'That was just the complete performance': Do the Crusaders have a challenge on their hands?
Before the season kicked off, the Blues were considered by many to be the likeliest contenders to pose a problem to the Crusaders during this year’s Super Rugby Aotearoa season.
While they managed wins against the Hurricanes and Highlanders to kick off their campaign, things soon turned to custard for the Blues, with the Auckland-based side suffering defeats to the Crusaders (twice), Chiefs and Highlanders, leaving them out of contention for a finals spot before their last round match against an under-strength Chiefs even kicked off.
The win over the Chiefs gave the Blues some momentum, however, and they’ve carried that form into the new Super Rugby Trans-Tasman competition, where the slate was wiped clean and every time was on equal footing from the opening round.
Blues fans would have rejoiced at the performance their team put on the park against the Rebels in Melbourne, with the visitors scoring an impressive 50-3 victory and showcasing all the attacking talents they have at their disposal.
Speaking on the latest episode of the Aotearoa Rugby Pod, ex-Blues captain James Parsons has heaped praise on his former side for the ‘complete performance’ they showcased on Saturday night.
While there weren’t too many highlights in the first half, with penalties the only form of scoring until after the half-time hooter had sounded, the Blues buckled down and took control of a match that had some scrappy moments early on in the piece.
“It was a little bit scratchy, the first 30 minutes with a few errors,” Parsons acknowledged. “There were 11 unforced errors and most of those came in those 30 minutes but what I liked was the tactical shift and that patience.”
The Blues started the match by peppering the corners with kicks, forcing the Rebels to play out from their own 22 and forcing them to make countless tackles on defence.
It was that suffocating play that forced errors from the home side and ultimately allowed the Blues to build some scoreboard pressure, going up 12-3 before the first try.
The Blues were at fault earlier in the season of turning down 3-pointers on offer to instead try and score tries – which ultimately cost them their first game against the Chiefs. They didn’t make that same mistake against the Rebels, however.
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“We saw every time they got a penalty, they went for 3,” Parsons said. “Even from long distance, Zarn Sullivan’s got a good boot so they went for the long kick.
“At 12-3, although for the amount of ball they had and their tactical kicking game it didn’t show on the scoreboard, you knew the Rebels were being run around a lot. They were having to make a lot more tackles and you knew [the reward] was going to come at some stage and it was just before halftime, obviously, it clicked. And that flowed onto the second half.”
Once the Blues had taken control of the match, they shifted their focus – and that’s when the tries started raining down.
Parsons also praised the willingness for forwards and backs to interchange their roles while the set-piece was also a clear weapon for the Blues, dominating scrums and lineouts.
Perhaps the most impressive aspect of the performance, however, was their work on defence.
While scoring 50 points is an incredible feat, conceding zero tries is a rare accomplishment and something the Blues have managed just three times since 2015.
“Bryce Heem’s denied try is the best example of their defence,” said Parsons.
“Finlay Christy shoots out of a cannon at the back of that lineout and Rieko Ioane closes it off and puts [the Rebels players’] skillset under pressure and it obviously bounces up into Bryce Heem’s hand and gets a little knock on from Rieko but that was the defensive pressure all night that the Blues showed.
“Although all that beautiful stuff on attack that I’ve just spoken about was great, it was more on the other side of the ball that it was most impressive for me and that was just the complete performance – but it was all done about by working them down in that first forty minutes to be able to open the flood gates and finish on top of them.”
Parsons, however, didn’t want to lump any undue pressure on his former teammates and was pleased that forwards coach Tom Coventry came out after the match and acknowledged that there’s still a long way to go before the end of the season.
The Blues will hope to continue their momentum against the hapless Waratahs at Eden Park on Saturday evening.
Listen to the latest episode of the Aotearoa Rugby Pod below:
Comments on RugbyPass
Beautiful 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!
3 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 …
30 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.
3 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!😭😭😭 !!!
30 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
30 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
30 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to comments