It feels a bit mean to enjoy the Crusader's pain so much; but heck - they won 7 in a row so they've had plenty of joy in seasons past.
this post was submitted on 23 Mar 2024
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Actually, I feel a bit sorry for the new coaching setup there; they've had a horrible run with injury and loss of players to overseas. The team for the game against the Blues last night only had 1 player from last year's final in it.
One thing I wonder about that not many people are mentioning is the Crusader's policy of playing non-NZ qualified international players over the years at the expense of giving game time to some of their younger and backup players.
That, coupled with poorly timed injuries for folks that would have been taking the position - eg Berkus Ferg for Mounga has meant they've tried 3 different 1st 5/8 so far this season. Rivez Reihana has had some Super experience with the Chiefs, but they lost him to injury late in the first game.
Then they tried Taha Kemara who's barely played a dozen matches at NPC level over two years and with the Crusader's forward pack misfiring looked every bit the inexperienced playmaker he is. The last two matches they've gone with Riley Hohepa who's got 4 years of NPC behind him and a couple of appearances for the Horrorcanes last year and just looks a bit calmer and more assured if not especially flashy.
But so many of their players are looking average so far this season. Havili & Grace were awesome last year but just look off the pace this year. Levi Aumua was massively dangerous playing for Moana Pasifika who would get him the ball as much as possible - yet the Crusaders can barely get the ball past Havili to him 3-4 times a game.
But even the best teams are going to struggle when they're missing names like this: Cody Taylor, Sam Whitelock, Ethan Blackadder, Scott Barrett, Tamaiti Williams, Richie Mounga, Will Jordan, Braydon Ennor, Fergus Burke (Mounga's backup), Leigh Halfpenny (Jordan's backup), Brodie McAlister (Taylor's backup).
There are some bright spots though - Fletcher Newell has been pretty good, Sevu Reece continues to be industrious. I think realistically when Reihana went down injured Havili should have moved into 10, Dallas McLeod starting at 12, with Aumua outside him and a focus on a much simpler game plan than they've shown so far.