![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() LONERGAN PUTTING HEAT ON WALLABIES SCRUM-HALF COHORT Leicester Fainga'anuku scored a hat trick in the Crusaders' win over the Blues at Eden Park on Saturday, MaPhil Walter/Getty Images 10 who came away with the points victory, albeit with a late injury scare that will have sent a shiver down Ian Foster's spine. On a night when Mo'unga and Barrett went head-to-head in a virtual All Blacks trial, it was the Crusaders No. Lock Scott Barrett then passed the ball to Mo'unga who, under normal circumstances, would have opted for the safety of the touchline.īut sensing he might be able to turn defence into attack, Mo'unga dropped a perfect cross-kick over to Fainga'anuku from just outside his own tryline, the winger outpacing and outleaping Roger Tuivasa-Sheck to the bouncing ball, before he fended off the Blues centre and ran away to score what will go down as one of the tries of the year. With the Blues hard on the attack, the Crusaders forwards sensed their moment at an undermanned breakdown, piled numbers in for the counter-ruck, and won possession. Whether it was Mark Telea's early escape act, when he wriggled free of multiple defenders and then sprinted 60 to score the sight of Nepo Laulala roaming free in the backfield or Leicester Fainga'anuku's hat trick, there was just so much to like about this fixture in Auckland.īut the absolute pick of a brilliant bunch was Richie Mo'unga's cross-kick for Fainga'anuku's third five-pointer that the winger owed as much to his forwards as the All Blacks fly-half. Given it was a repeat of last year's tournament decider, it should come as no surprise that the Blues and Crusaders turned on an absolute cracker at Eden Park. Read on as we review some of the Super - And Not So Super - action from Round 4.īLUES-CRUSADERS AN EARLY NOMINATION FOR GAME OF THE YEAR Unfortunately, following another heavy loss, this time to the Brumbies, Moana Pasifika are still yet to register a win for 2023. There were wins for the Hurricanes, Chiefs, Crusaders, Brumbies, Highlanders and Reds, with the ACT and Waikato outfits still unbeaten after four weeks of action. Round 4 of Super Rugby Pacific produced a swag of points, two thrilling finishes and some standout performances by players pushing for Wallabies or All Blacks selection. ![]()
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