Pundits still can't bring themselves to rule out another Crusaders title
Pundits have suggested this may be the worst Crusaders team in the club’s history, but also refuse to count the team out when it comes to the business end of the season.
The Crusaders host the Chiefs this week with the threat of a sixth straight loss lingering, but plenty of unwanted history has already been referred to the record books this year.
In their loss to the Blues last weekend, the Crusaders ended a decade-long winning streak at Eden Park and relinquished what had been a suffocating grip on the rivalry’s stake.
As the team’s results worsen, the intimidation factor that has been so present for so long also decays. For the Blues, the win helps forge a new pathway into the future of Super Rugby, one without the dominance of one team.
“It wasn’t a monkey (on their back) for the first 40 (minutes), it was a gorilla,” Sir John Kirwin said on The Breakdown when asked how good it felt for the Blues to get the result. “And both sides played like it.
“For me, both teams were nervous. I’ve never seen a Crusaders side this poor. You cannot lose that many line-outs.
“Normally, you’d think they’d (the Blues) be way more dominant in the first half, but it was the second half where they came out and were just very good for that 40.”
Nine line-outs were lost by the Crusaders on their own throw, but that was only one of the headline figures to come from the match. A total of 44 missed tackles also exemplified the Crusaders’ uncharacteristic struggles.
There are a number of factors the pundits could attribute the Crusaders’ drastic turn in form to, but another former All Black put it candidly.
“If you put these two teams side-by-side on a piece of paper, there was only one result in this game,” Jeff Wilson added. “Pure and simple.
“There are All Blacks in that Blues forward pack; Patrick Tuipulotu came back, Ofa Tu’ungafasi, you’ve got Akira Ioane, you’ve got Hoskins Sotutu, Dalton Papali’i, the list goes on.
“This wasn’t a contest on paper that the Crusaders were ever going to win. If Levi Aumua had scored that try – it was a remarkable piece of defence from Caleb Clarke to get back for it – it would have closed the gap but I don’t think the Crusaders could have come back and won.
“Let’s be honest, we had a 22-year-old hooker throwing to two 21-year-old locks, calling the lineouts, that’s why it’s misfiring. Up against a Blues team, this wasn’t even close.”
Looking ahead, beyond the Chiefs, the Crusaders have a bye, then contests against the Waratahs, Force, Rebels and Reds. That’s a run of games Wilson expected the team to pick up some wins, if not make a clean sweep.
The pundit pointed out that it took five wins for the Reds to qualify for the playoffs last year, and if that were to be the golden number again this year, then that stretch of games would prove pivotal for the Crusaders’ playoff hopes.
By the time the playoffs come around, it could be a very different-looking XV that takes the field for the Crusaders.
Names like Tamaiti Williams, Codie Taylor, Scott Barrett, Quinten Strange, Ethan Blackadder, Fergus Burke and possibly Leigh Halfpenny could feature for the team, having played little or no minutes so far this season.
Wilson was adamant they could make for a nightmare quarter-final opponent.
“If they snuck in, if they found a way to get the five wins they need, you don’t want to play that team at full strength. You don’t want that game.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Now if they could just fire the Crusaders ground PA guy who likes to play his dance music and just loves the sound of his own voice the entire game, even when play is going on. And I thought their brass band thing of a few years ago was bad.
5 Go to commentsUnfortunately when you lose by far the two form players this season in Roigard and Aumua, you're left replacing two game changing Tanks with a couple of pea-shooters. Which is also about the speed of TJs pass.
2 Go to commentsBit rich coming from the guy with zero loyalty to anyone or any team, including happily taking a players place in a league world cup squad because well, SBW wanted to play in it and thus an already named player got told he was no longer going. And airing stuff like this, which may or may not be true, doesn't exactly say you're a stand up guy either SBW. Just looking to keep his name in lights as usual.
37 Go to commentsTamati Tua. …the Taniwha NPC midfielder. Ollie Sapsford, Hawkes Bay NPC midfielder…doing well
2 Go to commentsFiji deserve to be in the rugby championship, fans love seeing the Fijian national team play, the Fijian Drua is a wonderful idea but the players can still be stolen to play for NZ and AUS…
1 Go to commentsThe first concern for this afternoon are wheather forecast…
1 Go to commentsWhy cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
5 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
33 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
4 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
5 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
33 Go to comments