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Four of the best Super Rugby Pacific performers from round eight
By Adam Julian
The eighth round of Super Rugby Pacific saw Moana Pasifika create more history as the Chiefs and Blues battled manfully to wins in the Hamilton and Auckland wet while the Crusaders flourished in the Fijian sun.
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Here are four of the best performers from the week that was in Super Rugby Pacific.
Luke Jacobson (Chiefs)
Heavy rain turned the Chiefs’ 27-15 victory over the Reds in Hamilton into a scrappy, close-quarter arm wrestle – conditions in which the Chiefs captain thrives.
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Jacobson muscled over for the opening try, casting aside three defenders, including Wallabies flanker Fraser McReight, who fell off the No.8 meekly. McReight topped the tackle count in the game with 23, but also dropped the ball with the goal line at his mercy.
The Chiefs required some All Blacks ammunition from the bench to ultimately foil the plucky visitors, but Jacobson was relentless throughout, topping the Chiefs for ball carries (11) and tackles (14). A late charge he made, where he was held up over the goal line, was almost an action replay of his try.
The 24-Test All Black has had a disrupted Super Rugby Pacific campaign, breaking his nose against the Crusaders in the second round and missing a fortnight of action.
Feleti Sae-Ta’ufo’ou (Moana Pasifika)
For the first time, Moana Pasifika have won back-to-back games in Super Rugby Pacific, rallying from a 21-7 halftime deficit to stun the Waratahs 45-28 in Albany.
Colossal prop Feleti Sae-Ta’ufo’ou (6 ft 3, 112 kg) sparked the Moana Pasifika revival scoring his side’s first three tries with the urgent, battering style that has proven unsettling for recent opposition.
Sae-Ta’ufo’ou also made 14 tackles, ranking behind captain Ardie Savea (19) as the hosts’ busiest defender. Additionally, Sae-Ta’ufo’ou held his own against Wallabies loosehead prop Angus Bell in the scrums.
Sae-Ta’ufo’ou is a product of Palmerston North Boys’ High School. After making the Hurricanes Under 20’s, he debuted for Manawatu in the 2023 NPC. A shoulder reconstruction stifled his momentum, but a storming Hankins Shield campagin for champions Kia Toa put Ta’ufo’ou back on the radar.
He’s only won once in eight matches for Manawatu but his promise piqued the interest of Moana Pasifika. With five consecutive starts, Sae-Ta’ufo’ou is proving a most worthy addition.
A prop has never scored three tries in a single Super Rugby match. Ross Filipo, Ian Jones, George Whitelock, Andrew Hore, Ardie Savea, Hoskins Sotutu, Kurt Eklund, Adam Thomson and Shannon Frizell are forwards who have scored three tries in a single game for a New Zealand based franchises. Loose forward Jed Holloway scored three tries for the Warathas in their 26-30 loss to the Highlanders in 2016. Wallabies legend David Pocock scored two hat-tricks in wins against the Highlanders (31-18) and Force (33-20) in 2015.
Will Jordan (Crusaders)
It was fast and loose in Fiji with the Crusaders earning their first victory in Suva over the Drua.
When the Crusaders leapt to a 17-0 lead after 22 minutes, a rout looked likely. The Drua lineout was wobbly following another strong display by Crusaders lock Antonio Shalfoon. With 23 tackles, Tom Christie led the pest patrol at the breakdown.
Following the Crusaders’ onslaught in the opening quarter, it became a game of near misses. Several Drua breaks went unconverted, and just when it seemed the locals were going to storm home with a wet sail, Will Jordan snuffed out any chance of victory.
A break down the left wing was followed by a pinpoint kick for Macca Springer, who scored his eighth try of the season. Earlier in the first half, Jordan smartly held up the ball in a tackle and was able to get an offload away to Noah Hotham, who outpaced the cover defense.
Crusaders captain Codie Taylor (134 matches, 103 wins, 45 tries) was frank in his assessment of the performance on Sky Sport afterward.
“We were pretty embarrassed with last week and we really questioned our mindset. We knew we had to turn up today, right a few wrongs. We knew the Drua were coming off a loss as well, and they’d had a bye, and it was going to be a tough game. We talked about this being one of the hardest places to play in the world and it proved so again today. I’m just really proud that we got the job done and made a bit of Crusaders history.”
Joshua Fusitu’a (Blues)
The Blues’ 19-18 victory over the Hurricanes at a sodden Eden Park was a slog that perhaps neither team deserved to win, given the general tightness of the tussle and exorbitant error count by both sides.
Ultimately, more accurate goal-kicking from Beauden Barrett proved the difference for the hosts, who were outscored two tries to one.
The Blues most promising rugby occurred when they attacked one-pass off the ruck, quickly and accurately. The direct and belligerent approach was the blueprint for their success last year, and it suits promising loosehead Joshua Fusitu’a.
The 23-year-old from Grammar Tech was busy and explosive, making a dozen carries and 14 tackles. Fusitu’a isn’t just brawn. He possesses nimble hands and there were some delightful touches to create further momentum for his teammates. In just his eighth start for the Blues, Fusitu’a marked and restrained All Blacks tighthead Tyrel Lomax in the scrum.
The Fusitu’a family are no stranger to elite sport. Josh’s older brother is Kiwis and Tongan rugby league international David Fusitu’a.
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As Feleti Sae-Ta’ufo’ou is a NZ born, bred and trained player. One would hope that it is a NZ representative team that he chosen for if is to obtain higher honours.
Yeas of course you would love for him to be All Black quality.
He’s not going to be a 7ns player though, so it wouldn’t harm him to play for another nation until he thinks or is told he’s reach that level.
I wasn’t always sold on Jordan as a full-back. How wrong!
The lad is the business. Masterful.
Impressive all round player performance, along with precise decision making / leadership by Luke J. A timely reminder to Razor that he is putting in the minutes, week in / week out. Some of his AB competition is sitting out through injury, again.
Great comments about Crusaders fullback Will Jordan. Those 2 try assists were brilliant. He was in to everything. Article is correct lock Antonio Shalfoon made a huge difference after being left out the week before. He is tough, uncompromising. AB selectors hopefully keeping an eye on him. Tom Christie’s tackling statistics say it all. He just kept on going.
Most sides know that Jordan is a constant threat at fullback and can produce sublime moments at any time both on defence & attack. Still can’t stop him though and concentrating on him can leave space that the Crusaders other threats can exploit. Fine player.
6 ft 3 and 112 is not colossal for a prop. Its about low to average these days.
He looks closer to 132kg to me. He’s a big unit