Richie Mo'unga and Codie Taylor available for Crusaders against Moana Pasifika
Crusaders stars Richie Mo’unga and Codie Tayor will both be available for selection this weekend when their side face Moana Pasifika this weekend.
Neither of the two All Blacks have featured for the Crusaders in the opening two rounds of Super Rugby Pacific, with both players remaining in Christchurch while the side travelled to Queenstown for New Zealand Rugby’s two-week Covid bubble.
However, Crusaders assistant coach Scott Hansen confirmed on Monday that Mo’unga and Taylor will both be available to face Moana Pasifika in Christchurch this Friday.
“They’ve come in, they’ve trained really well. They’re absolutely class players. They’ve got a huge part and role within the Crusaders environments, and we expect them to be at their best straight up,” he said.
The likely return of both players may spell the end of Fergus Burke’s and Brodie McAlister’s season-opening runs as the team’s starting first-five and hooker, respectively, but it will provide the Crusaders with significant experience and class.
Scott Robertson’s men might need both of those elements from Mo’unga and Taylor this week as Hansen hinted that the Moana Pasifika clash looms as a chance to rest and rotate players within his squad.
“We’ll pick a team this week that we feel will do a job. They’ll be a hungry team that we’re excited for, and there’ll be the possibility of some new guys and some new Crusaders getting out this weekend,” Hansen said.
“Again, the team will be named during the week, but we’re excited for them to get out and influence around our team.”
With a near-clean bill of health, the Crusaders selectors will almost have a full squad to pick from, and, based on Hansen’s comments, there are some who could make their first Super Rugby appearances of the year, or in their career.
New recruit and three-test All Blacks halfback Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi headlines the list of players who haven’t taken to the field for the Crusaders thus far in 2022 after finding himself behind Bryn Hall and Mitchell Drummond in the No 9 jersey.
Chay Fihaki and ex-Chiefs flyer Kini Naholo may also come into contention in the outside backs, as could Dallas McLeod and Isaiah Punivai in the midfield.
In the pack, lock Zach Gallagher and loose forward Dominic Gardiner might be line to make their Super Rugby debuts after hooker Shilo Klein and flanker Corey Kellow achieved that feat over the past two weeks.
Others forwards who are yet to have played after missing selection for their season-opening victories over the Hurricanes and Highlanders include flanker Sione Havili Talitui and props Finlay Brewis and Fletcher Newell.
Hansen didn’t provide an update on the fitness status of injured All Blacks flanker Ethan Blackadder, who Robertson said would be ready for action in “two to three weeks” more than a fortnight ago.
Hansen did, however, note that hosting Moana Pasifika in their first match of the year to be played in Christchurch is an exciting prospect for the Crusaders.
Alongside the Fijian Drua, Moana Pasifika are one of two competition newcomers this season and will make their Super Rugby Pacific debut this weekend after missing the first two rounds due to a Covid outbreak in their squad.
Hansen said preparation for Friday’s match is already underway, with the only analysis the Crusaders are able to conduct on Moana Pasifika being their 61-7 pre-season thumping at the hands of the Chiefs in Auckland earlier this month.
“We know it’s going to be a fantastic occasion for Super Rugby. We’re welcoming in our Pasifika brothers,” Hansen said.
“We understand that they’ve had a lot of challenges recently, but they’ll be coming into this game with a fantastic mindset around creating momentum through their big ball carriers, playing their special brand of rugby, and we’re excited to put our game against theirs.”
Comments on RugbyPass
It was a pleasure to watch those guys playing with such confidence. That trio can all be infuriating for different reasons and I can see why Jones might have decided against them. No way to justify leaving Ikitau out though. Jorgensen and him were both scheduled to return at the same time. Only one of them plays for Randwick and has a dad who is great mates with the national coach though.
53 Go to commentsBrayden Iose and Peter Lakai are very exciting Super Rugby players but are too short and too light to ever be a Test 8 vs South Africa, France, Ireland, and England, Lakai could potentially be a Test player at 7 if he is allowed to focus on 7 for Hurricanes.
5 Go to commentsPencils “Thomas du Toit” into possible 2027 Bok squad.
1 Go to commentsDon’t see why Harrison makes the bench. Jones can play at 10 if needed, and there is a good case for starting her there to begin with if testing combinations. That would leave room for Sing on the bench
1 Go to commentsWhat a load of old bull!
1 Go to commentsOf the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.
29 Go to commentsIrish Rugby CEO be texting Andy Farrell “Andy, i found our next Kiwi Irishman”
5 Go to commentsI certainly don’t miss drinking beers at 8am in the morning watching rugby games being played in NZ.
1 Go to commentsThis looks like a damage limitation exercise for Wales, keeping back some of their more effective players for the last 20/25 minutes to try and counter England’s fresh legs so the Red Roses don’t rack up a big score.
1 Go to commentsVery unlikely the Bulls will beat Leinster in Dublin. It would be different in Pretoria.
1 Go to commentsI think it is a dangerous path to go down to ban a player for the same period that a player they injured takes to recover. Players would be afraid to tackle anyone. I once tackled my best friend at school in a practice match and sprained his ankle. I paid for it by having to play fly-half instead of full-back for the rest of that season’s fixtures.
5 Go to commentsJust such a genuine good bloke…and probably the best all round player in his generation. Good guys do come first sometimes and he handled the W.Cup loss with great attitude.
2 Go to commentsWord in France is that he’s on the radar of a few Top14 clubs.
5 Go to commentsGet blocking Travis, this guy has styles and he’s gonna make a swift impact…!
1 Go to commentsWhat remorse? She claimed that her dangerous tackle wasn’t worthy of a red! She should be compensating the injured player for loss of earnings at the minimum. Her ban should include the recovery time of the injured player as well as the paltry 3 match ban.
5 Go to commentsArdie is a legend. Finished and klaar. Two things: “Yeah, yeah, I have had a few conversations with Razor just around feedback on my game and what I am doing well, what I need to improve on or work-ons. It’s kind of been minimal, mate, but it’s all that I need over here in terms of how to be better, how to get better and what I am doing well.” I hope he’s downplaying it - and that it’s not that “minimal”. The amount of communication and behind the scenes preparation the Bok coaches put into players - Rassie and co would be all over Ardie and being clear on what is expected of him. This stands out for me as something teams should really be looking at in terms of the boks success from a coaching point of view. And was surprised by the comment - “minimal”. In terms of the “debate” around Ireland and South Africa. Nice one Ardie. Indeed. There’s no debate.
2 Go to commentsThere’s a bit of depth there but realistically Australian players have a long way to go to now catch up. The game is moving on fast and Australia are falling behind. Australian sides still don’t priories the breakdown like they should, it’s a non-negotiable if you want to compete on the international stage. That goes for forwards and backs. The Australian team could have a back row that could make a difference but the problem is they don’t have a tight five that can do the business. Tupou is limited in defence, overweight and unfit and the locks are a long way from international standard. Frost is soft and Salakai-Loto is too small so that means they need a Valentini at 8 who has to do the hard graft so limits the effectiveness of the backrow. Schmidt really needs to get a hard working, tough tight 5 if he wants to get this team firing.
3 Go to commentsSorry Morgan you must have been the “go to for a quote” ex player this week. Its rnd 6 and there is plenty of time to cement a starting 15 and finishing 8 so I have no such concerns.
2 Go to commentsGreat read. I wish you had done this article on the ROAR.
2 Go to commentsThe current AB coaching team is basically the Crusaders so it smacks of wanting their familiar leaders around. This is not a good look for the future of the ABs or the younger players in Super working their way up the player ladder. Razor is touted as innovative, forward looking but his early moves look like insecurity and insular, provincial thinking. He is the AB's coach not the Golden Oldies.
10 Go to comments