1
Dual international believes Crusaders can still be a threat in the playoffs
If the Crusaders can turn their season around and claim a spot in the Super Rugby Pacific playoffs then other teams may need to watch out according to dual international Mat Rogers.
ADVERTISEMENT
Defending champions the Crusaders currently sit second-last on the ladder with a surprising 1-6 record. The Western Force are the only team below them, and that’s who they’ll face in a decisive clash at Perth’s HBF Park on Saturday.
The Crusaders are coming off a heartbreaking golden point defeat to the NSW Waratahs in Sydney but they have a chance to make sure their trip across the Tasman isn’t for nothing in probably their most important game so far.
Rob Penney’s men can leapfrog the Highlanders and Waratahs into ninth place with a win out west, which would then place them just a couple of points out of a spot in the top eight.
Former Wallaby Mat Rogers, who also represented the Australia Kangaroos in rugby league, would be “nervous” to tip against the Crusaders if they manage to work their way up the ladder and into a playoff-qualifying position.
“Well I can’t believe the Crusaders are in this position,” Rogers said on Stan Sports’ The Night Before Gameday.
“I thought after their first win, okay this will be something that’ll get them over the hump.
“You know what still fascinates me? They’re two games out of the eight – that’s it, only two games out of the top eight. If they get to the eight, I’d be nervous to be against them.”
ADVERTISEMENT
After their worst-ever start to a season in team history, the Crusaders showed signs of life in a statement win over the high-flying Chiefs in Hamilton at the end of last month.
Head-to-Head
Last 4 Meetings
Wins
1
Draws
0
Wins
3
Average Points scored
22
36
First try wins
50%
Home team wins
75%
It was the result they needed going into a bye week, but they weren’t able to repeat those heroics in the end against a valiant Waratahs outside at Allianz Stadium one week ago.
Wing Sevu Reece scored inside the opening minute as the Crusaders got off to an idyllic start in Sydney, but the Waratahs – to their credit – just wouldn’t go away.
Replacement Will Harrison scored an 83rd-minute penalty goal to send the contest to extra time, and the fly-half was the hero once again with a drop goal to win it shortly after.
ADVERTISEMENT
But there are positives to take out of it for the Crusaders, including a rapid double to Reece. The All Black has been named to start in the No. 14 jumper against the Western Force.
“The only time they’ve had a horrible season was right back when the comp first started in ’96,” former Wallaby Justin Harrison added.
“You’ve got blokes like Sevu Reece, unbelievable with the ball and also without the game… he comes in looking for work, six tries this season.
“That’s the thing about New Zealand sides, they get half a chance, guys like Sevu Reece (get) half a chance – points. Nine times out of ten.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Forget the 85kg bit, that can become something else. However I do like the one off test on ANZAC day idea. SR plays Fri/ Sat, test players travel Sunday and the squads have the full week together before playing Saturday. Rest of SR has a week off. Either involve women's teams in same location or in the other country and rotate annually. Herbert is right in that change is needed.
3 Go to commentsI’ve read loads of nonsense before but this article takes the cake. Or perhaps someone changed the date for April Fool's Day.
3 Go to commentsReally Rugbypass? Ben Smith I think you forgot what the Springboks did to the All Blacks at Twickenham 8 weeks earlier? Springboks 35 All Blacks 7. There is alot of ifs and buts in your article. The All Blacks threw the sink at the Springboks and unfortunately they were not good enough regardless if they played with 14 men or not. It was the Springboks who forced the All Blacks to make mistakes! Sorry but not Sorry the Springboks is the best ever Rugby World Cup Nation in the world. 4 Cups baby!
164 Go to commentsYou just backed the Boks with that fantastic review! Well done! Have some cake!
164 Go to commentsBen Smith please write up something better than this. The Springboks would have won the world cup if you were 15 men on the field. They would have found a way, they always find a way to beat the All Blacks.
164 Go to commentsWow, there is a lot of “could have” and “ should have” in this waist of time dribble. I love the deportation in this story to search for a glimpse at a silver lining. Here are the facts, NZ was a badly coached and undisciplined shadow of their former glory. They never took the lead in a game they were never going to win.
164 Go to commentsGOTTA MAKE ‘THE GEORGE’ HAPPEN!!!! That’s a great idea! A trans Tasman midget battle on ANZAC Day. I don’t think the ABs Wallabies game should be a one off winner takes all though, just the first match with the other two later in the year with the RC. Reason being, no one will ever shut up about how aussies couldn’t win it when it was a 3 match series.
3 Go to comments@Ben smith. Thats knock out rugby. So honeslty who cares?
164 Go to commentsIt will interesting to know which Irish players said that…
1 Go to commentsNaaaww boys will be boys! Now run along ya wee scamp! Don’t let us catch you at again😏
1 Go to commentsGreat to have Ethan Blackadder back in the Crusaders in the last few weeks. One of the best all round loose forwards around. He played so well last week against the Rebels. Fantastic attitude Ethan has and his comments are spot on.
2 Go to commentsThe author is 100% right. The Springboks know that they don't have near the natural attraction, mana, skill and mystic the All Blacks have. So, Chasing the sun 1 & 2 was concocted to overblow the Boks image on the back of a corruptly obtained “win". It's marketing ploy to force the Boks delusion as the World's Best. I guess World Rugby is also not to be believed when it came out with an apology about how the final was officiated. And if the 2023 final such a superb game by the Boks, then the Boks crying about Referee Bryce Lawrence for decades is also deserves a laugh. Chase the sun and get burned like a moth. A very well written literary piece that tore the Boks and Chasing the sun farce to shreds. 🖤All Blacks🏉
164 Go to commentsI’d say France was far more hard done by in the 2011 final than the All Blacks in this game. Joubert simply refused to call a penalty against the All Blacks in the last quarter even directing an All Black to drop a ball he picked up in an offside position rather than penalizing him. This article also totally discounts the efforts of PSTD. Ask Jordie how well he played. Or the backup flank who played hooker for the entire game. Siya was also a brilliant tackle by Richie from scoring a blinder. Pollard was also fantastic. Look I don’t like the boks style but the only thing more questionable than the content of this article is the timing of it. Get over it already
164 Go to commentsDad Marty was also a handy rugby player for Linwood back in the day. Great bloke. Sensational softball career.
2 Go to commentsWhat ifs are always dangerous. If you look at the game before Sam cane got sent of SA was dominating. You could make the argument the going down to 14 men rallied the troops and made them have to play to win which is always dangerous.
164 Go to commentsOmg… you are bruised And battered Benny. Stop crying … the scoreboard speaks. What a pathetic lover you are.. 🤣🤣🤣
164 Go to commentsPacific Lions, cry me a river
164 Go to commentsThis is the single worst piece of journalism I have ever seen since your last one. As a neutral, who really states that there should be an asterisk next to a win? You are an utter embarrassment to real AB fans, journalism and that joke of a house which pays you for this nonsense. Get a life, Ben.
164 Go to commentsGuys. Cancel the World Cup champions after this analysis. It changes everything. Ben knows. We’ll have to unengrave the Bokke off the trophy and hand it to the ABs, now that I’ve been enlightened about this illegitimate win. This needs to be done. Now!
164 Go to commentsBen is right here though, Springboks were woefully poor with the advantage they had throughout this game. The France match was heroic because that was an even contest this match had it taken place in Rugby Championship would have been an easy win for NZ. If anything this match should tell the Bok coaches that a lot of this team should be changed. They beat this same NZ team by record margin with the same circumstances but with a different core. They bring back the tried and tested guys and they nearly botch this game.
164 Go to comments