'They could be All Blacks': Scott Robertson's praise for Crusaders standouts
The Crusaders are already blessed with a plethora of All Blacks, but head coach Scott Robertson believes there are a few uncapped players in his ranks who could still yet make the step up to test rugby.
Robertson was mostly pleased with his side’s hard-fought 34-19 Super Rugby Pacific victory over the Highlanders in a classic South Island derby at Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin on Friday.
While the scoreline indicates a comfortable win for the serial title-winners, it was anything but for the Crusaders, who had to withstand an early onslaught from the hosts as they raced out to a 13-0 lead inside the opening quarter of an hour.
In typical Crusaders fashion, though, the visitors hammered their way back into the encounter, with a Sevu Reece brace and the goal-kicking of Fergus Burke edging them into a one-point advantage at the break.
It remained a tightly-contested affair right up until the final 10 minutes, when some Will Jordan magic, both with ball in hand and off his boot, helped propel the Crusaders to a bonus-point victory.
Jordan’s stunning evasiveness enabled him to score the try of the match as it entered its final stages, an act that severely dented the Highlanders’ momentum as they tried to overturn their one-point deficit at that stage of the game.
The 2021 World Rugby Breakthrough Player of the Year was also responsible for pegging the Highlanders deep inside their own territory with a well-taken 50/22 shortly after his try.
That kick eventually led to reserve prop Tamaiti Williams’ match-sealing try with three minutes to play, leaving Robertson to lather Jordan in praise for what was effectively a game-clinching sequence of plays within a handful of minutes of each other.
“Will’s class,” Robertson said post-match. “Anticipation and instinct, backed with that speed he’s got, set him right up there. Played some big moments for us: that 50/22 and obviously the try, he was superb tonight.”
The newly-turned 24-year-old wasn’t the only player who caught Robertson’s eye throughout the course of the match, though, as he was also impressed with the impact provided by props Williams and George Bower from the bench.
Both players contributed strongly upon their inductions into the game, with Bower, the 11-test All Black, folding ex-Wallabies prop Jermaine Ainsley in his first scrum of the match.
Williams, meanwhile, used his enormous 1.96m, 144kg frame to full effect when in possession of the ball, with his size playing a key role in allowing him to rumble over for his try.
Robertson has previously pinpointed Williams, along with fellow youngster Fletcher Newell, as players to watch for this season, and he doubled down on that sentiment as he spoke with pride of his tighthead prop stocks.
“George Bower came on strong. Tamaiti Williams was great with ball in hand. Got a good scrum penalty as well. We’re really pleased. We’ve got depth there,” Robertson said.
“When you lose Owen Franks and then Mikey Alaalatoa, the next ones roll out. They could be All Blacks – Oli Jager – they’re good players.”
Friday’s win over their southern neighbours leaves the Crusaders at the summit of the Super Rugby Pacific standings early in the second round of the competition.
After having left their Queenstown bubble, Christchurch-based outfit are scheduled to continue their campaign against newcomers Moana Pasifika, who are still yet to play this year, at Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin next Friday.
Comments on RugbyPass
This is all being blown totally out of proportion. First of all, since half the Irish team isn’t Irish - it’s very likely that none of the Irish players said that at all and, thus, we’re not being arrogant. Second, since half the Irish team is Kiwi - it’s very likely the Kiwi players were predicting a NZ SA World Cup final. Which they got spot on. Good on them!
163 Go to commentsAha. An Irishman with logic! Follow the flow: - Ireland peaks with a >80% win record between 2020 and 2023. And then… - crashes out of another QF at the WC; - Beat a poor French Team; - Beat 6N wooden spoonists Italy; - Play shite against eventual wooden spoonists Wales; - Lose against the most boring, “the worst English team ever” , a team widely regarded as unable to attack; - scrape through against Scotland. This article, No - Trimble, is on the money! Except for one glaring statement: _The Springboks have a few aces in the hole in this debate being the reigning world champions and official world number ones_ There is no debate, boys and girls. There it is. In black and white. “Reigning World Champions and OFFICIAL world number ones”. Come July, the overrated Andy Farrell and this overhyped team are going to enter into a world of hurt.
86 Go to commentsI’d like to know what homoerotic events Daniel enjoyed at 8th man. I clearly missed out!
19 Go to commentsThis article is missing some detail, like some actual context or info about what led to him abusing the ref.
2 Go to comments*They used to say that football is a gentleman sport watched by hooligans and rugby is a hooligan sport watched by gentlemen. How times have changed.*
3 Go to commentsexcept ot wasnt late wasnt late at all so dont know why you all saying its late he commits early and its your fault fir not paying attention
29 Go to commentsNot sure the Bulls need another average utility back in their ranks. Chamberlain has been ok for the Sharks but is by no means an X-Factor player. Bulls bought several utility backs which they barely use. A typical example would be Henry Immelman who plays mostly Fullback. The Bulls however have rarely played him this year and he has played wing or centre. Bulls want to build depth but seems like they have too many surplus players
1 Go to commentsABs lost against a side playing without a hooker - The guy playing, had one shoulder. Line outs were a gimme for the ABs, and the last 8 minutes 14 played 14 against a team that had been smashed 3 weeks in a row… Yet with all that possession, with all that territory, with all the advantages they actually had, especially in the last 8 minutes, they couldn’t buy a point. Those last 8 minutes determined if they outplayed the Boks or not. History will show that the Boks completely outplayed the ABs, especially in those last 8 minutes, the business end of any rugby match
226 Go to commentsWould’ve, could’ve, should’ve, didn’t.
226 Go to commentsKok will become a fan favourite
1 Go to commentsI am really looking forward to Leigh Halfpenny playing his first Super rugby game for the Crusaders Playing a long side his former Welsh and Scarlets team mate Johnny McNicoll.Johnny has been playing great, back in a Crusaders jersey.The attack has strengthened big time. Also looking forward to David Havili at 10. David is a class act, it also allows Dallas McLeod to remain at 12. A good thing.
1 Go to commentsIf he had stopped insisting on playing in the backrow, instead of wing, where everyone told him he should, he would have been a Bok years ago….
11 Go to comments‘Salads don’t win scrums’ 😂 I love that.
19 Go to commentsCan’t wait for the article that talks about misogyny in Ireland. Somehow.
19 Go to commentsI would like to see a rule change, when the attacking team is held up over the try line, by allowing the defensive team to restart a goal line drop out releases the pressure for the defensive team, but what if the attacking team had to restart a tap 5m out from the defensive team it gives the attacking team to apply more pressure, there are endless options for the attacking side and it will keep the fans in suspence.
2 Go to commentsLess modern South African males predictably triggered.
19 Go to commentsMy heart is with Quins, but the head is convinced Toulouse have too much. Ntamack is back, his timing and wisdom has been missed.
1 Go to commentsWow, what a starting line up for the Sharks) Tasty up front,kremer vs Tshituka or venter …fiery ,,Lavannini ,,will he knobble etzebeth? Biggest game for belleau?
1 Go to commentsIt was rubbish to watch, Blues weren’t even present. Did what they had to do, nothing more. Should be better next week against canes.
1 Go to commentsI’ve just noticed that this match has an all-French refereeing team. Surely a game like this ought to have a neutral ref? Although looking at the BBC preview of the Saints game, Raynal is also down as reffing that - so there may be some confusion about who is reffing what.
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