{"id":380370,"date":"2024-03-29T10:55:51","date_gmt":"2024-03-29T11:55:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/?p=380370"},"modified":"2024-03-29T21:03:41","modified_gmt":"2024-03-29T21:03:41","slug":"heros-fairytale-homecoming-ends-crusaders-rotten-run","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/?p=380370","title":{"rendered":"Hero's 'fairytale' homecoming ends Crusaders' rotten run"},"content":{"rendered":"

Johnny McNicholl's first start for the Crusaders<\/a> since returning to New Zealand after a stint in Wales will be one to remember.<\/p>\n

The 33-year-old starred in his return to Christchurch, scoring two tries in their 37-26 drought-breaking win.<\/p>\n

McNicholl was on the wing when he scored his first try and then intercepted a Chiefs<\/a> pass to score nab his second try in what was a fairytale comeback.<\/p>\n

Watch all the action from the 2024 Super Rugby Pacific season, with<\/strong><\/em> every match ad-free, live and and on demand on Stan Sport<\/strong><\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

The win is a timely one for the Crusaders with their bye week giving them time to reflect on the much-needed victory.<\/p>\n

"I'm really happy," said McNicholl.<\/p>\n

\"Johnny<\/p>\n

"It's awesome to play in front of family again for the first time in seven years, so that was special in itself. To get the win is so awesome.<\/p>\n

"The message in the week was just throw some punches. We felt the first five games we haven't thrown those punches so we just come out, tapping it, having a crack, and I just wanted to be a part of it, so I was just trying to get my hand on the nut."<\/p>\n

McNicholl admitted he never thought he would play for the Crusaders again after moving to the other side of the world to play for Scarlets in the United Rugby Championship.<\/p>\n

The Christchurch-born winger and fullback made 10 appearances for Wales.<\/p>\n

https:\/\/twitter.com\/SuperRugby\/status\/1773598366129111377<\/a><\/p>\n

"(It was) the fairytale I would love, but I never thought it would happen," he explained.<\/p>\n

"It was a really quick turnaround. I only got in the country three weeks ago and my kids only got in a week ago.\u00a0<\/p>\n

"It was a phone call (then) in a week pack up the house, and off I went first and then the kids two weeks later. I didn't expect it to happen, the timing was right and it seemed like a good opportunity to come home and play again."<\/p>\n

\ufeffStand-in captain Tom Christie labelled it a statement win.<\/p>\n

"It's amazing," he said.<\/p>\n

https:\/\/twitter.com\/SuperRugby\/status\/1773633276088901669<\/a><\/p>\n

"The boys, they fronted tonight. I think one through 23 really lifted from what we've had in the past.<\/p>\n

"it just shows, a little bit of adversity with stuff internal… we've got a long way to go yet, we can acknowledge that, but it was a step in the right direction.<\/p>\n

"It was just a sense of freedom. Obviously, there's been a little bit (said) in the media if you chose to read it. The shackles were off.<\/p>\n

"We just wanted to come out here and play Crusaders rugby and I think we showed that. We showed when we play that we're a dangerous team." \ufeff<\/p>\n

The Crusaders' next match is in Sydney against the Waratahs in round eight on April 12.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Johnny McNicholl's first start for the Crusaders since returning to New Zealand after a stint in Wales will be one to remember. The 33-year-old starred […]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":380374,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/380370"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=380370"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/380370\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":380376,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/380370\/revisions\/380376"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/380374"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=380370"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=380370"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=380370"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}