'I might be the most hated person in Christchurch': Crusaders star Bryn Hall opens up on Josh McKay's try-saving tackle
Crusaders halfback Bryn Hall is just thankful his side were able to come away with a 32-22 victory over the Highlanders in Christchurch on Sunday to clinch the Super Rugby Aotearoa title.
Thankful because had his teammates not rallied together to overturn the 17-13 half-time deficit at Orangetheory Stadium, he would have been responsible for letting a prime try-scoring, a potentially title-winning, opportunity go to waste.
It was inside the opening 10 minutes of the second half when Hall was put into wide open space by teammate Will Jordan following a scintillating burst through the Highlanders’ defence by Richie Mo’unga.
With the tryline in sight, Hall simply had to reach the in-goal area from 20 metres out and dot the ball down to give his side a one-point advantage and potentially swing the momentum of the game.
Highlanders wing Josh McKay had other ideas, though, with the renowned speedster hunting down the 28-year-old from about 10 metres away to swat the ball out of his hands from behind and deny the Crusaders a certain try.
Hall’s immediate reaction to his blundered try spoke volumes of how important McKay’s defensive heroics could have been on the outcome of the game.
Two days after eventually securing the win, he still can’t get over the fact he wasn’t able to score what looked a guaranteed five points.
“Even now, just thinking about it, it’s amazing how Josh did that. One in one hundred,” Hall told the Aotearoa Rugby Pod of his try that could have been.
“I seriously thought I might be the most hated person in Christchurch at that time, and just thought ‘If I don’t get the result here, I could seriously be in a lot of trouble down here in Christchurch’.
“But, thankfully, the boys got the job done and we were fortunate enough to get the result on yesterday [Sunday] evening.”
TRY SAVER OF THE SEASON?
You tell us? ✅ or 🙅🏽
🎥: @skysportnz 🏃🏽♂️: @Highlanders Josh McKay pic.twitter.com/vVbMzViiJn
— Super Rugby NZ (@SuperRugbyNZ) August 9, 2020
That didn’t stop Hall from describing the incident, after which he was immediately subbed off, as “the worst thing ever”.
“Will [Jordan] gave me the pass inside, and when I was running, I knew that he [McKay] was coming for me, that he was turning around and came back,” Hall recalled.
“If it was wet, I was probably going to dive early, but just thought I wasn’t going to get there, so I was just getting ready to reach out, and just the worst thing ever happened in my life.
“Just felt it come out of my hand, and my reaction just told it all. Just in a dark hole and just wanted to stay down there, but thankfully the boys got the result in the end.”
Despite the missed opportunity and a Michael Collins try shortly afterwards, the Crusaders fought back from a 22-13 deficit to score three tries and 19 unanswered points in the in the final 20 minutes to lock away their fourth straight Super Rugby crown.
Since moving down south from the Blues in 2017, Hall has been part of every one of those title-winning campaigns under the guidance of head coach Scott Robertson.
Now, he is among the most successful Super Rugby players of all-time, a notion of which he says he would have laughed at someone for suggesting prior to his arrival in Christchurch.
“I remember first coming down here, and one [title] was an amazing experience, and to have an opportunity to win a fourth one, it’s pretty special,” Hall told RugbyPass.
“If you were to ask me five years ago ‘Would I have the opportunity to have these championships?’, [I] probably would have laughed at you.
“Very fortunate and very lucky and very happy to have our crowd there and to put in a performance that they deserved, especially with us losing to the Hurricanes previously.
“We enjoyed last [Sunday] night, but we know we’ve got a massive encounter with Jippa [James Parsons] and the Blues boys, who have a sell-out at Eden Park which will be a fantastic occasion.”
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With that top-of-the-table clash in mind, Hall revealed the post-match celebrations after the win against the Highlanders were more reserved than previous title successes.
“We celebrated with all our friends and family that came in the changing room, and we had a few lemonades and celebrated the success of winning,” he said.
“We had a few together as a group, and that’s pretty much it. We had a day off today and then we’re back into it.
“We did celebrate, it was an awesome achievement, it was a really tough competition like Jip knows, but, again, we’ve got a job to do come Sunday in Auckland.”
Listen to the full episode of the Aotearoa Rugby Pod below
Comments on RugbyPass
smith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
36 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
9 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
36 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
36 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
36 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
36 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
36 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
36 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
36 Go to comments