In a season already littered with upsets, Moana Pasifika delivered the most stunning result yet with a commanding 45-29 victory over the Crusaders at Apollo Projects Stadium on Saturday night, sending shockwaves through Super Rugby Pacific.
Key moments:
2′ – Pellegrini’s brilliant 50/22 kick sets up attacking position (0-0)
3′ – Ardie Savea try, Pellegrini converts (0-7)
7′ – Ioane Moananu try, O’Connor converts (7-7)
16′ – Cullen Grace yellow card for cynical play at ruck (7-7)
17′ – Savea scores second try, Pellegrini converts (7-14)
21′ – O’Connor penalty reduces deficit (10-14)
25′ – Danny Toala try, Pellegrini converts (10-21)
35′ – Tevita Ofa break and offload sets up Pellegrini try, converts his own (10-28)
48′ – Pellegrini penalty extends lead after halftime (10-31)
49′ – Springer try, O’Connor conversion unsuccessful (15-31)
53′ – Taylor scoops loose ball for try, O’Connor converts (22-31)
63′ – Faiilagi spins through multiple tackles to score, Pellegrini converts (22-38)
66′ – Patafilo crashes over under posts, Pellegrini converts (22-45)
74′ – Drummond consolation try, Reihana converts (29-45)
Led by inspirational captain Ardie Savea, the competition’s bottom-placed team thoroughly outplayed the second-placed Crusaders to record their first ever win in Christchurch and their first against a New Zealand team not named the Hurricanes. Few gave them a sniff, including the bookies, ahead of the match against a resurgent Crusaders side that would have gone top of the table with a victory.
The match began with a moment’s silence honouring Canterbury and All Blacks legend Alex “Grizz” Wyllie, who had passed away during the week, before Moana Pasifika immediately showed they hadn’t come merely to make up the numbers.
From the opening whistle, Moana Pasifika played with purpose and intensity. A brilliant 50/22 kick from Patrick Pellegrini in just the second minute immediately put the visitors on the front foot, allowing Savea to barge over from close range for the opening score after just three minutes of play.
While the Crusaders responded quickly through Ioane Moananu, who crashed over from a well-executed lineout drive, the pattern was set. Moana Pasifika’s breakdown dominance, aggressive defence and clinical attacking play repeatedly punctured gaps in the usually watertight Crusaders system.
The turning point came in the 16th minute when Crusaders flanker Cullen Grace was sent to the sin bin for cynically taking out Moana scrum-half Jonathan Taumateine. Moana Pasifika capitalised immediately, with Savea powering over for his second try just a minute later, showing extraordinary strength to shrug off multiple defenders.
Danny Toala, a late replacement for Lalomilo Lalomilo in the Moana midfield, was immense throughout, making nine carries and 47 metres in the first half alone. His reward came in the 25th minute when he burst through the Crusaders’ defence to extend the lead to 21-10.
The visitors’ dominance continued when Pellegrini initiated a sweeping move, sending winger Tevita Ofa into space with a perfectly timed pass. The winger, making his debut start, bumped off defenders before offloading back inside to Pellegrini, who ran in under the posts for a 28-10 halftime advantage.
The Crusaders, missing several key players including captain David Havili who was ruled out before kickoff, briefly threatened a comeback early in the second half. Macca Springer, celebrating his birthday, finished off a flowing move in the 49th minute before All Blacks hooker Codie Taylor scooped up a loose ball from a lineout to score and reduce the deficit to nine points.
But just as the hosts sensed momentum shifting, Moana Pasifika responded emphatically. Miracle Faiilagi, who had been impressive all evening, displayed remarkable strength in the 63rd minute to spin out of a tackle and stretch over the line despite being stopped in his tracks initially.
The knockout blow came just three minutes later when Pepesana Patafilo spotted a gap near the ruck and dived under the posts. Pellegrini’s sixth successful conversion from six attempts extended the lead to 45-22, putting the result beyond doubt despite Mitchell Drummond’s late consolation try for the home side.
As the final whistle blew, the Moana Pasifika players erupted in celebration of a historic victory that few would have predicted but that their performance thoroughly deserved.
Moana Pasifika were simply magnificent at the breakdown throughout, consistently winning turnover ball and disrupting the Crusaders’ rhythm. Their tactical kicking was sublime, with Pellegrini and fullback William Havili executing two 50/22 kicks that turned territory into attacking opportunities.
“It was just poor,” admitted Crusaders coach Rob Penney afterwards. “We didn’t have the emotional energy. They did. And you don’t have to be far off to get punished in this competition.”
The Crusaders, who had scored 31 tries in their first five games and were looking to go top of the competition, instead found themselves badly exposed. Despite the firepower of All Blacks Will Jordan, Ethan Blackadder and the introduction of reinforcements Codie Taylor and Tamaiti Williams from the bench, they failed to match Moana Pasifika’s intensity.
“We felt like we had really set this group up as a coaching team, we felt we had set it up along with the leaders to make sure we respect them and [make it clear] that was coming. Prepare for it. But obviously something went awry,” Penney added.
For Moana Pasifika, the performance was the culmination of a season where they had shown glimpses of excellence but struggled to maintain it for 80 minutes. After narrow defeats to the Force (by one point) and Highlanders (by two), and a recent heavy loss to the Chiefs, coach Tana Umaga finally got the complete performance he was seeking.
“It was very special, not many people expected us to do this and that heightens the proudness that we have with our team,” said Umaga. “We’re halfway through the season now and we probably started a bit slow and we want to keep momentum going. We still have a goal of hopefully making it to the knockout rounds.”
The visitors bossed the Crusaders at the breakdown, badly exposed their defence, disrupted their lineout, and mostly kept their attacking game in check. Their forward pack consistently won the collision zone and provided the platform for their backline to flourish.
Pellegrini, who has been one of the signings of the season, was outstanding with his tactical kicking, including two crucial 50/22s that turned territory into attacking opportunities. His partnership with halfback Jonathan Taumateine kept the Crusaders on the back foot throughout, while his perfect kicking record of six conversions and a penalty showcased his all-around quality.
The result sees Moana Pasifika leap to ninth in the standings, while the Crusaders miss the chance to go top, remaining third behind the Chiefs and Queensland Reds, who took over the leadership with a win over Western Force later in the round.
“I’m stuffed eh, those games you’ve got to give it your all,” Savea said post-match. “A lot of the boys are just sitting there staring, just exhausted. But deep down, very, very happy.”
“After last week, we said we wanted to start well and we did that,” Savea added. “We talked about moments and winning each moment. I felt like the boys stacked a lot of those moments together tonight and came away with the win. I’m just proud of the boys and proud of the boys at home who helped us prepare well.”
The Crusaders now face the daunting prospect of travelling to Fiji to face the Fijian Drua – a side they have never beaten on Fijian soil – while Moana Pasifika return home to face the Waratahs in Albany next Saturday with renewed confidence that they can make a late charge towards the playoff places.
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