Crusaders player ratings: Leicester Fainga’anuku ‘magnificent’ to hint at Ardie Savea ‘challenge’ but fellow All Black’s ‘unforgivable’ decision costly
Leicester Fainga'anuku and David Havili in action for the Crusaders.
Following a 38-31 defeat to the Hurricanes in the Super Rugby Pacific clash at Hnry Stadium on Friday, here are the player ratings for the Crusaders.
15 Johnny McNicholl: Obviously not the class of Will Jordan, but he has stood in well for the All Blacks star. However, despite some good moments, a few basic errors halted the visitors’ momentum. 5
14 Macca Springer: Couldn’t get into the game early on but was superb later in the clash as the Crusaders threatened what appeared an unlikely comeback with five minutes remaining. An outstanding talent who is getting back to his best after injury. 8
13 Dallas McLeod: Forced to shift into the midfield after an injury to Braydon Ennor, and there were some good carries, including one in the build-up to Leicester Fainga’anuku’s try. Struggled to influence the match initially but was impressive in the final quarter. 7
Bizarre decision
12 David Havili (c): Was having a solid game until a shocking final few minutes. Havili’s kick with the clock in the red was particularly unforgivable as it ended his team’s chances of rescuing a draw against the Hurricanes. 4
11 Kurtis MacDonald: A late call-up who failed to get up to the pace of the game. Left too much space for Brayden Iose to set up Cam Roigard, and also struggled in the air. A big learning curve for the 21-year-old. 4
10 Taha Kemara: It was a difficult game for the fly-half as he failed to get his backline moving and was ultimately replaced at half-time. 4
9 Noah Hotham: Roigard got the better of his All Blacks rival, but Hotham was not disgraced. He had his struggles, particularly before half-time, but the ‘Saders scrum-half also had plenty of excellent moments, including a lovely individual try. 7
8 Christian Lio-Willie: A super shift from the number eight, who was a man possessed at times, winning kick-offs, carrying consistently across the gain line and doing his defensive work. Dave Rennie would have been impressed. 8
Impressive switch continues
7 Leicester Fainga’anuku: Forget centre or wing, Fainga’anuku will be challenging Ardie Savea for the All Blacks seven shirt on this evidence. Especially in the first half, the hybrid player was magnificent, claiming two turnovers and scoring a try. He was quieter after the break, but adapted superbly to the pack. 8
6 Ethan Blackadder: A good shift during his time on the field, but Blackadder wasn’t quite as effective as the other Crusaders loose forwards and was replaced early in the second period. 6
5 Tahlor Cahill: The lock made a huge hit to set the physical tone, while his set-piece work was solid before Cahill, like Blackadder, departed the action after 50 minutes. 6
4 Antonio Shalfoon: A massive shift in the engine room as Shalfoon ended as the game’s top tackler while he put pressure on the Hurricanes’ lineout. 7
3 Fletcher Newell: Didn’t really have the opportunity to exert his influence in the scrum. Newell had some decent carries in the loose, but it wasn’t really a game for the Crusaders’ props, who would have hoped for more work in the tight. 6
2 Codie Taylor: Like his front-row colleagues, the set-piece was efficient, but Taylor isn’t quite as influential around the field as he used to be. 6
1 George Bower: Similar to Newell, he did his job well and lasted for almost 70 minutes in a fast game, but the lack of scrums would have been a frustration. 6
Replacements: It was a lovely little cameo from Kyle Preston at the end, while Rivez Reihana was much better than Kemara. George Bell, Jamie Hannah and Dom Gardiner also had their moments as they never went away. 7
READ MORE: Hurricanes v Crusaders: Result, match details, stats, line-ups