Four age-grade stars elevated to settled Crusaders squad for unprecedented five-peat attempt
If there were any uncertainties surrounding whether or not the Crusaders could secure a fifth Super Rugby title on the trot, today’s squad naming should have quelled any fears in the Canterbury and Tasman regions.
Scott Robertson has brought in four new players to the squad that triumphed in this year’s Super Rugby Aotearoa competition, and all four have graduated through the Crusaders Academy and made a name for themselves in New Zealand age-grade sides.
Props Fletcher Newell and Tamaiti Williams and utility backs Chay Fihaki and Isaiah Punivai all attended the New Zealand Under 20 training camp earlier this year and likely would have earned selection in the squad had COVID-19 not put the season in ice. In 2019, the quartet were part of a dominant Canterbury Under 19 team that were crowned champions in the NZ Under 19 national competition.
All four were brought into the Crusaders Academy last year and earned maiden call-ups for Canterbury during this year’s Mitre 10 Cup.
“We have built a strong development programme here at the Crusaders and it’s always exciting to see players promoted from within our Academy system,” Robertson said.
“With the core of our playing group returning next year, it was important we also look to the future and this group of players, at just 19 and 20 years old, have plenty of potential. All four of these young men have already been exposed to our environment through the Academy, they understand how we train as Crusaders and what is expected of them on and off the field. It’s this holistic approach to player development that gives us the confidence they’re ready to make the step up to Super Rugby.”
While Newell was named Under 19 player of the year in 2019, fellow front-rower Williams has stood out as much for his dyanmicism across the park as he has for his core propping duties. Williams will debut off the bench for the Maori All Blacks on Saturday when they take on Moana Pasifika in Hamilton.
“Tamaiti is growing his craft as a tighthead prop, and has a great point of difference,” Robertson said of the 20-year-old. “He’s a big man, with the ability to carry with the best of them, and he’ll be better for his experience in the Maori All Blacks camp this week as well.
“Fletcher Newell was a standout player during the Canterbury Under 19 campaign last season, and has an unrelenting work-rate. He’s a powerful scrummager, and broke the Crusaders Academy all-time squat record with a massive 255kg effort earlier this year. Both players have the chance to work with [forwards coach] Jase Ryan in what is an experienced group of forwards, so we’re looking forward to seeing their progress in 2021.”
Williams and Newell will back up proven performers Michael Alaalatoa, George Bower, Oli Jager, Joe Moody and Isi Tu’ungafasi.
Chay Fihaki and Isaia Punivai, meanwhile, could fit in anywhere across the Crusaders backline – though Robertson hinted the pair will likely spend much of the season on the sidelines soaking up knowledge from the immense talent the Super Rugby Aotearoa champions possess.
“Isaiah is a quality young player, who brings immense physicality in the midfield and has the skillset to play multiple positions,” he said. “Last year’s Under 19 Captain, we think he’s poised to make an important contribution on and off the field in 2021.
“Our youngest player is utility back Chay Fihaki, who is only 19 and an incredibly skilful athlete. Chay has a massive boot and the ability to create something from nothing. He was recognised as Canterbury’s First-Year Player of the Year at their team awards recently, and we’re really excited about his potential.”
The Highlanders have raided the Crusaders once again as they look to re-build their squad for the 2021 #SuperRugby campaign.https://t.co/XT1WOHb0QW
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) September 9, 2020
While the Crusaders’ young talent for 2021 is second to none, they also boast the greatest number of international representatives of all New Zealand’s Super Rugby sides.
Front-rowers Moody, Bower and Codie Taylor all travelled to Australia for this year’s Tri-Nations competition while Michael Alaalatoa is a regular for Samoa.
All five of the Crusaders’ locks, Mitchell Dunshea, Luke Romano, Quinten Strange, Sam Whitelock and captain Scott Barrett, have spent time in camp with the All Blacks.
Elsewhere, loose forward Cullen Grace, halves Mitchell Drummond, Bryn Hall, Richie Mo’unga and Brett Cameron, midfielders Braydon Ennor and Jack Goodhue, and outside backs David Havili, Will Jordan, George Bridge and Sevu Reece, have all teed off against international opposition.
All-in-all, the Crusaders have 14 capped All Blacks to call on. It would be a huge surprise if that number didn’t grow by the end of the 2021 season.
The Crusaders open their 2021 Super Rugby Aotearoa campaign against their southern neighbours, the Highlanders, in Dunedin on February 26.
Crusaders squad for 2021:
Forwards
Michael Alaalatoa
Scott Barrett
Ethan Blackadder
George Bower
Tom Christie
Whetukamokamo Douglas
Mitchell Dunshea
Cullen Grace
Sione Havili
Oliver Jager
Andrew Makalio
Brodie McAlister
Joe Moody
Fletcher Newell
Luke Romano
Tom Sanders
Quinten Strange
Codie Taylor
Isileli Tuungafasi
Samuel Whitelock
Tamaiti Williams
Backs
George Bridge
Fergus Burke
Brett Cameron
Mitchell Drummond
Ereatara Enari
Braydon Ennor
Leicester Fainga’anuku
Chay Fihaki
Jack Goodhue
Bryn Hall
David Havili
Will Jordan
Manasa Mataele
Dallas McLeod
Richie Mo’unga
Isaiah Punivai
Sevu Reece
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Comments on RugbyPass
The URC and the Euro Championscup can’t run at the same time, basically dilutes both competitions.
1 Go to comments“While Sotutu should start at No.8 for the All Blacks against England, but it’s only in that arena that he can prove just how good he really is.” And that my friends is where simply hasnt shone despite multiple opportunities. Even in this performance you can see what did him in in the test arena..he almost always still runs at the opposition almost ramrod upright making him easier to stop than it should be.
1 Go to commentsShould have been 0-0 and a message from SR CEO to both teams - “don’t worry about turning up next year”.
3 Go to commentsGreat work Owen Franks. A great of this team, scoring his first try for the Crusaders since 2010.He was beaming, justifiably. A fine win, he and the rest did the job up front.
1 Go to commentsDanny Care. Lang in die tand.
1 Go to commentsBig empty stadium does nothing for atmosphere but munster are playing well with solid performance
1 Go to commentsYes, Fiji can win the World Cup! With that belief plus their christian faith🙏 and hard work it is achievable. Great article. Ian Duncan Fiji resident 1981-84
2 Go to commentsInteresting comments about Touch. England’s hosting the Touch World Cup this year and the numbers have exploded since their last World Cup in 2019, something like 70% more teams and 40 nations taking part. And England Touch have made a big thing about how many universities are in their BUCS University Touch Championship as well as Sport England membership. Can only see this growing even more domestically as more people become aware of it
10 Go to comments“Cortez Ratima is light years ahead of anyone on current form, while TJ Perenara has also skyrocketed into contention following the unfortunate injury to the talented Cam Roigard.” At last some sanity. Hitherto so many pundits have been wittering on about Finlay Christie to the point one wondered if they were observing a FC in a parallel universe where the FC they saw wasnt just the mediocre Shayne Philpott project of Fosters hapless AB reign in the real world. Ratima, Perenara and Fakatava are the ONLY logical 9s for Razor now Roigard is crocked.
3 Go to commentsThis game was just as painful as the Hurricanes game. It was real fork-in-the-eye stuff.
3 Go to commentsNow if they could just fire the Crusaders ground PA guy who likes to play his dance music and just loves the sound of his own voice the entire game, even when play is going on. And I thought their brass band thing of a few years ago was bad.
5 Go to commentsUnfortunately when you lose by far the two form players this season in Roigard and Aumua, you're left replacing two game changing Tanks with a couple of pea-shooters. Which is also about the speed of TJs pass.
4 Go to commentsBit rich coming from the guy with zero loyalty to anyone or any team, including happily taking a players place in a league world cup squad because well, SBW wanted to play in it and thus an already named player got told he was no longer going. And airing stuff like this, which may or may not be true, doesn't exactly say you're a stand up guy either SBW. Just looking to keep his name in lights as usual.
38 Go to commentsTamati Tua. …the Taniwha NPC midfielder. Ollie Sapsford, Hawkes Bay NPC midfielder…doing well
4 Go to commentsFiji deserve to be in the rugby championship, fans love seeing the Fijian national team play, the Fijian Drua is a wonderful idea but the players can still be stolen to play for NZ and AUS…
2 Go to commentsThe first concern for this afternoon are wheather forecast…
1 Go to commentsWhy cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to comments