Why Scott Robertson is 'excited' for Pablo Matera's Crusaders debut
Among one of the headline recruits for the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific season, Argentine star Pablo Matera has his new coach Scott Robertson “excited” for his Crusaders debut this weekend.
Regarded as one of the finest loose forwards in the world, the 28-year-old has been named to make his official debut for the Christchurch-based outfit against the Hurricanes at Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin on Saturday.
Donning the No 6 jersey in an all-star back row that also features one-test All Black Cullen Grace and ex-New Zealand U20 captain Tom Christie, Matera is expected to provide a strong impact for the Crusaders from the short side of the scrum.
Robertson is similarly expectant of big things from his marquee signing following some impressive displays at training from the side’s scenic Queenstown base as part of New Zealand Rugby’s centralised temporary Covid bubble.
“He’s pretty impressed, you know? It’s a breathtaking place, Queenstown, the sort of alpine views. When you’re in Lake Wakatipu most days, it’s 27-odd degrees, it ain’t too bad, so he’s loving it,” Robertson told media of how Matera has adapted to life in Queenstown.
“Normally they’d have camps in the French Alps [in the Top 14] and for us to come down here is sort of the equivalent, but he’s slotted in nicely. He’s a really good pro and his English is good. He did it at school … and he’s slotted right in.
“We have to sometimes repeat things, but his uptake is great, and he can play. He’s fitted into training well and his intensity’s always high so we have to pull him back, but he’s excited. We’re excited to see him play, like all our fans.”
Matera – who guided the Jaguares to the 2019 Super Rugby final, where he was crowned Man of the Match against the Crusaders – isn’t the only player Robertson has high hopes for the season ahead.
After missing All Blacks selection last year following a breakout debut campaign in 2020, Robertson is eager to see Matera’s fellow loose forward Grace to return to the sort of form that first earned him selection Ian Foster’s national squad two years ago.
Following a brief cameo appearance off the bench in his sole All Blacks outing during New Zealand’s 24-22 Bledisloe Cup defeat to the Wallabies in Brisbane, Grace injured his sternoclavicular joint in a pre-season match for Canterbury last August.
That setback, which Robertson described as a “very rare” injury, robbed the 22-year-old of the chance to push for an All Blacks re-call.
However, the Crusaders boss is optimistic that Grace, who has been named to start at No 8 against the Hurricanes, will bounce back to his best this season and beyond.
“Cullen, he obviously had a really serious injury last year after a great first year of Super Rugby, made the All Blacks, and then he’s had a big setback,” Robertson said.
“I work individually with him, I’m running the loose forwards group, and we’ve got a good bond. It’s been a real challenge mentally and physically for him to come back from the injury.
“It’s a major, major injury he had. He popped his clavicle wing which is very rare, normally a seat-belt injury in car accidents. It popped in and they had to pull it back out.
“It’s a long story but he’s come back, he’s put weight on. He’s built his body over the last eight months since the surgery.
“Our mindset’s for the next 10 years, not just this season. With the amount of effort he’s put in, he’s set himself up to have a good year.”
Robertson was similarly positive about the prospect of young first-five Fergus Burke filling the No 10 jersey in the absence of All Blacks star Richie Mo’unga, whose contract allows him to miss the opening three rounds of Super Rugby Pacific.
In Burke, the Crusaders have a 22-year-old pivot who has managed only a handful of appearances at Super Rugby level, but Robertson had full confidence in the youngster’s ability to guide his star-studded backline around the park.
“He’s known for a long period of time that the 10 [jersey] is going to be handed to him to take care of this team. He’s done a great job so far,” Robertson said of Burke.
“He’s mature. He’s 22-years-old. He’s been in our group for three years so he’s had a good apprenticeship to be ready for it and look, we’ve got around him as much we possible can.
“[Crusaders assistant coaches] Scott Hansen and Andrew Goodman have put a lot of time into him to make sure he’s ready to go, and then just run out and play, trust his instincts when he gets out there. That’s the biggest thing and the message from us.”
Burke, Grace and Matera will all take to the field for the Crusaders for the first time this year when they kick-off against the Hurricanes at 7:05pm on Saturday.
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