Crusaders 2025
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@Mauss Ah apologies he played for NZ schools that's right. I just remember him representing NZ in some respect in the juniors.
I also remember him completely burning off a bunch of fijians. Found the vid.
At 3.05 here -
Also scored two nice tries here for Canterbury in his last season (I think this would have been his NPC debut?)
Tries at 9.02 and 10.20 in the vid.
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@kpkanz The entire game of NZ Schools versus Australia Schools and U18s is on Youtube, if you're interested. I think a lot of people took notice of Murray after that game:
If anything, he's always been a great player to watch.
It's funny, looking at those lineups now. In a forward pack containing Tamaiti Williams, Soane Vikena, Saula Ma'u and Sam Darry, the most 'hyped-up' name at the time would arguably have been Niko Jones, after his performance for St. Peters in the Top 4 Final. It's not easy to predict future success.
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@Mauss said in Crusaders 2025:
Murray was a real standout of the 2018 NZ Schools squad, though, as a 16/17-year old. He had a great game at fullback against Australia Schools and U18 where, I think, he scored a try and looked an incredible counter-attacking threat.
I remember when Murray came off the bench for the Chiefs U18s and completely dominated the match against the Crusaders U18s with his speed. Then they signed him.
He made the NZ Schools team after that. He is small, basically Ben Blair MkII.He and Manson would be the quickest schoolboy players I've seen up close.
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All about perspective this is what the Crusaders top 23 looks like (roughly):
- Williams
- Taylor
- Newell
- Strange
- Barrett (c)
- Blackadder
- Christie
- Lio-Willie
- Hotham
- Reihana
- Reece
- Havili
- McLeod
- Fihaki
- Jordan
- Bell
- Brewis
- Bower
- Hannah
- Grace
- Drummond
- Aumua
- Springer
Add in solid depth across the park (maybe lacking a touch at prop?) and this team probably plays like they did at the end of the season and comfortably makes the top six. Rob Penney did a lot wrong, but there was also a shit ton of bad luck that exaggerated things. If the Crusaders keep their players fit, they look an easy top 4 to me.
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@Bovidae I know he's had some injury issues and it must've impacted his speed, because when watching him against Cardiff his speed doesn't really stand out anymore. It was mostly footwork and running angles which allowed him to make ground rather than beating players through raw pace, like you can see Manson do.
He's named on the wing for the Scarlets for their game tomorrow against Connacht, lining up against Mack Hansen.
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@frugby said in Crusaders 2025:
All about perspective this is what the Crusaders top 23 looks like (roughly):
- Williams
- Taylor
- Newell
- Strange
- Barrett (c)
- Blackadder
- Christie
- Lio-Willie
- Hotham
- Reihana
- Reece
- Havili
- McLeod
- Fihaki
- Jordan
- Bell
- Brewis
- Bower
- Hannah
- Grace
- Drummond
- Aumua
- Springer
Add in solid depth across the park (maybe lacking a touch at prop?) and this team probably plays like they did at the end of the season and comfortably makes the top six. Rob Penney did a lot wrong, but there was also a shit ton of bad luck that exaggerated things. If the Crusaders keep their players fit, they look an easy top 4 to me.
Ennor will be in that 23 somewhere probably starting at 13 with McLeod on the bench for Springer.
Prop is covered with Bower,Brewis,plus Sykes-Martin and Calder have done pretty well in the last two seasons when called upon they have had a fair bit of game time. -
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