Braydon Ennor celebrates his try with George Bridge and Mitchell Drummond of the Crusaders. Photo / Photosport
Braydon Ennor celebrates his try with George Bridge and Mitchell Drummond of the Crusaders. Photo / Photosport
COMMENT:
The statistics weigh heavily in favour of the Crusaders. Since the start of Super Rugby they have had an incredible record of changing the career trajectory of players rejected or abandoned elsewhere.
The list of those who have found a new lease of life at the Crusaders is longand impressive. It started with Norm Berryman and includes, but is not confined to, Caleb Ralph, Rico Gear, Kevin Senio, Zac Guildford, Bryn Hall and Sevu Reece.
Ali Williams could even be included as the big lock arguably played his best rugby in 2008 when he was with the Crusaders.
The Crusaders, much like the Wasps club in the UK, know how to take in waifs and strays and convert them into test footballers.
But less publicised or celebrated is that there have been some players who have benefited greatly by leaving the club.
There have been several players over the years who have found themselves a victim of the club's recruitment success and unexpectedly surplus to requirements.
Colin Slade was maybe the best example of this when, after winning his first cap at first-five in 2010, he opted to leave the Crusaders and join the Highlanders.
He was playing mostly at fullback for the Crusaders, unable to win game time ahead of Daniel Carter and so he decided, if he was going to be a serious contender to make the 2011 World Cup squad as a No 10, he'd need to be playing every week in his preferred position.
Stephen Brett made a similar decision the year before, opting to join the Blues where he knew he would be first choice.
Both players impressed the All Blacks, not just by the way they played with their new clubs, but by making bold decisions to leave the safety of the Crusaders.
Luke Whitelock did the same when he realised he was barely going to play ahead of Kieran Read and in 2017 he was rewarded for that when he was recalled to the All Blacks.
Leaving the Crusaders is not an easy decision to make. To be a bit-part player with a champion team can appeal more than being a regular starter with one that rarely features in the playoffs.
But for those with serious All Blacks ambitions, it's a risk to rely on sporadic game time as a means to win selection and that's why the most interesting news to come out of last week was that Will Jordan has committed to the Crusaders for the next three years.
Will Jordan during Crusaders training. Photo / Photosport
The 21-year-old turned down an offer to link up with his former Tasman coach Leon MacDonald at the Blues and in doing so has put ample pressure on himself to justify his decision to stay in Christchurch.
Jordan, who missed all of last season due to concussion, was in sparkling form earlier this year until he picked up a foot injury.
Comfortable at wing and fullback, he has scored eight tries this season and shown that he has searing pace, natural instincts and the bravery to be a serious option for the All Blacks.
But the Crusaders have four other back three players - three of whom have made long term commitments to the club and another close to doing the same - who are very much in the frame to make the All Blacks World Cup squad.
There is now a ridiculous pool of outside back talent at the club to the extent that while George Bridge, Reece, Braydon Ennor and David Havili are being watched closely by the All Blacks, one of them is not going to make the starting XV for the quarter-final next week.
Jordan, having just come back from injury, may not even make the match day 23 and this intense competition for places looks likely to last for years to come while all five of them are at the club.
The Crusaders coaching staff, knowing they will have to cater for injuries and enforced rest requirements, will be quite happy to carry all five for the next few years.
But what seems apparent to those who don't have a vested interest is that one of Jordan, Ennor, Havili, Reece or Bridge, are going to have to seriously consider moving clubs at some stage in the next two years.
With Super Rugby shifting to a straight 14-team round-robin format next year, there won't be enough inventory for all five to show what they can do and at least one of them is going to be denied the requisite game time to advance their cause.
No one ever really wants to leave the Crusaders but in some cases, it is the best option – indeed, the only option as test careers aren't often launched on the back of irregular Super Rugby bench cameos.
