Super Rugby Aotearoa: Five Talking Points from Round 2
Hoskins Sotutu of the Auckland Blues
Credit: Fiona Goodall/Getty Images
Round two of Super Rugby Aotearoa is in the books - and tell you what, New Zealand rugby fans are getting treated.
Saturday saw two world-class All Black playmakers go head to head in Hamilton as Damian McKenzie’s Chiefs hosted the Blues and Beauden Barrett, with Beaudy ultimately bringing the chocolates back to Auckland courtesy of a 24-12 win.
On Sunday, the reigning Super Rugby champions Crusaders made their competition bow in Wellington against the Hurricanes and got off to a flyer (eventually) with a 39-25 win.
Here are the five biggest takeaways from another absorbing round of Super Rugby.
Crusaders arrive in style but made to work
It took the Crusaders less than a minute to get started in Super Rugby Aotearoa, even against an opposition with 80 more minutes under their belts.
From the moment Sevu Reece dotted down in the corner to finish a fabulous handling move from the reigning Super Rugby champions, the stage was set for the team in possession of the belt to start their defence with a bang.
Not that they had it all their own way - the Hurricanes refused to lie down and kept themselves in touching distance for large parts of the match, with first-five Jackson Garden-Bachop’s boot proving crucial.
However, the Crusaders were the dominant team with ball in hand and all their first half tries were examples of the slick handling and unpredictable attack the Christchurch outfit are capable of.
Let’s be clear about one thing - the Crusaders have the best squad in Super Rugby Aotearoa bar none.
They are stacked with All Black talent far beyond the levels of their competitors, and from their first outing in this competition it is already showing.
The Hurricanes stood up well to the red onslaught in large parts but there was a certain inevitability about the way the defending champs pulled away late in the game in a manner reminiscent of their national side.
Watch out everyone - the benchmark has arrived.
Blues continue improved form
Having spent much more time than they would like out of the winner’s circle in recent years, the Blues have shown something of a renaissance in 2020.
They have now scored five away wins on the bounce in all competitions and are two from two in Super Rugby Aotearoa.
No doubt the arrival of Beauden Barrett has energised the side - more on that later - but there are plenty of other signs of where this revival has come from.
Patrick Tuipulotu, with a new contract freshly signed, is leading this team with aplomb and dragging his entire forward pack up with him.
The move to put Reiko Ioane into the centres looks an inspired one as he gets more involvement and has something of his old swagger back.
The cracking form of Otere Black at flyhalf is also a major boon to the Auckland side.
After several years in the relative wilderness as the other Kiwi sides dominated, the Blues finally look to have clicked back into gear.
However, the acid test comes on July 11 when the resurgent Blues take on the Crusaders - and a lot can change between now and then.
Hoskins Sotutu is some player
This may not be a revelation to everyone, but anyone who didn’t know the name before Saturday’s match in Hamilton needs to take note.
The sight of a number 8 throwing the kind of cut-out ball Danny Cipriani would be proud of to put Mark Telea over for the game-clinching score is one you don’t see every day, but can’t not get you interested.
Not hard to spot as one of many players across rugby union and rugby league that have favoured the peroxide blonde look, Sotutu also got the Blues started by burrowing over for a try of his own in the first half.
A real powerhouse of a player offering big carries and defensive work alongside his more nuanced skills, the Blues look like they’ve unearthed a very, very good one here.
His path through the remainder of this Super Rugby tournament could be an absolute blockbuster. Please stay tuned.
On a separate but related note, with rumours circling of a fast-track into the All Blacks set-up being on the cards, Sotutu may be another gem of a player that gets taken away from Fiji by the bigger nations.
It happens all too often and it is something that badly needs to be addressed.
But enough politics - Hoskins is a beast. Period.
And did I mention he’s only 21?
Beauden triumphs in Kiwi fullback battle
A lot of the attention around the Blues’ clash against the Hurricanes was centred around the battle of the two men wearing 15.
Beauden Barrett and Damian McKenzie, two of the All Blacks’ finest, went head-to-head for the first time since the former’s move up to Auckland and both their performances must have had incoming national team coach Ian Foster licking his lips.
McKenzie took his usual place at the centre of the Chiefs’ attack, looking to spark offensive action whenever he touched the ball and often finding a way to eke out an advantage.
However, by his own very high standards, the Waikato favourite couldn’t find the extra five percent that was needed to keep the Chiefs in the contest in the face of a game management masterclass from his opposite number.
Beauden Barrett took a different approach to bringing his side the ‘W’ in Hamilton, bringing his tactical kicking and organisational skills to the fore as the Blues did exactly what they needed to do to close out an intense affair.
Beauden may have won this battle on points, but the thought of the two back working in harmony in a black jersey will have many fans purring already.
Watch out for David Havili
David Havili of the Crusaders leaves the Hurricanes’ Ngani Laumape on the ground
Credit: Super Rugby/YouTube
He’s not exactly a new kid on the block or an unknown, but there is no doubting David Havili has already left his mark on this competition.
The Crusaders back came off the bench to light up what had become a tight affair in the closing stages, reminding everyone of the skillset he possesses by not only leaving Ngani Laumape on the ground with a bruising contact but then picking a line from the heavens to go over for the game-clinching try.
Someone who has generally been on the outer of All Blacks selection despite making his debut back in 2017, Havili is already firming as one of the players who will be pushing the envelope to get into Ian Foster’s squad at the next time of asking.
His limited international exposure is understandable given he basically already has an All Blacks backline to get past to even get a starting jersey in Christchurch, but there is no doubting he is some player.
This limited Super Rugby competition is giving a number of players a real chance at showing what they’re capable of and testing them against their potential All Black peers and competitors.
For some players this is a chance to really state a case by outclassing their adversaries, and David Havili has shown in just one half of rugby he is not about to let that opportunity go begging.
