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Ex-All Black ranks Blues ahead of Crusaders as team to beat in Super Rugby Pacific
Former All Blacks wing Jeff Wilson has ranked the Blues ahead of the Crusaders as the team to beat in Super Rugby Pacific.
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Speaking on The Breakdown, Wilson listed the top five teams in his Super Rugby Pacific power rankings, with the Blues edging the Crusaders at the summit of his list.
It comes after the Auckland-based franchise kept the Chiefs scoreless for the first time in Super Rugby history when they beat their local rivals 25-0 at FMG Stadium Waikato in Hamilton last Saturday.
That victory, according to Wilson, was highly impressive and underlined the breadth of depth and quality throughout Leon MacDonald’s squad.
The former 60-test international added that, after that win, the pressure is now on the Blues claim the inaugural Super Rugby Pacific title after having ended their 18-year championship drought by winning Super Rugby Trans-Tasman last year.
“This was difficult, but I’m going to do it. Clearly it’s the Blues,” Wilson told The Breakdown while explaining why the Blues topped his power rankings.
“For you to go down to FMG Stadium, to take on the Chiefs in such good form… to see Beauden Barrett doing this [setting up tries], to see them defending the way that they’re defending, the pressure’s on them now to deliver on a title.
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“That’s what the pressure is at. They delivered half a title last year. They’ve got their opportunity to deliver the full one.
“Their squad is strong. They’ve got Roger Tuivasa-Sheck coming back. Akira Ioane will be back. They’ve got depth, their young guys are stepping up, they’ve got everything they need to be a champion.”
Wilson’s claim that the Blues are currently the best team in the competition left the Crusaders in second spot on his power rankings, despite the Christchurch-based franchise having the same win-loss record as the Blues this season.
With six wins from seven matches, the Crusaders – who have won five titles in as many years under the guidance of head coach Scott Robertson – trail the second-placed Blues only by points differential.
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That sets up a blockbusting clash between the traditional foes at Orangetheory Stadium this Friday, which the Crusaders remain warm favourites to win.
However, that didn’t stop Wilson from ranking them behind the Blues as he believes the Crusaders aren’t as dominant as they have been in recent years.
In saying that, Wilson made note that Robertson’s side are yet to reach their best this year and predicted they will get better as the season goes on.
“Remembering this is our defending Super Rugby champions. When we had a full competition, this was the team that was unbeatable,” Wilson told The Breakdown of the Crusaders.
“I don’t think they’re as dominant with ball in hand this year as they have been. They’re not doing it as easy.
“We’ve seen in the last two weeks, they’ve been pushed right to the brink, remembering they’re missing the likes of Sam Whitelock. This guy [Will Jordan] has been in fantastic form.
“I see them at the moment, they’re not playing their best rugby, but doing enough to win. They will get better. I’m expecting them to open up.”
The Chiefs rounded out the top three on Wilson’s top five power rankings, which also featured Australia’s top two teams, the Reds and Brumbies.
Wilson reserved plenty of praise for the Reds and Brumbies, the latter side of which currently sits at the summit of the Super Rugby Pacific table.
“At number five, I have the Brumbies. Why do I have the Brumbies? Because they’ve done it. They’re on top of the table, they’re the fifth team at the moment I see being competitive,” Wilson told The Breakdown.
“What we know is they’re accurate, they’re disciplined, they’ve got plenty of experience, they’re consistent in their performances every season.
“They continue to play and play well, they can rely on their set piece, they’re a side that will learn from their experiences last year against the New Zealand teams, so you’ve got to say they’re going well.
“Brad Thorn’s doing a fantastic job in Australia with the Reds side. They were dominant against the Brumbies at home.
“Both of these teams have shared one apiece this season, but with James O’Connor leading the ship, they’re a team that have got plenty of talent, the likes of [Filipo] Daugunu, the likes of [Jordan] Petaia, plenty to like across their loose forward trio as well.
“They’re fronting up and fronting up well.”
Wilson added that while injuries to the likes of Brodie Retallick and Anton Lienert-Brown may hurt the Chiefs’ title chances this season, the Hamilton-based outfit remain a strong chance at challenging for the Super Rugby Pacific title.
“This has changed, the top three, since Friday. The Chiefs are at three, and why do I still see them there? I think they’re playing the quality and type of rugby I think is going to stress the Australian teams and they can get on a run with some momentum.
“Then you think about the way they’ve performed to date in this competition. They’ve been exciting to watch, they’ve had some standout players.
“They’re missing a couple of key guys at the moment – Brodie Retallick, no Tupou Vaa’i, big loss in Anton Lienert-Brown. That might hurt them later on in the season, but they’ve always been a side that have had players step up.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Don’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
9 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
33 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
33 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
33 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
33 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
33 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
33 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
1 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
33 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
17 Go to commentsNot good to hear Ulster described as “financially troubled”. Did not think it was getting to that level. I would hope the Irish system of spreading players of talent away from Leinster would kick in now. Better to have a Leinster fringe player with Ulster or Connacht, then getting only a few games a season in Dublin. 10, for example, would seem to be a case for spreading the talent. I would not be at all adverse to a SA man coming in as head coach/DR. Ludeke is worth trying. Certainly got a long and impressive coaching career at this level…..149 games in SR, then Japan, 30 years experience. And Ulster’s ledger of successful SA coaches and players is on the positive side. Is talk of Ruan Pienaar interested in coming back as a coach…..could be a good combination with Ludeke. And Pienaar and family would have no settling in to do, one would judge. He loved life in Ulster when there, by all reports.
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