Super Rugby Aotearoa team grades: Crusaders are still the benchmark
You’d have to call Super Rugby Aotearoa a runaway success.
Sure, a few players voiced reservations about the intensity of the rugby, but it’s hard to see how those views are even remotely relevant.
Life’s different for a lot of us now. Work’s scarce and many people in fulltime employment are still only on a percentage of their pre-COVID-19 wages. Entire industries remain under threat and some people are back in lockdown.
New Zealand Rugby and Sky did a phenomenal job to get Super Rugby staged this year and – most importantly – keep the players on 100 percent pay. Rather than quibble about the relevant difficulty of the work, you’d think these blokes would be grateful to be paid at all.
Oh well, never mind. The rest of us are happy with the product.
Not to mention in continued-awe of the Crusaders and their ability to rise to the challenge almost every week. Whether you call it a fourth Super Rugby title in a row – or just a maiden Aotearoa one – there’s no doubting that they were 2020’s outstanding team.
Not surprisingly it’s them we’ll start with, in this assessment of the Super Rugby Aotearoa season.
Crusaders
Played: 7
Won: 6
Lost: 1
Grade: A
It’s not easy being the benchmark. To be the team that – week-in, week-out – every opponent lifts for and trains and prepares better for. And yet, almost every time, the Crusaders absorb whatever’s thrown at them and then strike back on the counter.
Take the 32-22 win over the Highlanders, which clinched the Crusaders the title.
Like so many teams before them, the Highlanders came to Christchurch and performed very well. In actual fact they dominated much of the match.
Come fulltime, though, it had all been for nought, as the Crusaders kicked away to win by 10.
Overall, Sam Whitelock – who had every reason to be disinterested this season – was terrific again, while other forwards such as Tom Christie, Tom Sanders, Cullen Grace and Michael Alaalatoa enhanced their reputations.
It’s a shame injury hampered David Havili, but Will Jordan was excellent. Richie Mo’unga remains a joy to watch and everyone else more than does their job.
You can’t give coach Scott Robertson enough credit for the way he enthuses these players week after week, year after year. It really is a remarkable achievement.
Highlanders
Played: 8
Won: 3
Lost: 5
Grade: B+
Not every good team is a champion one. Some, like these Highlanders, aren’t even a winning one.
That’s because success isn’t always measured in results. Sometimes it’s about people simply playing to their potential and a coaching staff getting the most out of a group that they can.
The Highlanders, on paper at least, were by far the weakest New Zealand team. The end of the last Rugby World Cup cycle hit no-one harder than them, as a host of proven performers opted for contracts offshore.
The fact that halfback Aaron Smith wasn’t among them, proved a huge help. He truly is a modern-day great and the quality of his play, and sheer competitiveness, helped keep the Highlanders in plenty of contests.
Around him, forwards such as Pari Pari Parkinson and Marino Mikaele-Tu’u showed promise.
Josh Ioane’s case was a curious one, though. Coaches always know best, but it was hard to understand why the Highlanders’ brainstrust didn’t give Ioane sole use of the No.10 jumper.
Mitch Hunt is a fine player, but Ioane is special. Or at least could be.
Blues
Played: 7
Won: 5
Lost: 2
Grade: B
Tempting to give them a slightly higher grade, but the truth is a 5-2 season is what the Blues should be churning out all the time. In fact, in terms of sheer ability, 7-0 shouldn’t have been out of the question.
They’ve threatened to be a good team for some years now, with a bit of direction and accuracy from first five-eighth all that was missing. At one point it appeared as if Beauden Barrett – or even Daniel Carter – might provide it, but in the end it came from Otere Black.
How sustainable Black’s form is remains to be seen. The Hurricanes happily gave up on him a couple of years back but, at 25, he suddenly looked the assured player he’d occasionally threatened to be.
The Blues have talent everywhere else so, if Black can keep being this good, they should be a serious threat for the title in 2021.
Hurricanes
Played: 8
Won: 5
Lost: 3
Grade: B-
Still a team that seems to lack real identity and who rely on the deeds of certain individuals.
Star players such as Jordie Barrett, TJ Perenara, Ardie Savea, Ngani Laumape and Dane Coles lead a supporting cast that remains only promising.
Asafo Aumua, Tyrel Lomax, Xavier Numia, Alex Fidow, Isaia Walker-Leawere, Du’Plessis Kirifi, Jackson Garden-Bachop, Billy Proctor, Peter Umaga-Jensen, Vince Aso and Wes Goosen are all among a group of Hurricanes we can see have ability, but who never seem to get a whole lot better.
How would some of these blokes go at the Crusaders, for instance? Would they make the leap from useful to outstanding?
One player who doesn’t appear as if he’ll kick on anytime soon is Vaea Fifita. He might be supremely talented, but it seems the Hurricanes now favour more reliable types than the 12-test All Black.
Is that his fault or further evidence of an environment that doesn’t often improve players?
Either way, you feel the Hurricanes could’ve got more out of themselves this year.
Chiefs
Played: 8
Won: 0
Lost: 8
Grade: D-
You can mount whatever defence for the Chiefs that you like. Injuries, luck and referees didn’t appear to favour them, but 0-8 is unacceptable and that’s all there is to it.
The situation isn’t helped by Warren Gatland’s other coaching gig.
He’s due to take the British & Irish Lions to South Africa next year, with Clayton McMillan stepping in as interim coach. We still don’t know what Super Rugby will look like then either but, for argument’s sake at least, let’s assume the Chiefs go well under McMillan and the debate about Gatland’s suitability only intensifies.
The Chiefs weren’t miles off the pace this year, but this is a results business and they didn’t win a game. That they had the talent too, despite injuries in the tight five, suggests that coaching could’ve been an issue.
Ideally, 2021 would be an opportunity for Gatland to answer his critics. Instead it looms as an extended job interview for McMillan.
Comments on RugbyPass
Blackadder but no Finau! 😀 It’s Razor so you are probably right, plus Taylor at 2…
9 Go to commentsThe strongest possible AB side would actually include Aaron Smith, Bodie Retallick, Sam Whitelock, Leicester Fainga'anuku, Shannon Frizzel.. don’t get me started on the rest of the injury hit brigade that got flung on the heap so left. Many a whole not getting filled as of yet.
9 Go to commentsI don’t think anyone knows what Schmidt will do, one thing is certain it ain’t gonna be all the picks we on the keyboard will think. My impression of him is that he will be looking at who can step up and what is the best combination. He will ignore individuals as he looks for guys who can build a powerful team and not just guys who can make a flashy run or ignore the winger as they want to score themselves.
2 Go to commentsSome dumb selections there. Not Porecki Not Donaldson Not Gordon Not Lonegran - both Not Nic White - Fines instead Not Liam Wright Not Paisami Definitely not Vunivalu Other than that not bad.
2 Go to commentsI've never been convinced that Patty T is a test match all black. Otherwise I probably agree it's the best side available to beat the poms. Caveat that Codie Taylor is yet to be seen and could very likely warrant selection by June. I hope that Razor brings the young loosies, half backs and locks into the training squad and develops/ selects the best
9 Go to commentsYou doing the same thing I disliked about the example of Samisoni Taukei'aho, Nick. He’s great the way he is, you’re trying to do what modern-day coaches frustrate me doing, turning everyone into the perfect athlete. Next thing you’ll be telling me you’ll bench him until he’s hit that arbitrary marker, and can’t overtake the current guy who’s doing all his workons. He’s a young Kieran Read, through and through, plays wide and has threat, mainly (and evident in your clips) through his two hand carry and speed. Just let him work on that, or whatever he wants, and determine his own future. Play God and you risk the players going sideways, like Read did, instead of being a Toutai Kefu. I mean I was in the same camp for a while, wanting our tight five to have the size, and carry ability, as the teams they were getting beat by. Now I’m starting to believe those teams just have better skilled and practiced individuals, bigger by upwards of 5kg sometimes, sure, but more influentially they have those intrinsic skills of trust and awareness. Basically our guys just didn’t know wtf they were doing. Don’t think I’m trying to prove a point here but hasn’t Caleb Clarke been in much better form this year, or does he just ‘look’ better now that he’s not always trying to use his size?
44 Go to commentsThe pack lacks a little in height for the line out and I wouldn’t be completely convinced by some of the combinations till we see it in action.
9 Go to commentsThe side is good but lacks experience. International playing bona fides udually trumps super rugby form for good reason. And incumbents are usually stuck with. Codie Taylor should start or come off the bench. B Barrett will start at fullback. Blackadder has not earned the position, Finau has. TJs experience and competitiveness earns him a starting role, Christie or Ratima off the bench
9 Go to commentsPretty good side. Scott Barrett should be the captain. Ethan Blackadder a great choice at blindside. He is going to go from strength to strength having made a couple of starts for the Crusaders. Scott Robertson rates him highly. Perenara could start a no 9.
9 Go to commentsI question and with respect. Was enough done over the last few years to bring through new blood knowing the Whitelocks and co couldn’t last forever. There should have been more done to future proof the team. New squad new coach, he and they weren’t set up well. IMO
6 Go to commentsJacobsen will definitely be in the 23
9 Go to commentsLots of discussion points, Ben, but two glaring follies IMO: 1. Blackadder at 6. Has done nothing so far this season to justify his selection. Did you see him going backwards in contact at the weekend? Simply has not got the physical presence at 6: we need a Scott Barrett or a Finau (or wildcard Ah Kuoi), beasts who are big enough to play lock, like Frizzell. If Barret played at 6, Paddy could be joined at lock by Vai’i or one of the young giants we need to promote, like Darry or Lord (if he ever gets on the field). Blackadder best left to join the queue for 7. 2. Not even a mention for Christie? Ratima gets caught at crucial times at the back of the ruck when he hesitates on the pass. The only way he starts would be if Christie and TJ are injured.
9 Go to commentsWhat a dagg in more ways than one
6 Go to commentsRegroup come back next year but sack some of the coaching team and don't be like the ABs last minute sacking. If Crusaders don't do well ABs don't do well.
5 Go to commentsProctor Definitely inform again this year had a hell of a season last year and this year is looking even better. Still mixed feelings about Ioane tho.
4 Go to commentsDagg is still trying to get enough headlines to make himself relevant enough to get a job. The Crusaders went back to square one at all levels. Shelve this season and nail the next one.
6 Go to commentsHe was in such great form. Sad for him but only a short term injury and it will be great to see him back for the finals.
1 Go to commentsAfter their 5/0 start, I had the Crusaders to finish Top 4 only…they lost the plot in Perth but will reload and back themselves vs 4th placed Rebels…
5 Go to commentsBoth nations missed a great opportunity to book a game that would have had a lot of interest from around the world. I understand these games can’t be organised in 5 minutes but they should have found a way to make it happen. I don’t think Wales are ducking anyone but it’s a bad look haha.
3 Go to commentsIt will be fascinating to see the effect that Jo Yapp has. If they can compete with Canada and give BFs a run for their money that will be progress
1 Go to comments