All Blacks coaches revealed as voices behind David Havili's move to 10

There were a couple of surprises in the Crusaders’ team naming this week, including the headline-grabbing debut of Leigh Halfpenny at fullback and a positional shift for the versatile David Havili.

Just how versatile the All Black is is sure to be tested under the lights of Apollo Projects Stadium on Saturday when Havili lines up in the No. 10 jersey against the Reds.

Those two big selection changes coming in the same week isn’t a coincidence, either. With Havili at 10, the team needs an experienced boot to take kicks off the tee. Cue Halfpenny.

The 28-year-old Havili has stepped out in the 10 jersey in the past, but only on the odd occasion and not since 2020.

The man who positioned him there in that contest four years ago is now All Blacks coach, Scott Robertson. Current Crusaders coach Rob Penney this week revealed it was again Robertson who influenced this week’s selection.

The under-fire Crusaders coach received a call from the All Blacks camp this week where he was given the word: “If we could slip him in there they’d be very appreciative.”

“We’ve talked about it often as a coaching group,” Penney elaborated. “But, it wasn’t until the All Blacks confirmed that they were really interested in seeing him playing there, that was a shift in a couple of people’s minds to go that way.

“I’d say they [the All Blacks] would be very excited about having David Havili in the mix and being able to play 10, 12 and 13 really effectively, and 15 if required. He’s such a versatile player and doesn’t that make an international bench really exciting?”

With the exit of Richie Mo’unga and the injury to Fergus Burke, the Crusaders have been thrown into unfamiliar territory with a lack of depth at the first five-eighth position.

The club, steeped in history and boasting numerous icons in the red 10 jersey, had previously excelled with their succession planning, but the aforementioned absences meant it was down to a couple of inexperienced playmakers to fill Mo’unga’s boots.

Havili will be the fourth player to step out in the role this season, and despite his inexperience in the position, his nine years of experience at the club offers much better familiarity with the players playing around him than his counterparts.

One man he hasn’t played with outside of the training ground is Halfpenny. The Welsh veteran has been rehabbing a pectoral injury he suffered just minutes into his preseason debut with the Crusaders.

The 100-Test fullback makes a timely return to a team desperate for results and managing the loss of All Blacks star Will Jordan.

“Part of the recruitment process with Leigh was around getting a world-class performer in the backfield with our younger players,” Penney added. “Once we lost Will [Jordan] that was the hope we could have his presence… He’s been training the house down the last month to six weeks and he’s earned the right to slip into that 15 jersey.”