Scott Robertson applauds last-ever performance of Crusaders halves partnership
It may have been the work of the Crusaders at the set-piece that really undermined any chance of the Blues scoring a victory in the Super Rugby Pacific final on their home turf, but the work of well-oiled halves pairing Bryn Hall and Richie Mo’unga didn’t go unnoticed by senior Crusaders figures.
With the Crusaders dominating their opposition at the lineout throughout the match – forcing the Blues the operate with a less than 50 per cent success rate at the crucial set-piece – the Blues struggled to put their opposition under any long-term pressure throughout the match.
In the best-case scenario, the Blues were playing with scrappy ball. More often than not, however, the Crusaders were able to wrestle possession off the home side and Hall and Mo’unga were happy to pin the Blues back with some expertly placed kicks.
Mo’unga was at his effervescent best on attack throughout the 21-7 win, scooping up balls left, right and centre and then jinking his way around defender after defender to always keep the Blues on their toes – even picking off ball at the back of mistimed Blues lineouts.
“Richie’s one of the leaders within the group and when there’s a ball on the ground, you saw what it means to him, to sprint and put his body on the line to take that,” Crusaders captain Scott Barrett said following the victory at Eden Park. “That was a pretty big moment [when Mo’unga grabbed one dropped ball of a lineout]; the Blues were just getting a bit of momentum with the time on the clock.
“Just little things like that, he’s so big for this team and pretty lucky to have the likes of Rich, Davey (Havili), Sam (Whitelock) – I could rattle off so many leaders in this group that make my job and [coach Scott Robertson’s] easy.”
“He’s got so much time,” added Robertson. “You thought he was going to get tackled four or five times and he dummied instead. Tactically that’s probably his point of difference.
“He missed one kick but everything out of hand [was good], defensive efforts, he’s pretty special – he’s world-class.”
Hall contributed to the onslaught in his own was, including one memorable box kick down the field from a sudden Crusaders turnover that pushing the ball deep inside Blues territory, and then throwing a beautiful tunnel ball between his legs on the next phase of possession to give the Crusaders ample quick ball from which to launch another attack (which, with some more clinical operators further out, likely would have result in try to the Cantabrians).
“Bryn’s been incredible in the last six years for us,” said Robertson. “[He’s] the ultimate competitor, isn’t he? Each week he turns up and he’s meticulous in the way he looks and the way he trains and the way he prepares. He’s just a great man for us.”
Having kicked off his career with the Blues back in 2013 but was eventually cut loose from the team by former coach Tana Umaga in 2016, with the Blues choosing to persevere with Augustine Pulu, Billy Guyton and Sam Nock instead. Hall was picked up by the Crusaders and one year later, helped the team to their first Super Rugby title under Scott Robertson.
Saturday night’s victory marked Hall’s sixth title in as many years and now the 30-year-old will be taking his talents to Japan.
“It comes time [to leave],” Robertson said of his halfback’s impending departure. “Everyone’s got their reasons for it.”
Without Hall in the No 9 jersey, the Crusaders will still be able to call on Mitchell Drummond, who’s contracted with the side for two more seasons – but the Super Rugby Pacific champions will still feel Hall’s departure. After all, there’s good reason why he’s started 11 matches to Drummond’s five for the Crusaders this year, despite the two halfbacks typically sharing the load evenly in recent season.
Fortunately for the Crusaders, Mo’unga still has at least one more year to run on his contract – which means the Cantabrians will have as good a chance of taking home the title next year as any other team.
Comments on RugbyPass
Results probably skewed by the fact that a few clubs have foreign fly halves in their 30s, but most teams have young English scrum halves. Results also likely to be skewed by the fact that many teams rely on centres and fullbacks to provide depth at 10, whereas they will need to stock a large number of specialist backup 9s.
1 Go to commentsI really get the sense that when all is said and done, the path of least resistance will end up being a merger of Wasps & Worcester that essentially kills the Worcester Warriors brand and sees Wasps permanently playing at Sixways. I’m not saying that’s what should happen or what I want to happen. I just think it’s the easiest rout to take and therefore, will be what happens. Wasps will definitely return to play first, and I suppose it all depends on if they can find support at Sixways. If people turn up and support Wasps in that community, at that ground, I bet they drop the Sevenoaks plan and just remain at Sixways. Under the radar but not totally unrelated, it looks as though London Irish are going to be brought back from the dead by a German consortium and look set to return, likely to the remade Championship. It’s set to have 12 clubs next season with 14 in 2025/26, what do you want to bet those extra 2 are Wasps and London Irish?
1 Go to commentsThe shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to commentsBold headline considering the Canes and Blues are 1 and 2 and the Brumbies were soundly beaten by the Chiefs and Blues. Biggest surprise is Rebels 4 Crusaders 12 - no one saw that coming. If Aus are improving that’s great 👍
1 Go to commentsAnna, You are right, we need to have patience whilst the others catch up to England and France. Also it is the PWR that has been the game changer for England. the RFU put money into that initially at the expense of the Red Roses. I was sceptical at first but it has paid off in spades.
1 Go to commentsI think Matt Proctor became a 1 test AB in the same fixture. Cameron is quality and has been great this season, can’t believe’s he only 27. Realistically how would he not be selected for ABs squad this year. Only Dmac is ahead of him as a specialist 10. With Jordan out, it will come down to where and when Beauden Barrett slots back in, and where they want to play Ruben Love. Cameron seems an absolute lock in for the wider squad though. Added benefit of TJ-Cameron-Jordie combination at 9, 10, 11 too.
1 Go to commentsFarcical, to what end would someone want to pay to keep this thing going.
1 Go to commentsHavili, our best 12 by a mile, will be in the squad, if he stays fit. JB is the most overrated AB in the last 50 years.
61 Go to commentsWe had during the week twilight footy, twilight cricket, tw golf plus there was the athletics club. Then the weekend was rugby 15s plus the net ball, really busy club scene back then but so much has changed and rugby has suffered. And it was all about changing lifestyles.
6 Go to commentsIn the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getting to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
6 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
8 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
6 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
56 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
8 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
61 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to comments