Scotty Stevenson: The Crusaders won't fear the Ellis Park factor
Home advantage is a very real thing in the history of Super Rugby finals, but the Crusaders don’t mind a road trip, and won’t be worried about being away from home this weekend.
I hate to break it to you, but I can guarantee the Crusaders are completely okay with playing in Johannesburg this weekend. For starters, it’s damn cold in Christchurch. It’s also wet. So wet the AMI pitch probably won’t dry out until February. No one likes it cold and wet, unless you are talking about a beer. Johannesburg, on the other hand, is decidedly warm this time of year and it hasn’t rained there in winter since 1979. It’s just like a tropical paradise, with skyscrapers and hijackings.
Enough about that, though. We were talking about finals and home advantage and all that. For sure, home advantage seems to be a big deal in Super Rugby. In fact, only on five occasions in the 21 years of Super Rugby has an away team had the temerity to ruin the grand final party. The Crusaders ruined an actual party in 1999, ‘The Party At Tony Brown’s Place’, which, by the way remains the greatest name for a Super Rugby final ever. ‘The Fog Final’, used to describe the debacle between the Crusaders and Hurricanes in 2006, absolutely stinks by comparison. Surely ‘What We Mist’ or ‘The Caper in the Water Vapour’ would have been much better.
Yes, out of 21 finals, only five away teams have ever won. The Bulls did it against the Sharks in 2007 and then climbed the goalposts to celebrate. The Highlanders did it against the Hurricanes in 2015 when Marty F—-n’ Banks kicked a dropped goal. And, as you may have guessed by the tenor of this column, the Crusaders have dibs on the all the others. In fact, they did it for three consecutive seasons, first against the Blues (‘The Blues Cruise’?) in 1998, then at Tony’s place, and finally in Canberra against the Brumbies in 2000.
The Crusaders are the greatest travellers since Captain Cook, before he got what was coming to him. Not only have they thrice rained all over the home side’s parade, they are the only team ever to win a final outside their own nation’s borders. That they somehow stayed awake to achieve the feat in Canberra makes it all the more impressive.
They will have to hurdle a stinking pile of history if they hope to get the win this weekend. No team has ever won a final after crossing the Indian Ocean at any stage of the playoffs. And here we are blaming home town referees and easy draws. The Indian Ocean is the real culprit here. Is there an imaginary Suddenly Shit At Rugby Line that these teams fly through on the way to and from Africa? Kind of like the International Dateline but it’s your form that goes backwards. But if any team is going to spring over the stats, it is the Crusaders.
There are those who would claim that 60,000 screaming Lions fans will be too much for the visitors to handle. Please. Anyone who has ever paid a visit to the Cashel Street KFC at 3:00am on a Saturday morning could tell you there are far more intimidating places than a full Ellis Park. Thirty drunk Cantabrians ordering three-piece quarter packs – now that’s frightening. Besides, the Crusaders have lost just once in Johannesburg in the last four games there. Granted, three of those were played in front of a crowd that consisted solely of a couple of guys named Francois who just happened to remember the Lions were still a thing, but still…
Scream all you like, the Crusaders love a challenge. They are the Crusaders, after all. They are named after a group of pillaging raiders who loved nothing more than picking fights with people in faraway places.
No, the visitors will be fine at Ellis Park, no matter how big the crowd, how hard the field or how hot the day. Scott Robertson has breathed all new life into this team and they feel they have one punch still to throw. Regardless of how thin the air may be on the High Veldt, the Crusaders’ road tripping finals history will provide all the oxygen this team needs.
I just wish there was a word that rhymed with Ackermann. This final deserves a catchy name.
Comments on RugbyPass
Bar 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.
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.
35 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
35 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
35 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.
35 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. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. 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.
35 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.
35 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.
2 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.
35 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.
18 Go to comments