The final that Super Rugby Pacific needs
It has been five long years since a Super Rugby final was played in a stadium worthy of what should be the competition’s marquee event.
The all-Kiwi showdown between the Blues and Crusaders will be played in front of a sell-out crowd at Eden Park, which will bring some much needed glory, buzz and attention to Super Rugby Pacific.
The Crusaders’ latest dynasty began in 2017 when they travelled to Johannesburg to play the Lions at Ellis Park in front of more than 61,000 fans, a record attendance for a Super Rugby fixture.
After that, Super Rugby’s final was played twice in a makeshift ground at a racing track hobbled together with temporary stands and scaffolding in 2018 and 2019.
With each country having to make do with a domestic-only versions of the competition in 2020 and 2021 due to the spread of the pandemic, there was no final in the inaugural Super Rugby Aotearoa two years ago.
However, the Kiwi-only league last year staged a final, which returned to Orangetheory Stadium at the Addington racetrack.
Without a modern arena to play in, it was not the spectacle that was deserved to crown their achievements, despite the Crusaders’ brilliant run on the field. As such, Super Rugby as a competition missed out as well.
In need of a massive boost in stature, the Blues-Crusaders final at Eden Park this Saturday will give Super Rugby a historic showdown in the competition’s history, pitting two generational 10s against each other.
Richie Mo’unga is an all-time great Super Rugby player. That much is already guaranteed. He is in the conversation as the competition’s best player of all-time.
The fleet-footed first-five helped secure three titles in a row behind what was essentially the All Blacks forward pack with dynamic playmaking.
Despite having the riches up front that laid the platform for success, the Crusaders could always count on Mo’unga to create something, slip through the line and conjure up points with magical plays.
On the way to those second and third Super Rugby titles in 2018 and 2019, Mo’unga helped eliminate Beauden Barrett’s Hurricanes in consecutive semi-finals.
In the 2018 final, Mo’unga’s fingerprints were all over the key moments. He set up the first try with a long ball to Seta Tamanivalu, while his line break from a kick return set-up the second to propel the Crusaders to a 20-6 half-time lead over the Lions en route to a 37-18 victory.
When the competition went internal in 2020, Mo’unga had no rivals. The 28-year-old was the competition’s runaway MVP, leading in just about every attacking stat you could dream of.
His five-year run as part of a dominant Crusaders outfit with three Super Rugby titles and two Super Rugby Aotearoa trophies is unprecedented.
If Mo’unga is instrumental in leading the Crusaders to the Super Rugby Pacific title over the Blues this weekend, it will be a monumental moment for the 32-test international, even after all he has achieved.
That’s because the Crusaders are on the downward trajectory of their apex, which was proven in a season where they endured more losses than usual and were undone by the Blues in a thrilling contest in Christchurch.
Mo’unga has lost much of the public adulation that came with his initial rise to the All Blacks after a string of subpar performances in the test arena. The Richie Mo’unga that turns it on in red-and-black has not been seen enough in just black.
A couple of great displays against the Wallabies and a pool stage showing against South Africa does little to outweigh the growing list of suspect ones.
The 2019 World Cup semi-final loss to England. Both 16-all draws in Wellington against the Springboks and Wallabies in ’19 and ’20, respectively. The historic first-up loss to Los Pumas in Sydney. The end-of-year tour tests against France and Ireland in ’21.
Mo’unga’s contribution to that list of defeats means the tide has turned back in Barrett’s favour as the preferred occupant of New Zealand’s No 10 jersey.
Barrett has accrued a glittering 101-test All Blacks career that is filled with match-winning and game-defining moments which, quite frankly, Mo’unga isn’t anywhere near replicating.
There is no comparison to be made. It’s not even David vs Goliath. It’s just Goliath. Barrett is a consistent big game player on the international stage, while Mo’unga hasn’t been, despite his Super Rugby success.
While Mo’unga has built into this Super Rugby Pacific season following a contract-enforced rest period, Barrett has had a rejuvenation at the Blues, rediscovering his top-end speed and lethal running game behind an all-star forward pack.
The 30-year-old has been out-and-out the most influential player in this year’s competition. Every major Blues victory has had Barrett’s influence when it comes to big scoring moments and big plays.
Barrett stands on the cusp of winning his second Super Rugby title after guiding the Hurricanes to a maiden crown in 2016 and, in doing so, he would become the first starting No 10 to win a Super Rugby title with multiple teams.
He is on fire and the Blues have proven themselves to be the best team in the competition, but few would rule out the Crusaders from denying them this weekend.
It wouldn’t be the first time that a South Island team has come north to rain on Barrett’s parade in a final.
That is what makes this final so intriguing, for both Barrett and Mo’unga as well as the Blues and Crusaders, respectively, after three years of waiting for a moment like this.
In 2020, the Blues-Crusaders showdown at Eden Park would have been spectacular, but lockdown restrictions robbed everyone of the final round fixture.
The Blues had almost pulled off a stunning upset in Christchurch earlier that season, and a return leg in Auckland was much-anticipated. Perhaps the most enticing aspect of that match was that Crusaders icon Dan Carter may have debuted for the Blues.
A year later, the buzz of Super Rugby Aotearoa’s first iteration had worn off a bit. Barrett was on sabbatical in Japan and the fixture was played so early in the season that Eden Park was barely half full.
Mo’unga and the Crusaders put on a show on that day, but the clash did not have any hype. The return clash in Christchurch was just as lopsided.
This year the teams played once, and it was the best game of the season by far as the Blues pulled off a slice of history with their first victory in Christchurch since 2004.
Now we have the sequel on the final day of the season, at the biggest stadium in the country, with the title on the line between two old rivals.
Barrett and Mo’unga will both be playing at 10 for their respective teams, two great players facing off in a meaningful fixture that will form an irreversible part of their Super Rugby stories.
The final that Super Rugby Pacific needs is here.
Comments on RugbyPass
Jordie is looking at 16 games maximum if Leinster reach both the URC and champions cup finals. Thats not guaranteed. Some of those home URC fixtures will be cakewalks as well for Leinster and there is not much doing during the 6 nations in Feb and March so he can probably get a decent rest then. He will have to really put in it for maybe 7 or 8 games max. It should be a good move for both.
13 Go to commentsThe game was a quarter final, not a semi final. Barrett will be here for 6 months, he is no one's replacement at 13. That mantle will most likely ultimately go to Jamie Osborne, though Garry Ringrose has at least 4 more years in him. The long term problem position (in the next 3 years) for Leinster is tighthead prop, though there are a couple of prospects at schools level.
21 Go to commentsSo much for all that hype surrounding the ‘revival’ of Aussie rugby. The Blues were without the likes of regular starters Perofeta, Sullivan, Christie etc… This was a capitulation of the highest order by Australia’s finest. Joe Schmidt definitely has his work cut out for him.
2 Go to commentsYes they can ignore Sotutu. Like Akira Ioane plays OK at Super level but gets lost in tests. Too many chances too many failures.
2 Go to commentsA wallaby front-row of Bell, Blake and Tupou…now that would be hefty
1 Go to comments“But with an exceptional pass accuracy rating “ Which apart from Roigard is not a feature of any of the other 9s in NZ. Kind of basic for a Black 9 dont.you. think? Yet we keep seeing FC and TJ being rated ahead of him? Weird if it’s seen as vital to get our backline beating in your face defences.
1 Go to commentsThanks BeeMc! Looks like many teams need extra time to settle from the quadrennial northern migration. I think generally the quality of the Rugby has held up. Fiji has been fantastic and fun to watch
13 Go to commentsLets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
13 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
10 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
13 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
5 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
25 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
5 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
10 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
38 Go to comments