Super Rugby Aotearoa: End of Season Review
The Crusaders celebrate their Super Rugby Aotearoa title win after defeating the Highlanders in Week 9
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With the title already signed, sealed and delivered, New Zealand Rugby made the sensible decision to call off the Blues vs Crusaders game in Auckland last weekend as four new cases of COVID-19 were discovered in the city.
Both teams were awarded two points in the final standings, while the Highlanders convincingly beat the Hurricanes by 38-21 for the Dunedin men to finish on a high.
In what was a fantastic competition, and with the subject of school grades in the UK news recently, The Flanker has assessed each team’s performance in an end of term report.
Chiefs (5th - 5 points)
Warren Gatland suffered a baptism of fire to his Chiefs career as he oversaw eight defeats in eight in SRA
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The Chiefs are only kept from an F due to the fact they have been well in a lot of games but the bounce of a ball, a refereeing call or missed tackle has led to a morale crushing loss.
The fact that they picked up five losing bonus points in eight straight defeats does highlight they have been there or thereabouts in many matches.
In a lot of ways, an agonising 28-27 loss in Week 1 to the Highlanders was symptomatic of their season as a whole.
Their opponents were down to 14 men at regular stages throughout the game, but the Waikato men still couldn’t stamp their authority on the game.
A 79th minute drop-goal from Bryn Gatland sealed the unlikely win for the Dunedin men and sent the Chiefs into a funk they were never to get out of.
Defensively, it was shambolic at times with the Chiefs conceding a league high 28 tries, with 15 of them coming at home in Hamilton.
They only scored 14 tries themselves, bottom of the pile in that regard too and often relied on the boot of Damien McKenzie to stay in contests.
If you concede the most tries in the league and score the fewest, things won’t go well for you. They will be desperate to forget the annus horribilis of 2020 and go again next time round.
Player of the Year: Damien McKenzie
Damien McKenzie on the charge against the Hurricanes in SRA
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The mercurial All Black fullback played every minute for the beleaguered Chiefs and was the second highest point scorer in the league. Took the ball to the line and tried to fashion opportunities for his teammates as a second playmaker.
Emerging Player of the Year: Lachlan Boshier
Granted, Boshier is 25 years old and has over 50 Super Rugby appearances to his name, but he has really shone in the last 12 months and in SRA in particular.
He scored four tries in the competition, the leading man for the Chiefs in that regard, and made more turnovers for his side than the local bakery.
Team Performance: E
Highlanders(4th - 14 points)
Aaron Smith is the talisman for the Highlanders with him enjoying an impressive SRA
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Bearing in mind that professional sport is a results business, three wins out of eight isn’t exactly great going for the Highlanders.
However, it doesn’t tell the full story as they have enjoyed some positive results and performances to go with the losses, which will give them confidence going forward into next year.
They conceded just a solitary try fewer than the Chiefs and were hardly prolific scorers themselves, but still managed to edge out close wins against the Chiefs (twice) and the Hurricanes.
The Highlanders were ahead at the break three times in SRA but only came away with a win in one of those, suggesting that their bench options were not able to see out games.
Despite going down to eventual champions Crusaders in Week 9 by a score of 32-22, they ran the best club team in the world all the way in what was a dead rubber for the Highlanders.
In their final game, they produced a stunning second half display to run out 38-21 winners with Ash Dixon, Jona Nareki and Michael Collins all impressing.
The South Islanders’ reliance on Aaron Smith is obvious, with most of their play coming off of him, but with some pickups from the Mitre 10 domestic competition, and fully fit Josh Ioane at flyhalf, they could be in good shape going forward.
Player of the Year: Shannon Frizell
Shannon Frizell will surely by named in the next All Blacks squad after some outstanding performances in recent weeks
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The Highlanders top try scorer, a wrecking ball in attack and a defensive rock. He has to be considered one of the best flankers in world rugby and the Dunedin men would be much worse off without him.
Emerging Player of the Year: Pari Pari Parkinson
Hugely impressive with his work rate and wasn’t afraid to carry into contact time and again, using his octopus like arms to offload the ball to teammates. The second rower has a big future ahead of him.
Team Performance: C-
Hurricanes (3rd - 21 points)
Ngani Laumape streaks past Beauden Barrett during his teams 29-27 win in Week 6
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It was a slow start for the ‘Canes with their first win coming in Week 4 against whipping boys the Chiefs. Since that victory, they clocked up five straight wins including a stunning defeat of high-riders the Crusaders.
Winger Wes Goosen scored two tries to help the Wellington franchise to that 34-32 win, ending the home side's four-year unbeaten streak in Christchurch.
It was undoubtedly their best performance of SRA, with the Hurricanes playing some aggressive rugby and exploiting the space in the outside channels.
Dane Coles and TJ Perenara currently lead the grizzled side, with the All Blacks forming the spine of the franchise while Ardie Savea was excellent in the loose and back to his 2017 form.
Combative second rower Scott Scrafton was impressive throughout the tournament, while the battering ram Ngani Laumape was making yards right up until his tournament was ended in Week 9.
Kobus van Wyk showed Leicester Tigers fans what to expect with some solid displays on the wing while centre Vince Aso is one to watch.
Undoubtedly, they missed the ability of Beauden Barrett at 10 with replacement Jackson Garden-Bachop still growing into the playmaker role.
If they got going earlier, they could have mounted a serious title challenge and perhaps snuck the crown from Crusaders.
Player of the Year: Jordie Barrett
It is no coincidence that when Barrett came back into the 15 shirt, they racked up six wins in a row. Solid under the high ball, a brilliant second playmaker taking the ball to the line while his goal kicking was superb. If he had been involved throughout, it could have been a different Week 10 for the Wellington side.
Emerging Player of the Year: Peter Umaga-Jensen
Peter Umaga-Jensen leaves Jack Goodhue in the dust during their 34-32 win in Christchurch
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Three tries, alot of tackles and a ton of yards made. The hard running 22-year-old was a revelation in SRA and cemented the 13 shirt for the Hurricanes. He could be an outside bet for a New Zealand call up as he is firmly on Ian Foster’s radar.
Team Performance: B-
Blues (2nd - 24 points)
Beauden Barrett had a succesful first year at the Blues before his sabbatical year to Suntory Sungoliath in Japan
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The most improved side in the competition, without a doubt. Head Coach Leon MacDonald has worked wonders since his appointment in 2019, with this Blues side in his own image; consistent, hard working and dogged.
Since February they have won 10 out of 13 games, some of those coming in the curtailed regulation 2020 Super Rugby season.
They were the second highest try scorers with 23 in SRA and only 16 conceded. They also delivered one of the moments of the season, with Beauden Barrett mobbed by his ex Canes teammates on his Blues debut.
His partnership with Otere Black at 10 worked well in flashes while Rieko Ioane excelled in the centres as he got his hands on a lot more ball than he would have in his customary wing position.
Ofa Tu'ungafasi and James Parsons provided stability in the scrum with many strong performances, while the only regret from a fan perspective being we didn’t get to see Dan Carter in action on his return.
The Aucklanders performance of the season has to have been the 21-32 away win in Dunedin against the Highlanders, with Scotland-qualified halfback Finlay Christie scoring two on-the-shoulder tries.
They have a long way to go to emulate the class of 1996/97, who won back to back Super Rugby titles with Lomu, Brooke and Fitzpatrick among their ranks, but this is a solid step on the route back up for the sleeping giants.
Player of the Year: Patrick Tuipulotu
Blues skipper Patrick Tuipulotu lead his team to the runners up spot in SRA
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A man mountain of a player who has some engine on him. Carries, tackles, clearouts, jackals, lineout jumping, you name it and he will get stuck into it. The beating heart of this Blues team who have impressed the rugby world.
Emerging Player of the Year: Hoskins Sotutu
An outstanding athlete, with his carrying so impressive that it pricked up Eddie Jones’ ears when we learned Sotutu had an English mother. He will also do the ruck work without hesitation, with his rugby intelligence belying his young age of 22. Big shout out to rampaging winger Caleb Clarke who has had an outstanding year that will surely end with an All Blacks callup.
Team Performance: B+
Crusaders (1st - 30 points)
Will Jordan and the imperious Crusaders celebrate a try in their 40-20 thumping of the Highlanders
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In future generations, it will be interesting to look back at where this Crusaders team stands in the pantheon of great sides. England 2001-03? Leinster 2009-12? Or maybe even the great All Blacks of 2010-15?
Either way, this current crop is something special no doubt about that. They can now add the Aotearoa version to their three consecutive Super Rugby titles, which they have held since 2017.
The only blot on the copy book, a 32-34 reverse at the hands of the impressive Hurricanes, could have easily fallen their way on another night as they were dominant champions from the word go.
Solid in defence and absolute dynamite in attack, they are chock full of talent from 1 to 23. As this parish said last week, they feel like a mini version of the All Blacks due to their relentless intensity and the players they can bring off the bench.
The resounding opening victory in Week 2, a 39-25 drubbing of the Hurricanes, set the tone and the benchmark for their campaign.
Up front, Joe Moody and Codie Taylor were dominant at scrum time and effective in the loose. Taylor in particular operated like a centre at times, with his bulldozing runs and deft hands setting others free.
Sam Whitelock still has petrol in the tank while the youthful back-rowers Tom Christie, Tom Sanders and Sione Havili have been hugely impressive.
Jack Goodhue is Mr Reliable while Sevu Reece is a magician on the wing alongside his partner on the other side, George Bridge, who is the ultimate finisher.
So long as this core stays together, don’t bet against them adding to that well stocked trophy cabinet in the near future.
Player of the Year: Richie Mo’unga
Richie Mo’unga on the charge against the Blues in a 26-15 win way back in Week 5
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Forget Beauden Barrett, is Richie Mo’unga the best fly-half in the world? He has been simply unplayable at times in SRA as he is seemingly involved in every attacking platform the ‘Saders create. A world class player who is still only 26. Scary.
Emerging Player of the Year: Will Jordan
The top scorer in the tournament with six tries, Jordan has done exceptionally well to force his way into a back three chock full of talent. Outstanding under a high ball, an elusive quick runner and has an eye for a gap; expect Ian Foster to hand him an All Blacks debut in the near future.
