Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

'He belongs at Super Rugby level': Young Crusaders hooker shines in front row injury crisis

Ioane Moananu of the Crusaders charges forward during the round one Super Rugby Pacific match between Crusaders and Hurricanes at Apollo Projects Stadium, on February 14, 2025, in Christchurch, New Zealand. (Photo by Joe Allison/Getty Images)

There wasn’t much to smile about for Rob Penney in round two of the Super Rugby Pacific competition, as his team was completely dismantled in the second half by the Chiefs in Hamilton.

ADVERTISEMENT

Despite their severe front-row injury crisis, Penney has had young 24-year-old hooker Ioane Moananu step up to the plate after George Bell picked up a serious injury in his foot.

The small fracture in Bell’s foot will keep him out for the whole Super Rugby Pacific campaign, giving more opportunities to Moananu and New Zealand U20 player Manumaua Letiu.

Related

Moananu made his debut for the Crusaders in 2023 against the Fijian Drua in Lautoka, scoring a try on debut in a historic victory for the Drua.

Moananu has impressed in the first two games of the 2025 Super Rugby Pacific campaign, getting two starts for the Crusaders and playing over 70 minutes against both the Hurricanes and the Chiefs.

Penney admits that it’s been a long road for the 24-year-old, but he’s proud of the way Moananu has worked at his game.

“He’s been working away in the last couple of years in the wider training group, and hasn’t had a lot of access,” Penney said to media after the game at FMG Stadium Waikato.

ADVERTISEMENT

“Now all of a sudden, he’s started. Played brilliant last week for us against the Hurricanes and played well again tonight.”

Related

Penney says that the way in which Moananu has been able to take his chance in the No.2 jersey, is a massive credit to the young hooker.

“It’s just amazing, it’s great credit to him.

“He (Moananu) belongs at Super level, and he’s earned the right to wear that jersey for the Crusaders.”

Moananu made six carries and eight tackles against the Chiefs on Friday night, backing up his standout performance last week where he made 11 tackles and eight carries.

ADVERTISEMENT

Match Summary

2
Penalty Goals
1
7
Tries
3
4
Conversions
3
0
Drop Goals
0
128
Carries
146
10
Line Breaks
7
14
Turnovers Lost
17
7
Turnovers Won
6

Penney doesn’t think that the Crusaders will get some players back from injury during the bye period, but won’t be sure of that until later on in bye week.

“Don’t think so for the Reds, maybe the week after for the Western Force, or maybe the next.”

The Crusaders are one win and one loss from two games, leading into the bye this weekend in round three, before taking on the Reds at home in round four.

Download the RugbyPass app now!

News, stats, live rugby and more! Download the new RugbyPass app on the App Store (iOS) and Google Play (Android) now!

ADVERTISEMENT

Kubota Spears vs Tokyo Sungoliath | Japan Rugby League One 2024/25 | Quarter Final Replay

Australia vs USA | Pacific Four Series 2025 | Full Match Replay

New Zealand vs Canada | Pacific Four Series 2025 | Full Match Replay

South Africa vs New Zealand | The Rugby Championship U20's | Full Match Replay

Argentina vs Australia | The Rugby Championship U20's | Full Match Replay

The Game that Made Jonah Lomu

The gruelling reality behind one of the fastest sports in the world | The Report

Boks Office | Episode 40 | The Steven Kitshoff Special

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

2 Comments
G
GP 85 days ago

Good on Ioane Moananu . He has had to bide his time at the Crusaders. Played great rugby for his province Counties-Manakau.He has been outstanding at hooker for the Crusaders in the first 2 games. Mananuau Letiu has done a great job coming off the bench. He is fresh out of CHCH Boys High and has not yet played for Canterbury.

C
Cantab 85 days ago

It seems the Crusaders are going to have 4 quality hookers once their perennial injury problems resolve

Load More Comments

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

S
Solenn Bonnet 6 days ago
Leinster cleanse palette with record URC scoreline against Zebre

My name is Solenn Bonnet, and I am a single mother navigating the challenges of raising my two-year-old child while trying to make ends meet. I came across a trading platform that promised astonishing daily profits of 18%. The allure of such a high return on investment was too tempting to resist, and I found myself drawn into cryptocurrency trading. Excited by the prospect of financial freedom, I invested a significant amount of my savings, totaling over 5.7 BTC. However, what started as a hopeful venture quickly turned into a nightmare. The platform was a scam, and I lost everything I had invested. The emotional toll of this loss was immense; I felt devastated and helpless, struggling to provide for my child and keep up with my bills. In my desperate attempt to recover my funds, I sought help from various recovery experts. Unfortunately, I encountered numerous fraudulent individuals who claimed they could help me retrieve my lost money. Each time I reached out, I was met with disappointment and further scams, which only deepened my despair. Last year was one of the most challenging periods of my life, filled with anxiety and uncertainty about my financial future. Feeling overwhelmed and at a loss, I confided in a close friend from church about my situation. She listened compassionately and shared her own experiences with financial difficulties. Understanding my plight, she introduced me to Tech Cyber Force Recovery, a group of skilled hackers known for their expertise in recovering lost funds. Skeptical yet hopeful, I decided to reach out to them as a last resort. Their services came at a higher cost, but my friend generously offered to help me with a partial payment. I was amazed by how quickly they responded and began the recovery process. Their team was professional, efficient, and incredibly supportive throughout the entire ordeal. To my relief, they successfully recovered more than I had lost to those heartless scammers. This was truly transformative, and I felt a sense of relief and gratitude that I hadn’t felt in a long time. I strongly encourage anyone who has faced similar challenges or fallen victim to scams to reach out to Tech Cyber Force Recovery. If you’ve invested in a fraudulent platform like I did, they are highly capable of helping you reclaim your hard-earned money. Don’t lose hope; there is a way to recover what you’ve lost.

CONSULT TECH CYBER FORCE RECOVERY

EMAIL.. support@techyforcecyberretrieval.com

WhatsApp.. +15617263697

website.. https://techyforcecyberretrieval.com

Telegram.. +15617263697

0 Go to comments
LONG READ
LONG READ Bordeaux’s thrilling pretenders and salary cap changes threaten Toulouse supremacy Bordeaux’s thrilling pretenders and salary cap changes threaten Toulouse supremacy
Search