Crusaders coach Scott Robertson calls flanker Tom Christie “a machine”, opposition players no doubt refer to him as a pest.
That’s because the 24-year-old tackles like a demon, and is becoming an increasingly good operator when it comes to pilfering opposition ball.
Look no further than his 18 tackles and four steals against the Chiefs in Hamilton last weekend, when the red and blacks rolled to a 34-19 win.
Nobody makes more tackles than Christie.
His competition-leading 96 through five games is 20 more than the next best – Fergus Lee-Warner (Force) – and is a continuation of last year.
Christie led Super Rugby Aotearoa for tackles (42) when he dislocated his shoulder against the Blues last March, sidelining him for the rest of 2021.
“He’s a machine, loves that, he will just keep going, I think he keeps the tackle count in his head as he goes a long,” Robertson said ahead of last weekend’s clash against the Chiefs.
That might explain why Christie resembles a machine with boots, wiping out anything with a pulse, one by one.
Asked on Monday if he indeed kept track of his tally, the former New Zealand under-20s captain had the following to say.
“That’s actually a little bit of a mental work-on for me, to try and just stay in the zone rather than count anything on the go.
“The more I can focus on rugby and being instinctive on my game, the easier it is out there. If I’m counting my tackles too seriously it means I’m thinking about something other than rugby.”
Christie was instrumental in the Crusaders bossing the Chiefs at the breakdown in Hamilton, prompting Chiefs director of rugby Warren Gatland to concede they had their “pants pulled down” in an area they pride themselves in.
In addition to Christie’s four steals, fullback Will Jordan earned three penalties after swiftly getting his hands on the ball.
“It was special. I lived with Will for four years, maybe over that four years I might have taught him a thing or two. That kid has got a lot of talent, to see him get his head over the ball and get three penalties was pretty cool, I’m pretty stoked for him,” Christie said.
With an eye on Friday night’s home game against the desperate 0-5 Highlanders, Crusaders assistant coach Scott Hansen believed it was one of the best breakdown performances he could recall.
Having had their problems in the discipline department, the Crusaders were practically flawless, picking and choosing when to have a crack. They only conceded four penalties all night.
That’s a far cry from the double-digit penalty counts they’ve been criticised for in previous matches, and has Hansen asking his troops for more of the same at Orangetheory Stadium against the Highlanders.
“It was built around the mentality of physicality, and we had two in the collision, it gave us time to make decisions, then you’ve got a Tom Christie and those guys that are talented around where and how they put their head on the ball,” Hansen said
“They’re four or five weeks into a comp now, so they are feeling where the refs are at. It was a good night around that, the challenge for us is to continue that.”
Having played without Sam Whitelock, Joe Moody, Pablo Matera and Braydon Ennor last weekend, and with more than 60 per cent of the Crusaders hit by Covid-19, Hansen confirmed players were “filtering in daily” as they prepared for the South Island derby.
The statuses of lock Mitchell Dunshea (knee) and hooker Brodie McAlister (calf), both injured in Hamilton, was not yet clear.
