Leicester Fanga’nuku scored two tries on Friday to bring his tally to five in his last two games as the Crusaders recorded a 35-17 win over previously unbeaten ACT Brumbies in Super Rugby Pacific.
In a subsequent match, the Hamilton, New Zealand-based Chiefs remained the only unbeaten side with a 24–14 victory over the New South Wales Waratahs in Sydney.
The victory was a gift from the Christchurch-based Crusaders to their head coach and soon-to-be All Blacks, Scott Robertson.
Robertson was this week named as the next All Blacks head coach to replace Ian Foster following the World Cup in France in October. He could have been pleased with the result in Christchurch if not for the performance: the Crusaders dropped too many balls and made too many other uncharacteristic errors.
He will have looked to the performance of Fengnuuk, who adds to the depth of talent available to the All Blacks on the wing.
The winger scored one try in each half and both went off a lineout from the same set. Hooker Cody Taylor threw to the lineout in the sixth minute, looped backward to take a pass to scrumhalf, and threw a short pass to Fanga’nuku, who crashed through three tackles to score.
The Crusaders repeated the move in the 58th. Taylor passed to Finga’nuku again and the big, powerful winger twisted his way through the tackle to score.
Taylor himself made a significant effort. The Brumbies crossed the Crusaders’ line just before the half-time siren and the referee ruled that he had called for a goalline drop-out before time had expired.
The Crusaders were able to play on, regain possession, force a lineout near the Brumbies line, and drive to Taylor for a 21–3 lead at the break.
With Finga’nuku’s try and another just before full-time for Christian Leo-Willi, the Crusaders took a victory from five tries to two and a bonus point.
The Brumbies were underpowered after leaving several Wallabies players at home to rest under Rugby Australia’s guidelines for Test players in a Test World Cup year.
They were outplayed in the first half by the Crusaders, who dominated scrums in the absence of Brumbies captain James Slipper and whose fast line pace in defense troubled the Brumbies’ attack.
But the Brumbies were better in the second half, hitting the defensive line hard and creating breakdowns, which led to tries for Ryan Longergan and winger Corey Toole. Toole’s try reduced the Crusaders’ lead to 28–17, but a subsequent Leo-Willie try nullified their chances.
Crusaders captain Scott Barrett said, “Regardless of who came through tonight, we knew the Brumbies were going to come through, especially with their set pieces and breakdown work.” “I’m proud of my boys, they accepted it.”
The Chiefs and Waratahs were level 7–7 at halftime before the visiting team pulled away in the second half. Winger Emoni Narva scored two tries for the Chiefs, including a 54th-minute effort that gave the team a 17–7 lead.
An interception attempt by Waratahs captain Jake Gordon from 40 meters out in the 17th minute offset an early cross by Chiefs five-eighth Brian Gatland.
Michael Hooper made the flanker the most capped Waratahs back-rover in his 133rd Super Rugby game when he scored a driving maul try on the hour. But Narva’s second try five minutes from a full-time sealed victory for the Chiefs.