Ardie Savea Leads Moana Pasifika to Stunning Upset Over Crusaders

This article originally appeared on Stuff and is reproduced with permission

In a season brimming with surprises, this one stands out as the most astonishing.

Piloted by the dynamic captain Ardie Savea, Moana Pasifika delivered a staggering blow to the previously dominant Crusaders in Christchurch on Saturday night.

Before the match, few had faith in Moana Pasifika, not even the bookmakers, as they faced the second-placed Crusaders who, with a win, could have topped the standings.

The hosts didn’t come close, missing key players including captain David Havili, wing Sevu Reece, and No.8 Christian Lio-Willie.

Yet, credit must go to Moana Pasifika, who have shown glimpses of brilliance throughout the season but struggled to deliver a complete performance until now.

At last, coach Tana Umaga witnessed the complete display he had been seeking.

His squad dominated the breakdown, laid bare the Crusaders’ defensive frailties, disrupted their lineout, and effectively stifled their attacking play.

This was no easy feat, considering the Crusaders had notched 31 tries in their opening five matches of the season.

While the Crusaders briefly threatened to mount a comeback, cutting the deficit to 31-22 with two quick tries, their abundance of errors with possession ensured that Moana Pasifika were never made to feel the pressure late on.

Despite some threat, they continued to concede points, particularly when the fierce Miracle Faiilagi broke through three defenders after initially being halted and charged over the line.

Perhaps it was the loud welcome of AC/DC’s “Thunderstruck” echoing through the public address system as they took the field that revitalised Moana Pasifika.

Maybe it wasn’t just the music. However, visiting teams rarely experience such a warm welcome, and Moana Pasifika burst out of the tunnel and went straight to work following referee Angus Gardner’s opening whistle.

Having Savea back from injury sparked renewed energy. As always, he carried the team with fierce determination and delivered tackles like a warrior.

He was the architect of two tries in the first 17 minutes, the second of which followed a ferocious run that left several Crusaders players sprawled on the field.

There is simply no one more difficult to bring down, and Moana Pasifika mirrored his intensity, attacking every opportunity.

Their hunger surpassed that of their opponents, dominating the breakdown and securing numerous turnovers.

The Crusaders appeared rattled, struggling to escape their own 22 against a brisk easterly wind, while their handling errors hampered their efforts.

Danny Toala’s try in the 25th minute came shortly after lock Jamie Hannah fumbled a pass inside his own 22, shortly after the hosts had kicked a penalty.

Defensive gaps were exposed as Moana Pasifika tirelessly built prolonged attacking phases.

They didn’t need to put in the hard yards when pivoter Patrick Pellegrini casually strolled over late in the first half, following a lovely cut-out pass that sent Tevita Ofa into space, allowing him to feed the playmaker.

While the celebrations for that moment were noteworthy, nothing compared to the jubilations that erupted when the Crusaders failed to execute a rolling maul as the halftime bell sounded, and again at the final whistle.