Analysis: Fainga'anuku's switch from the midfield to flanker (and back again) has made the Crusaders' attack far more threatening, writes Patrick McKendry.
It took Leicester Fainga’anuku’s influence in a smart lineout move to engineer a first try in 100 games for George Bower, and the Crusaders’ hybrid sensation is set to play a similarly crucial role in carrying his side into the playoffs.
The Crusaders’ ship was listing before Fainga’anuku began wearing the No.7 on his back. Since then they have beaten the Waratahs and lost a close one to the Hurricanes (who will likely finish the regular season as the top-ranked team).
On Friday night, the Crusaders put in one of their most complete performances of the season to comfortably account for the Blues 36-20 despite finishing the match with 13 players and it was in large part due to the outstanding Fainga’anuku, who assisted in Bower’s try with a nicely-timed pass and who laid on tries for Jamie Hannah and Sevu Reece with his boot.
In between, the 26-year-old, who started the match on the side of the scrum and finished it in the midfield, won two penalty turnovers. He did not miss a tackle.
It’s probably fair to say that Fainga’anuku, full name Leicester Ofa Ki Wales Twickenham Fainga'anuku, is taking the Crusaders places and while it would be too much to say that he is redefining the role of the modern openside flanker (even at Super Rugby level), he is opening eyes in terms of what is possible.
“I’m so grateful that Leicester just put me into space,” Bower said afterwards. “Having a back who can play in the forwards like that and you can just run off him – man, you just stay on for anything around him.”
It is clear that Crusaders head coach Rob Penney moved Fainga’anuku into the pack to provide momentum with his ball carrying around the fringes and that Fainga’anuku has been told to trust his instincts.
Perhaps an unintended consequence is the way Fainga’anuku is not only taking some pressure off his forwards through his carrying threat but also his inside backs. Having a player with a triple threat game of carry, pass and kick relentlessly close the ball is a nightmare for opposition defences and it left the Blues in near disarray at Te Kaha stadium.
As Bower said, the attacking possibilities are greatly increased when the man in the white headgear gets the ball in his hands.
It is a development that will almost certainly interest new All Blacks head coach Dave Rennie.
Neither Rennie, nor Blues head coach Vern Cotter, would have been as impressed with the Blues' ill-discipline throughout and their inability to organise their attack to make the most of their two-man advantage.
Kiwi crunch time
The Crusaders were said to have taken a “State of Origin” mentality into their match against the Blues - such was its importance.
They have a bye this weekend so a victory was crucial as a points-gathering exercise. Taking all five points and denying the Blues any was also a huge bonus.
The State of Origin theme now applies to all Kiwi teams with three rounds of the competition remaining as only derby matches remain.
The Chiefs, five competition points (40 in total) behind the table-topping Hurricanes (45), finish by playing the seventh-placed Highlanders (24), fourth-placed Crusaders (32) and third-placed Blues (38).
The Hurricanes play the Blues, Highlanders and Crusaders, while the Blues, who are still to have a bye, play the Hurricanes and Chiefs.
The Crusaders host the Chiefs and Hurricanes.
A strong finish from the defending champions against the two most consistent teams in the competition could see them overtake the Blues into third which would allow them to host their rivals in a playoff match.
The Highlanders are in a fight to make the top six – they are three competition points behind the sixth-placed Reds (who have played one fewer game), but they showed enough fight and ingenuity in beating the Waratahs 31-26 in Dunedin yesterday to suggest they will have their moments against the Chiefs and Hurricanes.
Playing both teams away will add to the challenge, however.
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