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The Blues' big work on ahead of crunch showdown with Crusaders
The Blues may have survived a late-game onslaught from the Brumbies but they face a somewhat more formidable challenge next weekend when the Crusaders come to town.
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The Brumbies came within a whisker of grabbing a shock victory on Saturday night, succumbing 20-19 after finding themselves 13 points at the halftime break. Had the Brumbies been able to pull off the heist, they would have become the first Australian side to ever score a victory in a New Zealand-hosted Super Rugby play-off match.
The Crusaders, on the other hand, have enjoyed plenty of success at Eden Park in recent year. In fact, not since 2014 have the Blues tasted victory over the Crusaders in Auckland.
Although the Blues will enter next Saturday’s fixture as the top-seeded side and did manage to score a win in Christchurch earlier this season – their first in almost two decades – it would take a brave man to suggest the home side will be favourites to take home the crown, given the Crusaders’ exceptional finals pedigree.
One way or another, however, the match-up is one that many fans have been eyeing up for some weeks now – and should serve as a fitting finale to the first-ever edition of Super Rugby Pacific.
“It’s the game that everyone’s wanted and that we want,” Blues captain Beauden Barrett said following the victory over the Brumbies.
“Obviously, [we’re] a little bit relieved about tonight but also satisfied. We bounced back really well in the first half there, showed that we play some good rugby. Obviously the conditions and a little bit of discipline let them back into the game tonight but they’re a quality side and they’ll never go away, the Brumbies.
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“Now that we’ve put them to bed, the thought of next week’s pretty exciting.”
It’s that discipline that could prove the Blues’ undoing if the Auckland side aren’t careful.
The Blues lost two players to the sin-bin in the second half of the semi-final, hooker Kurt Eklund and flanker Adrian Choat, while they were at risk of seeing another man receive his marching orders late in the piece when the penalties started racking up while on the defence deep inside their 22.
When the Brumbies scored their third try of the match – and their second from a driving maul – the Blues forwards almost seemed to step back and accept an inevitable score for fear of being penalised and having to forge ahead with another man on the sidelines. The Crusaders, like the Brumbies, boast an impressive driving maul and if the Blues are forced to play with men in the bin next Saturday, they could find themselves under immense pressure.
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“The couple of yellow cards there, both for poor tackles and then a few compounding penalties, we were under the pump there with maul defence and so on,” said Barrett. “All in all, I think our defence is pretty good in the middle parts of the field so it’s just about keeping them out discipline-wise and we were aware of their threats in that area and we know how clinical they are so that’s kind of what it came down to, just trying to hold them out there.
“I think we’ve had a lot of good ‘what if?’ moments in the last two weeks and we need to learn well from those moments in order to be a little bit more clinical against a quality Crusaders side. So how well we review will be important and there’ll be some good lessons there tonight, particularly around the last 30 minutes and closing out the game and how important discipline will be.
“There’s a little bit of relief that we got away with it tonight but there’s also a lot of satisfaction in working hard for each other, trusting each other. We’ve done it all season.”
Despite playing in their first full-competition final since way back in 2003, Barrett says the Blues won’t make any significant changes to the week in preparation for the big dance on Saturday night.
“We need to be confident – absolutely,” he said. “We’ve got to keep doing what we’ve been doing all season and that’s preparing really well, enjoying our week and just giving it our best shot because that’s what we’ll be doing next week, coming out here, enjoying the occasion and if our best shot isn’t good enough, that’s the way it’ll be.
“It’s so excitiing to get the opportunity and pretty sure it’ll be a near full house next week and what more could we ask as a Blues player?”
Comments on RugbyPass
I've never been convinced that Patty T is a test match all black. Otherwise I probably agree it's the best side available to beat the poms. Caveat that Codie Taylor is yet to be seen and could very likely warrant selection by June. I hope that Razor brings the young loosies, half backs and locks into the training squad and develops/ selects the best
7 Go to commentsYou doing the same thing I disliked about the example of Samisoni Taukei'aho, Nick. He’s great the way he is, you’re trying to do what modern-day coaches frustrate me doing, turning everyone into the perfect athlete. Next thing you’ll be telling me you’ll bench him until he’s hit that arbitrary marker, and can’t overtake the current guy who’s doing all his workons. He’s a young Kieran Read, through and through, plays wide and has threat, mainly (and evident in your clips) through his two hand carry and speed. Just let him work on that, or whatever he wants, and determine his own future. Play God and you risk the players going sideways, like Read did, instead of being a Toutai Kefu. I mean I was in the same camp for a while, wanting our tight five to have the size, and carry ability, as the teams they were getting beat by. Now I’m starting to believe those teams just have better skilled and practiced individuals, bigger by upwards of 5kg sometimes, sure, but more influentially they have those intrinsic skills of trust and awareness. Basically our guys just didn’t know wtf they were doing. Don’t think I’m trying to prove a point here but hasn’t Caleb Clarke been in much better form this year, or does he just ‘look’ better now that he’s not always trying to use his size?
43 Go to commentsThe pack lacks a little in height for the line out and I wouldn’t be completely convinced by some of the combinations till we see it in action.
7 Go to commentsThe side is good but lacks experience. International playing bona fides udually trumps super rugby form for good reason. And incumbents are usually stuck with. Codie Taylor should start or come off the bench. B Barrett will start at fullback. Blackadder has not earned the position, Finau has. TJs experience and competitiveness earns him a starting role, Christie or Ratima off the bench
7 Go to commentsPretty good side. Scott Barrett should be the captain. Ethan Blackadder a great choice at blindside. He is going to go from strength to strength having made a couple of starts for the Crusaders. Scott Robertson rates him highly. Perenara could start a no 9.
7 Go to commentsI question and with respect. Was enough done over the last few years to bring through new blood knowing the Whitelocks and co couldn’t last forever. There should have been more done to future proof the team. New squad new coach, he and they weren’t set up well. IMO
6 Go to commentsJacobsen will definitely be in the 23
7 Go to commentsLots of discussion points, Ben, but two glaring follies IMO: 1. Blackadder at 6. Has done nothing so far this season to justify his selection. Did you see him going backwards in contact at the weekend? Simply has not got the physical presence at 6: we need a Scott Barrett or a Finau (or wildcard Ah Kuoi), beasts who are big enough to play lock, like Frizzell. If Barret played at 6, Paddy could be joined at lock by Vai’i or one of the young giants we need to promote, like Darry or Lord (if he ever gets on the field). Blackadder best left to join the queue for 7. 2. Not even a mention for Christie? Ratima gets caught at crucial times at the back of the ruck when he hesitates on the pass. The only way he starts would be if Christie and TJ are injured.
7 Go to commentsWhat a dagg in more ways than one
6 Go to commentsRegroup come back next year but sack some of the coaching team and don't be like the ABs last minute sacking. If Crusaders don't do well ABs don't do well.
5 Go to commentsProctor Definitely inform again this year had a hell of a season last year and this year is looking even better. Still mixed feelings about Ioane tho.
4 Go to commentsDagg is still trying to get enough headlines to make himself relevant enough to get a job. The Crusaders went back to square one at all levels. Shelve this season and nail the next one.
6 Go to commentsHe was in such great form. Sad for him but only a short term injury and it will be great to see him back for the finals.
1 Go to commentsAfter their 5/0 start, I had the Crusaders to finish Top 4 only…they lost the plot in Perth but will reload and back themselves vs 4th placed Rebels…
5 Go to commentsBoth nations missed a great opportunity to book a game that would have had a lot of interest from around the world. I understand these games can’t be organised in 5 minutes but they should have found a way to make it happen. I don’t think Wales are ducking anyone but it’s a bad look haha.
3 Go to commentsIt will be fascinating to see the effect that Jo Yapp has. If they can compete with Canada and give BFs a run for their money that will be progress
1 Go to commentsFollowing his dream and putting in the work. Go well young fella!
3 Go to commentsPerhaps filling Twickenham is one of Mitchell’s KPIs. I doubt whether both September matches will be at Twickenham on consecutive weekends. I would take the BF one to a large provincial stadium so as not to give them the advantage and experience of playing at Twickenham before a large crowd prior to the RWC.
3 Go to commentsvery unfortunate for Kitshoff, but big opportunity potentially for Nché to prove he is genuinely the best loosehead in the world, rather than just a specialist finisher. Presuming that if Kitshoff is out, it will also give Steenekamp a chance to come into the 23? Or are others likely to be ahead of him?
1 Go to commentsA long held question in popular culture asks if art imitates life or does the latter influence the former? Over this 6 nations I can ask the same question of the media influencing the thoughts of its audience or vice versa. Nobody wants to see cricket scores in rugby, as a spectacle it is not sustainable. With so many articles about England’s procession and lack of competition it feeds the epicaricacy of many looking for an opportunity to pounce. England are not the first team to dominate nor does it happen only in rugby, think Federer, Nadal, Red Bull or Mercedes, Manchester Utd, Australia in tests and World Cups. Instead of celebrating the achievements why find reasons to falsify it pointing towards larger playing pool, professional for a longer period or mitigate with the lack of growth in other nations. Can we not enjoy it while it is here and know that it won’t last for ever, others coveting what England have will soon take the crown, ask the aforementioned?
6 Go to comments