Havili pens Crusaders deal
The young Havili will add some of his trademark flair to the Crusaders backline again next season which will be his third season in the squad.
He debuted in 2015 and went on to earn 11 caps that season despite being in the wider training group. He stepped up another gear in 2016, and Crusaders head coach Scott Robertson suspects that is still only a hint of the talent that this young player possesses.
"David [Havili] is a joy to watch play, with his combination of grit and grace. At just 21 years of age and only three years into his professional career, [Havili] has very quickly made his mark, but I believe that the best is yet to come. I look forward to working with him next season and seeing him continue to develop into the formidable player I know he is going to be," Robertson said.
Havili hails from the upper end of the Crusaders catchment and launched his professional career with Tasman in the 2014 National Provincial Competition. He is the son of former Nelson Bays winger Bill Havili and he grew up in Motueka, playing his junior rugby for the Huia Club then making his way through the age grades at Motueka High School before switching to Nelson College for his final year. He also got a taste of international rugby when he made the New Zealand Under-20 squad as an injury replacement for the 2014 Junior World Championship.
Havili said it was a straightforward decision to re-sign with the team that launched his Super Rugby career.
"As a Tasman boy, I am proud to be able to represent my province in both the provincial competition and in Super Rugby. I feel honoured every time I pull the Crusaders jersey on, so there was no question that I would want to continue pulling it on for the next few years. I am thrilled to have confirmed my contract through to 2019 and I am excited about regrouping with the team in about six weeks to start preparing for the 2017 season," Havili said.
