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Why Scott Robertson didn't break out the breakdance after beating Highlanders
Over the past four years, Kiwi rugby fans have grown accustomed to Crusaders coach Scott Robertson dancing after his team wins a competition.
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While the past three seasons of Super Rugby saw the 45-year-old bust a move, when the Crusaders clinched the Super Rugby Aotearoa title on Sunday with a 32-22 win over the Highlanders, Robertson stayed on his feet.
Unlike the original Super Rugby season, the New Zealand-only incarnation is a round-robin only competition. So while the Crusaders claimed the title on Sunday, they have to run back out next weekend for their final game of the season against the Blues at Eden Park in Auckland.
Speaking after the win over the Highlanders, Robertson explained the competition not yet being over was one of the reasons he chose not to dance in celebration.
“I didn’t do any back-spinning at this stage because we’ve still got a job to do. I felt it was (respectful) to the comp and to (Crusaders prop) Oli (Jager) after the head knock he got. I think the haka will suffice in respect to local iwi and what the trophy means.
Here's how the Crusaders rated in their Super Rugby Aotearoa title-clinching win over the Highlanders. ?? – @ArgyleSport https://t.co/BNjHQCdZhj
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) August 9, 2020
“We’ll have a couple of quiet ones and reflect, but we realise we’ve still got a big game ahead. There are curfews – it’s not like normal when you get to your last game and sleep when you can.”
Jager was forced from the field on a stretcher with about 15 minutes left on the clock against the Highlanders after an ugly high shot from Sio Tomkinson which saw the Highlanders midfielder spend 10 minutes in the sin bin.
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Jager was the second Crusaders prop forced from the field due to injury in the match, after loosehead Joe Moody left the match after just 15 minutes.
It was a fast and physical match between the Crusaders and Highlanders. Despite being unable to clinch the title themselves, the Highlanders made sure they weren’t seen as a team just making up the numbers as they crossed for the first try in just the second minute.
The Highlanders led for most of the game, before the Crusaders ran over the top of them in the final 20 minutes.
“The gas tank was on red for the last 20 minutes; what an effort to come back,” Robertson said. “We’re really pleased. The last 20 minutes, some of our big players just stood up and the work to scramble on defence and create those opportunities for us to get back down to the other end was pretty special and worthy of a final.”
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Had the Highlanders been able to hang on to upset the Crusaders, the competition would have been decided when the Crusaders meet the second-placed Blues in the final round of the competition, in what would have been the dream finish for organisers.
“The powers that be would have loved it to have been next week, that would have been ideal,” Robertson admitted. “But it’s first past the post and we got there. Now, it’s ability to back that up and that will be how we look at the season.”
Comments on RugbyPass
I’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
4 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
7 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
13 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
13 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
2 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
6 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to commentsJake White is a brilliant coach and a master in the press. This is another masterclass in media relations and PR but its also a very narrow view with arguments that dont always hold water. White wants his team to win, he wants the best players in SA and wants his team competitive. You however have to face up to the reality of a poor exchange rate and big clubs with big budgets. SA Rugby cant compete and unless it can find more money SA players will keep leaving regardless of Springbok eligibility and this happened in 2015 - 2017. Also rugby is not cricket. Cricket has 3 formats and T20 cricket is where the money is at. When it comes to club vs country the IPL is king but that wont happen because the international calendar does not clash with the club calendar in rugby. So the argument about rugby going down the same path as cricket is really a non-starter
22 Go to commentsNZ rugby seem not to have learnt anything from professional rugby. Super rugby was dying and SA left before they died with the competition. SA rugby did a u turn on their approach to international players playing overseas and such players are now selected for Bok teams. As much as each country would love to retain their players playing in local competitions, this is the way the world is evolving my friends. Move with it or stay 20 years behind the times. One more thing. NZ rugby hierarchy think they are the big cheese. Take a more humble approach guys. You do not seem to have your players best interests at heart.
4 Go to commentsBeaches? In Cardiff? Where?
1 Go to commentsHe is right , the Crusaders will be a threat. Scott Barrett, ( particularly), Fergus Burke , Codie Taylor, ( from sabbatical) etc due back soon for the Crusaders. There are others like Zach Gallagher too. People can right the Crusaders off, Top 8 , here we come !!
1 Go to commentsWe will always struggle for money to match the other sides but the least the WRU can do is invest properly in Welsh rugby. Too much has been squandered on vanity projects like the hotel and roof walk amongst others which will never see a massive return. Hanging the 4 pro sides out to dry over the last decade is now coming back to bite the WRU financially as well as on the pitch. You reap what you sow.
1 Go to commentsWhat do you get if you cross a doctor with a fish? A plastic sturgeon
14 Go to commentsWhat happened to feleti Kaitu’u? Hasnt played in a while right?
1 Go to comments