The 2024 Super Rugby Pacific season was one Crusaders fans and players alike would rather forget, and bruising midfielder Levi Aumua is hoping to replace those memories with better ones in 2025.
The club, who won seven titles between 2017 and 2023, open the 2025 season against the Hurricanes at home on Friday night. Aumua has been named to start in the No. 13 jersey.
The former Moana Pasifika star’s first season in the red and black was a quiet one by his blockbusting standards, but a determined and disciplined offseason has him feeling refreshed.
“We’ve all gone away and had a bit of a break and come back, and we want a good start in 2025,” he told the All Blacks website.
“I’ve put in a lot of work to get the body right, and the mind ready.”
The Crusaders finished the 2024 competition in ninth place, two points out of the playoff picture with four wins and 10 losses.
The bitterly disappointing record exceeded the expected dropoff of the post-Richie Mo’unga, Sam Whitelock and Scott Robertson era.
“We owe the fans a lot, the Crusader fans around the world, and we’re going to bring it up another level this year,” Aumua said.
While under fire head coach Rob Penney has retained his role, the coaching box has been reshuffled after the exit of Tamati Ellison, who was promoted within the All Blacks group after the departure of Leon MacDonald.
Another former All Blacks assistant, Brad Mooar, has rejoined the Crusaders staff, seeing James Marshall moved to accommodate the attack guru. Mooar is also rumoured to be in the running for Wales head coach after Warren Gatland’s sudden departure earlier this week.
“Jimmy’s there with all our map stuff, and our strike, and he’s given the ownership to the players and has given us the licence to play a bit more with our heads up fully.”
Felling lighter and fitter, Aumua is looking forward to showing more of his skillset this season.
“We’ve got a lot of communication with our set-piece to provide good, front-foot ball for us backs to deliver on.
“It’s getting up, looking at the next phase, chatting on the run, that sort of stuff. That’s what the boys like to see and that’s a given when you’re fitter. You can do more.”
With Scott Barrett’s appointment as All Blacks captain, the lock has been relieved of his equivalent duty in the Crusaders camp. Fellow All Black David Havili has been named as his successor.
Aumua and Havili have a long-standing relationship on the rugby pitch, having donned Tasman colours alongside one another for seven years now.
“We have a combo going, and he is a great distributor of the ball. So playing outside him I know I’m going to be getting quality ball and know that I’ve got safety on the inside with defence.”
Starting the season against the Hurricanes is especially significant for the NPC-winning Wellington Lions halfback Kyle Preston, who has been named on the bench for the contest.
“To get a debut was awesome and for it to be against the Hurricanes with a mates on the other team is pretty special,” Preston said.
“The ‘Canes were my childhood side, they’re nice to love. It was a hard decision to make to come to Christchurch but when I came down I felt relief because of the club, and the love and care they have for the players, not just as football players, but people as well.”
The 25-year-old roofer has been patienty waiting for his shot at the next level, and now in Super Rugby full-time, he gets to learn from veteran Mitch Drummond.
“He puts a lot of time and effort into talking to individuals about skill sets and helping us halfbacks with micro details.”
