winless start to their campaign with a 17-11 win against the Highlanders on Sunday.
A number of Jason Holland’s key men stood up in that fixture, which helped propel them to third spot on the table as we head into the second half of the league.
So, with all that in mind, here are the top five players from round five of Super Rugby Aotearoa.
Richie Mo’unga (Crusaders)
It’s difficult to imagine the Crusaders winning their highly-anticipated bout with the Blues on the weekend without the services of Richie Mo’unga at their disposal in the No. 10 jersey.
So good was the 26-year-old that many are pleading his case to remain the All Blacks first-five ahead of Beauden Barrett, who he certainly outshone at Orangetheory Stadium.
Mo’unga brought plenty of heat to a match that was played in cold conditions, with his affluence with ball in hand reaping statistics that read a match-high 62 running metres, eight defenders beaten, one clean break, one offload and a try assist.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CCgph3Ogic9/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Add to that his perfect goal kicking record that added 16 points to his team’s tally, and it’s hard to deny that the 17-test All Black isn’t the best playmaker in the country right now.
For as long as he remains fit and healthy, the Crusaders are going to be one hell of a side to take down for the foreseeable future.
Ngani Laumape (Hurricanes)
It’s been quite some time since we’ve seen Ngani Laumape reach his blockbusting best.
The case could be made that he was hard done by to have missed out on World Cup selection last year, but his return to action for the Hurricanes in 2020 hadn’t been all that remarkable up until the weekend just gone by.
Laumape’s explosive ball carrying had been nullified somewhat, while his lack of distribution skills in comparison to Jack Goodhue and Anton Lienert-Brown have scaled him down in the national pecking order.
Here's how the Hurricanes rated in their 17-11 #SuperRugbyAotearoa victory over the Highlanders in Wellington.https://t.co/rfmnEgICkt
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) July 12, 2020
However, the 13-test All Black gave a strong reminder about what he is capable of against the Highlanders.
Starved of the ball for long passages throughout the match, the Highlanders were forced to make a plethora of tackles on the Hurricanes’ hitmen, which was no easy job with Laumape at the forefront of their bruising runs.
Playing to his own strengths rewarded the burly midfielder with round-high figures of 88 running metres, nine defenders beaten and four clean breaks to show few in New Zealand can do what the former NRL player can do when on song.
Aaron Smith (Highlanders)
Despite their 1-3 start to Super Rugby Aotearoa, there are definite signs of improvement at the Highlanders since their return from the COVID-19 lockdown.
An increased urgency up front has laid the platform for Mitch Hunt to steer his backline around much more easily, and the first-five has flourished as a result, but it’s his halves partner who has proved to be a key element in the southerners’ fightback.
Veteran halfback Aaron Smith’s status as New Zealand’s best halfback has only been bolstered this campaign as he’s shown time and time again how lethal his communication, awareness and world-class bullet pass can be.
One man band right now basically. 😆 #HURvHIG #SuperRugbyAotearoa #Highlanders pic.twitter.com/m6mM4SBG12
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) July 12, 2020
Denied a try early in the first half for a questionable obstruction call, the 31-year-old bagged one later in the second half from a lineout move that was richly deserved given the way in which he’d opened up the Hurricanes defence.
It was on defence where he surprisingly stood out, though, as he fronted up when the Highlanders needed him most, making 10 tackles and stealing three turnovers, the most of any player over the weekend.
Asafo Aumua (Hurricanes)
Stuck behind Dane Coles on a regular basis at Super Rugby level, Asafo Aumua needed to take this rare starting opportunity with both hands in the absence of the Hurricanes’ co-captain.
Not only did 23-year-old hooker do just that, but he did so in explosive fashion to keep himself in the conversation of an All Blacks re-call, three years after his last appearance for the national side.
Reminiscent of his breakthrough season in 2017 with Wellington and the New Zealand U20 side, Aumua was tough and damaging on attack, running for a grand total of 63 metres in the match – the most of any forward in the round.
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Blasting his way through a trio of defenders, Aumua also managed to snag a clean break and completed all seven of his lineout throws to his own side.
While Coles and Codie Taylor remain the benchmark for any No. 2 in New Zealand, it seems Aumua might have hurled himself back into the national selection frame and will be a key cog in the Hurricanes set-up as they look to surge up the standings.
TJ Perenara (Hurricanes)
While it’s unanimously agreed that Aaron Smith is regarded as New Zealand’s premier halfback, TJ Perenara did his absolute best to show him up at Sky Stadium on Sunday, and did so with match-winning effect.
The chirpy scrumhalf was a regular threat while his side were in possession, as he carried the ball 14 times to run for 33 metres, making three clean breaks and beating two defenders at the same time.
His best piece of work came in the 28th minute where a head-up play close to the opposition tryline saw the 28-year-old dummy and step Smith to canter through a gaping hole by a ruck to put his team on the board for the first time in the game.
It showed not just his value as a ball-running No. 9, which is undoubtedly the best aspect of his game, but that he can also match it with New Zealand’s best.
Comments on RugbyPass
Ben Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
19 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
7 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
19 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
9 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
9 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
26 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
19 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
26 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
19 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
86 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
3 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
9 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
19 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
14 Go to comments