'I know we're disliked immensely': Was the whole country rooting for an upset in the Super Rugby Aoteroa final?
You don’t make it to the top without acquiring a few enemies along the way – but Crusaders coach Scott Robertson suspects there were more than just a few folk around the country rooting for an upset result in last night’s Super Rugby Aotearoa final.
The Crusaders are far and away the most successful side in Super Rugby’s history, winning 10 Super Rugby titles throughout the competition’s 24-year existence.
They’ve now added two Super Rugby Aotearoa crowns to their ledger following last night’s 24-13 win, and given the relative youth of their team, there doesn’t appear to be any stopping the Crusaders juggernaut.
Much like the unstoppable Auckland and Blues sides of the 1990s, that’s produced some frustration for fans of their opposition, who are often left wondering when their teams will finally get a shot at glory.
As such, Robertson was under no illusions heading into the grand final over where most viewers’ allegiances would have laid. Bar those from the South Island, northwards of North Otago, the majority of New Zealand would have almost certainly thrown their support behind the underdog Chiefs, who turned around an 11-match losing streak to book a spot in the final in Christchurch.
Samuel Whitelock was a man possessed. #CRUvCHI #SuperRugbyAotearoa @CrusadersRugbyhttps://t.co/trqwlwRiJI
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) May 9, 2021
“I know we’re disliked immensely, but I’d like to think we’re respected for what we’ve done,” said Robertson after the match.
“You have to stay hungry for so long, and put your body through it for so long and turn up every day. We have to get better as a team to keep winning.”
Despite lining up for their fifth title on the trot, Robertson wasn’t counting his chickens before they hatched. The Chiefs, after all, recorded five wins in a row this season, only ceding that run when they fielded a makeshift side against the Blues last weekend.
They also bested the Crusaders last time the two met.
“I was nervous – I know how good they are,” Robertson said.
"If you need someone to create a hole in the opposition midfield, you give the ball to Leicester Fainga’anuku. If you’re looking for someone to glide through one, then David Havili is your man."#SuperRugbyAotearoa #CRUvCHI #AllBlacks
?? @TomVinicombe https://t.co/jFJ1DwW0kR
— The XV Rugby (@TheXV) May 8, 2021
“We had to be at our best – at times we were against the ropes and all the leadership stuff we do, making the right calls and staying present, showed tonight.
“There was a lot of emotion in the box…we were in all sorts for a bit – I think the players were a bit calmer.”
The Crusaders were down to 13 men at one stage after both Codie Taylor and Sevu Reece were shown yellow cards for dangerous tackles but the normally reliable Damian McKenzie couldn’t convert opportunities into points and the Crusaders eventually marched their way to their 12th title.
Now, the Crusaders’ attention turns to the Brumbies – who fell agonisingly short of winning Super Rugby AU but conceded a post-buzzer try to James O’Connor, handing the Reds a come from behind victory. The old rivals will square off in Christchurch on Saturday night.
The top two teams from the upcoming Super Rugby Trans-Tasman competition will play in a sudden-death match at the end of the season to decide the overall winner, and the Crusaders will be aiming to add a second trophy to their cabinet for 2021.
“I’m really proud to coach this team,” said Robertson, “but it’s only half the season done.”
Comments on RugbyPass
I do not really get why put Ollivon at 6 when he’s a 7, while Cros was the best Frenchman of the tournament, playing at…6. His only game replacing Aldritt at 8 doesn’t change much in terms of his impact. Lamaro was also outstanding in that brilliant Italian side, probably better than Reffell. So putting 2 Welsh players from the wooden spoon holders, and none of the 4th nation (Scotland) is also strange. Is it about showing that in this harsh transition Wales is, there were some standouts…?
6 Go to commentsThe events at this year’s six nations should undermine many of the arguments made against promotion and relegation between the six nations and the REC. If Italy had been allowed to yo-yo between divisions it conceivably could have really hurt their development, but if Italy, Wales, and Scotland are all at risk of relegation, with none of them being relegated more often than once every 3 or 4 years, you’d have to back all of them to muddle on through it, especially when you factor in the likelihood they’ll still be guaranteed world league matches against tier 1 opponents. Another way of looking at italys resurgence would be to say that the development model of adding an extra team to the six nations has worked, and now must be done again. Georgia could join to make it a 7 team round robin, and if and when Georgia demonstrate an ability to consistently win games, Portugal can also be added to make it an 8 team 2 conference competition. Frankly at this point I think it falls to world rugby to demand that the 6N act in the interests of the game. If the 6N won’t commit to expansion then the 6N teams should be handicapped in world cup draws (i.e. world cup seedings would not be based on their ranking points, but on their ranking points minus a 5 point penalty).
4 Go to commentsSteve Borthwick deserves credit for releasing the shackles on his England side and letting them play in a manner that somewhat resembles the top sides in the Gallagher Premiership. Will they revert to type in New Zealand in July.?
27 Go to commentsJames Lowe wouldn't get in any other 6N team. He's a great example of Farrell’s brilliance, and the Irish system. He is slow. His footwork is poor. But he fits perfectly in that Irish system, and has a superb impact. But put him in another team, and he'll look bang average.
6 Go to commentsCrusaders reached their heights through recruitment of North Island players, often leaving those NI teams bereft of key players. Example: Scott Barrett and Sam Whitelock robbed the Canes of their lineout and AB locks. For years the Canes have struggled at lock. This rabid recruitment was iniated by rule changes by a Crusader dominated NZR Head Office. Now this aggressive recruitment has back-fired, going after young inside back Hamilton Boys stars. They now have 4 Chiefs region 10s and not one with the requisite experience at Super level. Problems of their own making!
2 Go to commentsOver rated for a long time…exposed at scrum time too.
3 Go to comments“Firing me” should have been Gatland’s answer.
2 Go to commentsFinn Russell logic: “World” = 4 countries. Ireland may be at or near the top. FR’s bigger concern should be he and his fellow Scots (incl. the Bloemfontein ones) sliding back down to below top 10
42 Go to commentsMind games have begun. Ireland learned their lesson after saying they could beat England with 13 players or whatever. Still, if they win at Loftus, that would be impressive - final frontier etc.
58 Go to comments$950k for a Prop that isn’t fit enough to play 10 mins of rugby? Surely there is someone better to replace Big Mike with
3 Go to commentsFour Kiwis in that backline. A solid statement on the lack of invention, risk-taking and joy in the NH game; game of attrition and head- banging tedium. Longterm medical problems aplenty in the future!
6 Go to commentsGood article, I learnt quite a lot. A big sliding door moment was in the mid 00s when they rejected Steve Anderson's long term transformation and he wrote Ireland's strategy instead.
2 Go to commentsHi Dr Nick! I'm worried that I've started to enjoy watching England and have actually wanted them to win their last two games. What would you prescribe? On a more serious note, I've noticed that the standard of play in March is often better than early February. Do you think this is because of the weather or because the players have been together for longer?
27 Go to commentsMy question in all this brett is who is going to wear the consequences of these actions? Surely just getting the sack isn’t sufficient? A teenager working the till at woolies would probably get taken to court if they took $20 out of the till. You mean to tell me that someone can spend $2.6 million and get away with it? Where was it spent? What companies/people were the beneficiaries etc? How is it just being talked about as an ‘oopsie’ and we all just move on and not a matter of the court for gross negligence, fraud, take your pick…
20 Go to commentslove Manu too but England have relied on him coming back from injury for far too long and not sorted the position with someone else long term . It will be a blessing he has gone . Huge shame he was so injury prone . God speed Manu .
3 Go to commentsI agree with Ben Smith about Brett Cameron. The No. 6 position has to be a monster and a genuine lineout option, like Ollivon, Lawes (now Chessum), Du Toit, etc. The only player who fits that bill right now is Scott Barrett. A fit and fizzing Tuipolotu together with one of the young towers, Sam Darry or Josh Lord, would give Razor the freedom to play Barret at 6.
16 Go to commentsOutstanding article, Graham. Agree with all of it. And enjoy the style of writing too (particularly Grand Slap!).
3 Go to commentsI wouldn't pay a cent for that loafer. He just stands around, waiting for play to come his way. He won't make the Wallabies.
3 Go to commentsGood bit of te reo maori Nic. Or is that Niko or Nikora? On the theme of trees the Oaks v Totara. Game plan would be key. I have one but it would cost you.
27 Go to comments> Shaun Edwards’ You should not have to score 30 points to win a game, as exciting as it is. This statement was surprising to me. It is nonsensical .I guess it is a defence coach speaking. But head coach, defence and attacking coaches all work together. They are inseparable. You score more than the opposition to win. It only needs to be one score. You score whatever the game demands, whatever the opposition demand. You defend whatever it takes. The attack coach needs to be able to clock up 30pts if need be.
27 Go to comments