Watch: David Havili shows off his All Blacks credentials to set up scintillating Will Jordan try
Crusaders midfielder David Havili has stated his case for an All Blacks re-call in the Super Rugby Aotearoa final by setting up Will Jordan for a spectacular try.
Holding a 7-3 lead inside the opening quarter of an hour, the Crusaders were hot on attack inside the Chiefs' half when halfback Mitchell Drummond fired the ball out wide to the left at Orangetheory Stadium in Christchurch.
Captain and lock Scott Barrett was the recipient of the ball just shy of the 22 and looked to shovel the ball on despite the decoy running line of No. 8 Cullen Grace.
Instead, Barrett opted for the backdoor option of first-five Richie Mo'unga, who in turn spread the ball out wide to Havili with a pass that skipped out veteran second rower Sam Whitelock.
Surveying his option out in the left-hand 15m channel, Havili initially looked to pass the ball out further, but decided against it when he realised Chiefs midfielder Anton Lienert-Brown had committed to bouncing out wide a touch too early.
Aware of Lienert-Brown's overeagerness, Havili put boot to ball with a delicate grubber kick that bobbled nicely deep into the Chiefs' red zone.
None of the away side's defenders anticipated the kick, which highlights the quality of Havili's vision and decision-making.
Struggling to contain proved to be costly for the Chiefs, as Jordan stormed on through to compete with his opposite Damian McKenzie for possession just metres from the tryline.
McKenzie couldn't reel in the bouncing ball, however, allowing Jordan to scoop the ball up from five metres out, break through the desperate covering tackle of Bryn Gatland and crash over for his team's second try of the encounter.
The score, which went unconverted in an unusually wayward goal-kicking effort by Mo'unga, put the Crusaders up 12-3, although the Chiefs fought back to head into the sheds down 15-10.
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TBH I see SA slipping in this WC cycle Nick. France are never really a top side tho. They just cannot do the same thing consistantly. Ireland and England are more likely to become top sides than France even tho France can beat anyone on any given day. Having said that SA has a lot in their favour in this WC cycle. Hosting many tests like 2 this year v ABs, 4 in 2026 v ABs so in the 4 year cycle thats going to be 3 tests in NZ and 6 in SA.
Go to commentsWhat’s the bet that if Ireland lose we’ll have a bunch of people blaming Rob Kearney for it?
This might pizz the All Blacks off but it won’t make George Bell throw the ball any straighter or Rieko pass the ball to his wings more often.
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