Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
NZ NZ

Recap: Super Rugby Pacific R3 night two blog

By Finn Morton
(Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)

Defending Super Rugby Pacific champions the Crusaders have travelled to Lautoka, Fiji, for an exciting clash against the Drua at Churchill Park.

ADVERTISEMENT

The Drua will host the competition heavyweights in their first Super Rugby home game this season at Churchill Park on Saturday.

Crusaders captain Scott Barrett will play his 100th game for the decorated New Zealand franchise, nine years after his debut against England in an exhibition match.

Video Spacer

Video Spacer

Barrett has been named to start in the No. 4 jersey, and will lead a new-look side out onto Churchill Park for the round three blockbuster.

Following their vintage display against South Island rivals the Highlanders in Super Round, the Crusaders have made eight changes to their starting XV.

All Blacks Mitchell Drummond and Richie Mo’unga have not been included in the matchday 23, with Crusaders coach Scott Robertson selecting an intriguing halves combination for this clash.

England international Willi Heinz will start at halfback, while Fergus Burke has been handed an opportunity to impress in the coveted No. 10 jumper for the Saders.

ADVERTISEMENT

Related

Once the full time siren has sounded in Fiji, the rugby world will turn its attention to a New Zealand derby between the undefeated Hurricanes and the Blues.

The Barrett brothers will go head-to-head in this mouth-watering clash at Wellington’s Sky Stadium.

Hurricanes fans are daring to dream after a promising start to the campaign against Australian opposition. The Canes beat the Reds in round one, before sneaking past the Rebels in Melbourne last week.

But their biggest test is yet to come.

The Blues will be hungry – desperate even – to avenge their five-point loss to the Brumbies in Super Round.

ADVERTISEMENT

It’s only round three, but this match is shaping up as a crucial encounter for both teams. There’s plenty on the line already.

Flyhalf Brett Cameron is set to make his Hurricanes debut, after missing the opening two rounds due to injury.

Super Rugby action continues into the night, as the Brumbies host the Reds in Canberra. This derby has become one of the most fierce rivals in southern hemisphere rugby.

Wallabies coach Eddie Jones has begun drafting a potential Test, but a number of players will be eager to remind him of their talents in round three.

Finally, the Western Force will host Moana Pasifika in a late game over in Perth.

Both teams are coming off big losses, and will want to repay the faith shown by their passionate supporters with a victory.

 

NIGHT ONE WRAP

Chiefs defeated the Highlanders 28-7 in Hamilton

Rebels beat the Waratahs 34-27 in Melbourne

The ladder-leading Chiefs recorded their third bonus point win over the season with a convincing display against the Highlanders at FMG Stadium.

As for the Highlanders, their season has gone from bad to worse – losing their third match to open their campaign.

Fullback Shaun Stevenson had another eye-catching performance for the Hamilton-based outfit, having crossed for a second-half double.

Across the ditch, rising star Carter Gordon had his best match in a Rebels jersey as they beat the NSW Waratahs by seven-points at AAMI Park.

The Waratahs showed plenty of fight throughout the second-half, but couldn’t reel in the Rebels’ desperate desire to win in front of their home fans.

ADVERTISEMENT

Join free

Aotearoa Rugby Podcast | Episode 6

Sam Warburton | The Big Jim Show | Full Episode

Japan Rugby League One | Sungoliath v Eagles | Full Match Replay

Japan Rugby League One | Spears v Wild Knights | Full Match Replay

Boks Office | Episode 10 | Six Nations Final Round Review

Aotearoa Rugby Podcast | How can New Zealand rugby beat this Ireland team

Beyond 80 | Episode 5

Rugby Europe Men's Championship Final | Georgia v Portugal | Full Match Replay

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

J
Jon 2 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

This is the problem with conservative mindsets and phycology, and homogenous sports, everybody wants to be the same, use the i-win template. Athlete wise everyone has to have muscles and work at the gym to make themselves more likely to hold on that one tackle. Do those players even wonder if they are now more likely to be tackled by that player as a result of there “work”? Really though, too many questions, Jake. Is it better Jake? Yes, because you still have that rugby of ole that you talk about. Is it at the highest International level anymore? No, but you go to your club or checkout your representative side and still engage with that ‘beautiful game’. Could you also have a bit of that at the top if coaches encouraged there team to play and incentivized players like Damian McKenzie and Ange Capuozzo? Of course we could. Sadly Rugby doesn’t, or didn’t, really know what direction to go when professionalism came. Things like the state of northern pitches didn’t help. Over the last two or three decades I feel like I’ve been fortunate to have all that Jake wants. There was International quality Super Rugby to adore, then the next level below I could watch club mates, pulling 9 to 5s, take on the countries best in representative rugby. Rugby played with flair and not too much riding on the consequences. It was beautiful. That largely still exists today, but with the world of rugby not quite getting things right, the picture is now being painted in NZ that that level of rugby is not required in the “pathway” to Super Rugby or All Black rugby. You might wonder if NZR is right and the pathway shouldn’t include the ‘amateur’, but let me tell you, even though the NPC might be made up of people still having to pull 9-5s, we know these people still have dreams to get out of that, and aren’t likely to give them. They will be lost. That will put a real strain on the concept of whether “visceral thrill, derring-do and joyful abandon” type rugby will remain under the professional level here in NZ. I think at some point that can be eroded as well. If only wanting the best athlete’s at the top level wasn’t enough to lose that, shutting off the next group, or level, or rugby players from easy access to express and showcase themselves certainly will. That all comes back around to the same question of professionalism in rugby and whether it got things right, and rugby is better now. Maybe the answer is turning into a “no”?

34 Go to comments
j
john 4 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

But here in Australia we were told Penney was another gun kiwi coach, for the Tahs…….and yet again it turned out the kiwi coach was completely useless. Another con job on Australian rugby. As was Robbie Deans, as was Dave Rennie. Both coaches dumped from NZ and promoted to Australia as our saviour. And the Tahs lap them up knowing they are second rate and knowing that under pressure when their short comings are exposed in Australia as well, that they will fall in below the largest most powerful province and choose second rate Tah players to save their jobs. As they do and exactly as Joe Schmidt will do. Gauranteed. Schmidt was dumped by NZ too. That’s why he went overseas. That why kiwi coaches take jobs in Australia, to try and prove they are not as bad as NZ thought they were. Then when they get found out they try and ingratiate themselves to NZ again by dragging Australian teams down with ridiculous selections and game plans. NZ rugby’s biggest problem is that it can’t yet transition from MCaw Cheatism. They just don’t know how to try and win on your merits. It is still always a contest to see how much cheating you can get away with. Without a cheating genius like McCaw, they are struggling. This I think is why my wise old mate in NZ thinks Robertson will struggle. The Crusaders are the nursery of McCaw Cheatism. Sean Fitzpatrick was probably the father of it. Robertson doesn’t know anything else but other countries have worked it out.

15 Go to comments
A
Adrian 6 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

Thanks Nick The loss of players to OS, injury and retirement is certainly not helping the Crusaders. Ditto the coach. IMO Penny is there to hold the fort and cop the flak until new players and a new coach come through,…and that's understood and accepted by Penny and the Crusaders hierarchy. I think though that what is happening with the Crusaders is an indicator of what is happening with the other NZ SRP teams…..and the other SRP teams for that matter. Not enough money. The money has come via the SR competition and it’s not there anymore. It's in France, Japan and England. Unless or until something is done to make SR more SELLABLE to the NZ/Australia Rugby market AND the world rugby market the $s to keep both the very best players and the next rung down won't be there. They will play away from NZ more and more. I think though that NZ will continue to produce the players and the coaches of sufficient strength for NZ to have the capacity to stay at the top. Whether they do stay at the top as an international team will depend upon whether the money flowing to SRP is somehow restored, or NZ teams play in the Japan comp, or NZ opts to pick from anywhere. As a follower of many sports I’d have to say that the organisation and promotion of Super Rugby has been for the last 20 years closest to the worst I’ve ever seen. This hasn't necessarily been caused by NZ, but it’s happened. Perhaps it can be fixed, perhaps not. The Crusaders are I think a symptom of this, not the cause

15 Go to comments
T
Trevor 9 hours ago
Will forgotten Wallabies fit the Joe Schmidt model?

Thanks Brett.. At last a positive article on the potential of Wallaby candidates, great to read. Schmidt’s record as an international rugby coach speaks for itself, I’m somewhat confident he will turn the Wallaby’s fortunes around …. on the field. It will be up to others to steady the ship off the paddock. But is there a flaw in my optimism? We have known all along that Australia has the players to be very competitive with their international rivals. We know that because everyone keeps telling us. So why the poor results? A question that requires a definitive answer before the turn around can occur. Joe Schmidt signed on for 2 years, time to encompass the Lions tour of 2025. By all accounts he puts family first and that’s fair enough, but I would wager that his 2 year contract will be extended if the next 18 months or so shows the statement “Australia has the players” proves to be correct. The new coach does not have a lot of time to meld together an outfit that will be competitive in the Rugby Championship - it will be interesting to see what happens. It will be interesting to see what happens with Giteau law, the new Wallaby coach has already verbalised that he would to prefer to select from those who play their rugby in Australia. His first test in charge is in July just over 3 months away .. not a long time. I for one wish him well .. heaven knows Australia needs some positive vibes.

21 Go to comments
TRENDING
TRENDING England No8 Sarah Beckett banned after leg-breaking croc roll tackle England No8 Sarah Beckett banned after leg-breaking croc roll tackle
Search