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Razor's admission: The Crusaders' big advantage before first game against Hurricanes
Crusaders coach Scott Robertson believes his side will have a slight advantage heading into their first game of Super Rugby Aotearoa this weekend against the Hurricanes.
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The three-time defending Super Rugby champions had a bye on the first weekend of the rejigged competition, which allowed the team to observe the interpretation of the new rules – particularly at the breakdown – and put them into practice in training.
Robertson said they were fortunate to observe how the other teams reacted to the new rules and how it played out on the field.
“When we saw the draw we just made the best of it. There’s going to be a little bit of an adjustment – you’ve got to adapt and learn as you go.
“We’re fortunate to have a good look at it but it’s rugby – some of those penalties aren’t avoidable. People just get caught in the wrong position. Our guys will do the best we can.”
There were close to 30 penalties in each of the two games last weekend, leading to more set pieces, which also plays to the Crusaders’ strengths.
“We haven’t seen that intensity for a while and were reasonably surprised,” Robertson said. “And obviously the speed of the game. But we’re just excited by how many lineouts there were. Because obviously there were penalties and a few kicks to the corner.
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“It’s a little bit of an adjustment to these interpretations around the breakdown so we get to have a look at it and we’ve been training for the last few weeks and we’ll give it our best.”
However, Robertson wasn’t getting too carried away and was aware that having an extra week off also provides several challenges.
“There’s an advantage in two ways. You learn by playing just as much as you can learn by watching. So we’ve got to make sure that we see the clear pictures that we were given. We know that they’re going to be extremely tough and hard around the breakdown.”
Former All Blacks speedster Joe Rokocoko has described it as bizarre seeing his ex-international teammate Dan Carter in Blues colours. #SuperRugbyAotearoa https://t.co/QQ0Qp46hDV
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) June 20, 2020
The Crusaders will be without captain Scott Barrett, who suffered a foot injury during a practice match in training.
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Robertson wasn’t sure about the extent of the injury but confirmed that the All Blacks lock hurt himself in a scrum and will be seeing a specialist.
But the 45-year-old coach was thankful for the depth at his disposal, with the return of Sam Whitelock into the starting lineup after his shortened Japanese sabbatical, as well as David Havilli and Ethan Blackadder to bolster the bench after recovering from long-term injuries.
Robertson was looking forward to getting back to business against a Hurricanes side looking to bounce back after an opening-round loss to the Blues.
“The Hurricanes are always extremely brutal matches,” he said. “We know the ferocity and the love we have between the two teams. They’re desperate straight away, aren’t they, after a loss.
“It’s a short, sharp sprint this and it just shows that the teams are winning at home. Your home games are really important and to win away is a big task. So they’ll be protecting their patch and we’re excited to get up there.”
Comments on RugbyPass
In the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getitng to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
5 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
7 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
5 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
55 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
7 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
54 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
11 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.
54 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.
7 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
54 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
55 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
54 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.
54 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.
18 Go to comments