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Blues should feast on the Crusaders with Beauden Barrett's cool head
In all honesty, I see the Crusaders fumbling and bumbling their way to defeat in one Super Rugby Pacific semi-final and the Chiefs thrashing the Brumbies in the other.
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No team has disappointed me more in 2025 than the Crusaders.
Last year was last year. A shambles from beginning to end, in which coach Rob Penney probably should’ve been made to walk the plank.
Having kept his job, though, I expected so much more from Penney and the team this season.
I expected a dour, territorial game. I expected a forward-orientated game plan and an emphasis on defence and goal kicking winning matches.
I’m afraid that every time I watch the Crusaders, I see a team determined to go around opponents. I see no respect for possession, no control from first five-eighth and set pieces that lack the solidity of Crusaders teams of old.
In short, I see a side that’s perhaps been fortunate to make it this far.
As I alluded to, that’s not what I want. In the interests of transparency, I want the CrusaderS to wipe the floor with everyone this year.
I just don’t see how they’re going to.
The Blues, by anyone’s measure, shouldn’t be in a semi-final. In any competition worth taking seriously, their 6-8 regular season record should’ve disqualified them from playoff participation.
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But here we are, with the Blues on the brink being able to defend their 2024 title. I put a lot of that down to the evolution of Beauden Barrett’s game. Put him at 10 for the Crusaders and I’d expect a far different result in Christchurch on Friday.
Put simply, Barrett no longer tends to do things that lose his team games.
He kicks well, he doesn’t push unnecessary passes and he ensures the attack is predominantly direct.
I see the Blues feasting on Crusaders’ errors and methodically building an impregnable points advantage.
The Chiefs, meanwhile, ought not to feel any pressure ahead of their clash with the Brumbies. Not so much because the opponents are unworthy, more because they’ve been let out of jail.
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Again, in any serious competition, last week’s defeat for the Chiefs would’ve been curtains.
Instead they’re a so-called lucky loser, with few consequences to fear this Saturday.
I’d expect them to play with freedom and finish as 20-point victors.
That wasn’t a throwaway line about the Blues earlier. Should this weekend’s games go as I’m suggesting, then I think the Blues will win the final.
For all the champagne rugby the Chiefs have played this year, they’re yet to convince anyone that they’re not mentally brittle. Last week’s loss to the Blues was ample evidence of that.
With the test season upon us, I’ve plenty of time to get back aboard my Damian McKenzie hobbyhorse. All I’ll say for now is that, if that guy can’t guide this Chiefs team – who we all seem to agree is the best in the competition – then he has no business ever playing at 10 for the All Blacks.
That’s all in the future. For now, I’m just excited that Super Rugby has finally reached its genuine knockout phase.
Enjoy the semis, everyone.
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Are you still disappointed with the “"fumbling and stumbling Crusaders”, Hamish?
Not so fumbling and bumbling it would seem! Saders for the win!!
Interesting comments and understandable for sure, it’s the Blues menace at the breakdown that needs to really fire in order to win. Certainly agree that Barrett is pivotal in getting a win. Sotutu may not be ‘good enough’ for the ABs, but what he may lack in some skills he makes up for in the huge effect in the forward pack. Bring it on
Crusaders 12plus
BB is the most overrated player of this generation. Yes, he was a freak at his peak, splitting teams open with pure pace at will. He was a genius, but always a flawed one at that. As his pace wains, or he chooses not to use it; he has become just a decent but overrated 10. It’s a shame, I used to be excited to see Barrett on the field, whether from the bench or starting, at 10 or 15. It didn’t matter. You knew something was going to happen.
But those days are gone, yet plenty seem to reminisce and can’t see the reality that Barrett is not the Barrett of the past. NZR recruits being one of those fans blind to his decay.
I doubt the Crusaders are trembling too much. They have good experienced forwards who will know if they take away BB’s time and space, he will gladly kick away the ball aimlessly all game.
There’s really no hope for you Hamish if after all this time, and all this talk, you haven’t learned what a good post season make up is.
That you also think the Blues will win the final despite you saying they will lose to the Crusaders also reflects perfectly the level of comprehension you seem to have when it comes to sport.
Ah yes, the very same Beauden that dived on a ball and bombed an easy try instead of kicking it forwards like he did in the 2015 RWC final. That Barrett?
What drug is this man on???. Firstly the Crusaders have beaten the Blues the last 3 times they have met. Secondly the Crusaders across the board actually involve all their players whereas the Blues have a narrow focus which a competent defence can thwart with comparative ease. Thirdly the Crusaders inside backs have the edge in combination backed up by a fine set of loosies. While BB is the best 1st 5 in the country the same can’t be said of his half back or outsides who rarely make an impact. Shut him down and what happens??
Yes the article makes no sense. Despite the talk about conditions you still want to play an all round game, using width and finding space. That’s what Bidwell ironically acknowledges they at being good at this year without recognizing it. Blues were barely good enough last week against a very one dimensional team, I like their chances, but it’s going to be nowhere near as easy this weekend.
I have always liked Bidwell as a journalist. But he is completely wrong on this one. Against the Reds , the conditions were horrendous. As they will against the Blues, Ethan Blackadder, Tom Christie and Christian Lio-Willie completely dominated there Wallaby opposites. Rivez Reihana is going so well at 10. Will Jordan is back ,we kno how good he is. Johnny McNicoll did so well when he was out. Beauden , Caleb ? Yeah nah!! He forgot about the Blues below average effort in round robin and were lucky to make it.
Oh dear . . .
Barrett no longer does things that lose his side games??? I can’t ever remember that happening. Whatever you’re popping is stuffing your head. What will lose this game for the Blues is the incessant and stupid boxkicks from Christie.
Brave man! The Blues/Crusaders may be a coin toss, but a 20 point win for the Chiefs over the Brumbies? Man for man, the Brumbies front up - I’d have their front row over the Chiefs, at least one of their locks, Bobby V over Finau any day, or shift Hooper to No 6 and play BV at 8. The Lonegan/Lolosio combo is a match for Ratima/McKenzie, (Lonegan’s kicking was the best last week) and you’d have to have Ikitau and Tom Wright ahead of the Rona and Stephenson, wouldn’t you? What odds a Blue/Burmbies final at Canberra? That’d be rough justice for Reece’s knock on that deprived the Brumbies of a home semi.
Agree Brumbies quality Chiefs are quality Saders are quality Blues are quality and R.I.P my beloved Canes are quality any of these 5 teams could win this comp legit apologies to Reds and rest not quite there yet ..no clear standout any of the games reckon will come down to what happens on day, I like Finau btw but yea Bobby V is the man
Possibly one of the most ill informed articles I’ve read in some time. BB has been below average again this year and has continued his aimless kicking routine that Bidwell seems to rate. It’s no surprise that Clarke and Talea have barely been sighted as BB hardly passes. Rehaina has contributed more this season in only 5 games that BB all year. Saturday will see BB once again kick the ball away and wilt under the pressure of the Crusader forwards.
Brilliant comments. Rivez is going so well.Well done.
I think the Blues as a whole are too physical to wilt under the pressure Saders forwards minus one The mighty Tanaiti big out for them Blues def got more physical presence than Saders ..Reihana and Hotham will need more of an armchair ride by the low numbers than Beaudie will …both teams could easily. An el each other out and Beaudie might throw some rocks but sooner or later against any opponents he produces pure diamonds