Monday 17 August 2020 12:43, UK
James Gemmell picks out the moments which stood out from the weekend's matches as Super Rugby Aotearoa reached its conclusion and Super Rugby AU gathers momentum...
Highlanders 38 - 21 Hurricanes
As sport stutters back into our lives, we were given a timely reminder this weekend of just how fragile the situation still is.
New Zealand, so effective at keeping the spread of COVID-19 in check, was forced back into various forms of restriction this past week as a new cluster emerged.
As a result, Super Rugby Aotearoa came to a muted end, a sad conclusion to a competition that had brought Kiwis back together in record numbers, celebrating their love of the sport and - more importantly - their appreciation of the freedoms they were enjoying. The rest of the rugby-loving world took almost as much pleasure in the quality of the on-field offering.
The highly-anticipated Blues vs Crusaders match was called off, with 43,000 tickets sold for a game that had no bearing on the table. If there's a stat to underline the success of this improvised league, perhaps that's it.
The fact that the gate would've pushed the embattled Auckland-based club back in the black for the first time in six years is no less impressive, a remarkable achievement given the shortened schedule.
At the far end of the country the Highlanders and Hurricanes were given the go ahead, but without the hardy fans that keep the decibels bouncing under Forsyth Barr's roof.
As a viewing experience, it has become almost normal for those of us watching from afar, but you could see from the bemused looks of the players this was both unusual and not fun.
Lowlanders
It must have been particularly difficult for two of the most celebrated Southern men. Aaron Smith and Ash Dixon were Highlanders for the 150th and 100th time respectively, achievements that - in the absence of family, friends and fans - seemed to narrow the motivational focus of their team-mates.
Even the Hurricanes were heartfelt in their recognition of two rugby stars still playing at the top of their game.
Vince and Cheese
The 'Cane Train was first out of the station, though, with a trademark counter-attack from inside their first half and high-quality handling at high speed. Jordie Barrett got things moving, Jamie Booth was involved (as he was all afternoon), and in the end it was Vince Aso with the game's first meat pie.
Less than four minutes on the clock and there was a pace and freedom to the game that promised much for the spectacle ahead.
Chip Off The Old Block
The sides traded blows throughout the first half, and at 14-14 the game needed to be grabbed hold of. The hardest working man on the field, Jack Whetton, looked to do just that. His emergence this year will come as no surprise to any Kiwi rugby fan, or elsewhere any rugby fan of a certain age, who will remember with fondness his dad, former All Black captain, lock, and moustached mauler, Gary Whetton.
Jack's found his niche in the second row and sports the same facial furniture - if he continues on this path, he could well wear the same famous No 5 jersey as well.
Whetton's work rate shone out in the set up to Michael Collins' try for the Highlanders (honourable mention to Jona Nareki who was electric in the lead up as well), and from this point forward they never looked back.
It was a second-half performance to showcase just how far the Highlanders have come in 2020, and despite the obvious absence of atmosphere, it was also a fitting team tribute to Smith and Dixon.
Merino Wool You Pick Me
It's hard to get noticed if you're sitting behind Aaron Smith in the Highlanders, but replacement scrumhalf Folau Fakatava is giving it a pretty good go with bouncing bleached locks that could have him in trouble on one of the many high-country shearing stations that cover the Otago region.
Western Force 8-28 Waratahs
From this weekend forward, Super Rugby AU will step out of Aotearoa's shadow, and it is beginning to feel like a product worthy of the spotlight.
As fitness has improved, so too has confidence and execution. Players and referees have largely synced up on the new interpretations, and indeed some of the new innovations have really added to the spectacle.
Will and Grace
One such initiative is the 50-22 law. It has prompted strategic attacking kicking, and rewards quick, reactive thinking from attacking teams when they see a gap in the defensive backfield.
Likewise, it has forced a rethink from defenders. Possession in one's 22 is a precious thing to give up, so there is a lot more thought and effort going into stopping that outcome.
Take the Waratahs' Will Harrison, whose desperate side-line dive to deny a Reds' 50-22 was important and spectacular in equal measure.
Previously, this sort of athleticism would've been restricted to either in-goal area. Not now. Any show of skill such as this is welcome in our game, and if we can encourage right across the park a better spectacle will result.
Hooper Trooper
Like Aaron Smith this weekend, Waratah Michael Hooper notched up his 150th Super Rugby appearance, a record made all the more remarkable by the unrelenting style of his play from openside, and his still tender years.
At 28 he is the youngest Australian to reach the milestone, breaking Kurtley Beale's previous record by more than a year. When he next steps out for the Wallabies he will become a Test centurion; again, Australia's youngest.
Consistency of performance is one of Hooper's USPs. Unfortunately, the same can't be said of his Waratahs in recent years, and so backing up last week's stellar performance against the Reds was crucial in camp. They did just that to claim their first back-to-back wins in 18 months.
Hooper was at the heart of the effort, including helping to set up a try from Alex Newsome - who was part of an impressive back three along with James Ramm and Jack Maddocks - and it was a score which gave the Waratahs a lead they would never relinquish.
Reds 19-3 Rebels
With their tails between their legs the Reds returned to Brisbane desperate to atone for a record defeat at the hands of the Waratahs last week, and on the most part they did that.
It was good to see Jordan Petaia back from injury, the young man who burst onto the World Cup scene for the Wallabies in 2019. His early try established the Reds' lead, but as a contest the match struggled to get going.
Risk Jockey
The spark came from Jock Campbell at the back for the Reds, who'd had enough of the early kicking duel and took matters in his own hands.
Spying a gap in the chasing Rebels defensive line he scythed into open space and found Filipo Daugunu, who in turn served up a peach of a round-the-back offload to hooker Brandon Paenga-Amosa, who couldn't believe his luck and finished it strongly.
Tight-heads Cut Loose
Pre-match the headline billing was given to fly-half opposites James O'Connor and Matt Toomua, players of beguiling skill and vision.
But by game's end we couldn't get enough of the two No 3s, Taniela Tupou and Pone Fa'amausili. Like mountain goats they'd meet in open play, and when the space allowed, they filled it - in more ways than one. Tupou is a capped international, Fa'amausili looks destined for higher honours.
That's One Big Cabous
Not to be outdone by his barnstorming prop pals, Rebels' replacement Cabous Eloff thought the best way to catch the eye was to flash the flesh - that, and the brightest pair of undies this side of Yorkeys Knob.
Pod Stewart
A lovely three-man play produced the defining try of the night for the Reds, for inside centre Hamish Stewart.
The move started from the base of an attacking scrum, with impressive half back Tate McDermott darting to pull in the first defenders, James O'Connor played his part with the next draw and pass, and then Stewart was given 35 mazy metres to make it across the whitewash. Each man played his part perfectly.
Super Rugby AU now enters its final three weeks ahead of the knockouts with four teams separated by four points.
