Braydon Ennor: Crusaders Centre previews the Super Rugby Pacific Final, talks long term plans

Even after winning five Super Rugby finals the special feeling of a decider hasn't faded for Crusaders centre Braydon Ennor. 

The 27-year-old has fought back from the serious knee injury that sidelined him last year, to be a regular starter again alongside David Havili in the midfield. 

He joined Nick Bewley ahead of the final clash. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Whether with Crusaders center Brandon in or Brandon I guess
for you individually, given the year you had the injury
set back back into twenty three, missing twenty four, how
satisfying is it to be back in a Super Rugby
Grand Final?

Speaker 2 (00:15):
Yeah?

Speaker 3 (00:16):
I guess Obviously a lot of work goes on behind
the scenes to get to the point where you can
play footy again. And thankful that the boys have been
performing throughout the year and lucky to tag on the
end and get into the Grand final year.

Speaker 1 (00:28):
What has been the catalyst for the Crusaders to get
to this point this season? Because you've been in successful
campaigns in the past, there's been some pretty heavy artillery
depart What is it about this group that's found a
way to get to this point.

Speaker 3 (00:42):
I think our four pack's really been stepping up, especially
in the depths when we're going deep on defense or
we need a scrum penalty, am all and NATSC Crusader footy,
isn't it you look back in the history. Also, our
tens have been really been stepping up this year and
driving the team well Taha when he was playing, and
Rivers really stepping into that role gin Us where we
need to be and putting us some right are in
the right areas.

Speaker 1 (01:03):
As I say, you went on the field last year,
but did you always have faith in this group that
particularly when will fit and able, you know you could
put together some of your best foot and be in
this position.

Speaker 2 (01:13):
Yeah, one hundred percent. I think.

Speaker 3 (01:14):
I think that comes from the culture that's built from
previous years. You know, obviously we had sort of seven
years of a run and then that year where we
didn't play too well and everyone sort of forgot about us.
But that sort of stuff doesn't go away. That's the
sort of stuff we built on and get back to
this year.

Speaker 1 (01:30):
Twenty twenty three Grand Final against the Chiefs. What do
you remember about that? Another game where it came down
to moments?

Speaker 2 (01:36):
Yeah, definitely.

Speaker 3 (01:37):
All these games are built on moments and how many,
how many you can win, how many can stack the
momentum you keep over the game, when you can stop
their momentum at certain points in the game, and where
you play your rugby playing in their half is definitely
going to be important.

Speaker 1 (01:53):
Reflecting on last week and the herculean effort it took
there defensively at the end, Like how much confidence is
that instill in the group that if required, and I
know you've you've made two hundred plus tackles a few
times over the last month or so, but if required,
you can, you can go that deep to get the
outcome you're after.

Speaker 3 (02:10):
Yeah, obviously fills us with confidence, and that's all about
that care piece that we talk about, you know, doing
it for each other, not giving away penalties and everyone
trying to make it tell everyone wants to be in
that moment where you make the game saving tackle or
make game saving turnover. So it's awesome to be in
those sort of trenches moments with the boys.

Speaker 1 (02:28):
Just on that and on the moments like an unfortunate
one for you in terms of you're trying to make
a spot tackle on the weekend. There's so much you
know so fast, and the body height of a ball
carry can change so quickly, Like how how kind of
cognizant are you? And the wider team around doing everything
in your power to not get yourself in those situations
even though it's incredibly difficult in a fast game.

Speaker 3 (02:49):
Yeah, obviously it's all about anticipation, you know, those are
the rules and obviously the tmos doing their job at
picking up ones that the ref haven't seen. So it's
definitely those are the moments we talk about as well,
like getting your body right, height, your body height right
and making the right tackle because as you can see,
those those can be game changing moments just.

Speaker 1 (03:10):
On I know, I think the last time we spoke
there's a bit of reporting around going to France and
things like that. Have you have you sorted that up?

Speaker 3 (03:18):
Yeah, I've signed back with the Crusaders this year, just
the one year no one's reported on yet.

Speaker 1 (03:23):
So there you go, scoop Ons. He'll be like, for
you being here, it's been a bit. I know you
come down from Auckland, but it's a place that means
a lot. Must must have weighed up, you know, not
wanting to leave.

Speaker 2 (03:33):
Oh it's a hard place to leave. Everyone talks about it.

Speaker 3 (03:35):
This is my home, you know, I've spent this my
this is a decade now down here, you know, move
down here as stupid eighteen year old, the busted knee
and done a lot of growing as a person as
an adult here. You know, I really love christ at
some Hamby stay here another year.

Speaker 1 (03:53):
So what would it mean Saturday if that full time
whistle blows and your champions.

Speaker 2 (03:58):
Oh, it's everything, mate, it leads.

Speaker 3 (04:00):
These are the games that everyone wants to play, you know,
it's a whole eight months of work goes into this
final game and we're lucky that there's twenty three of
us that get to go out and put a performance.
But it's for the whole Regents, for our whole team,
our family, our friends and everything.

Speaker 2 (04:13):
So really looking forward to it. Go ajusment for more
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Speaker 3 (04:21):
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