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Why this semi-final is the Blues' best shot at the champs
By Ned Lester
No visiting team has won a playoff game in Christchurch, ever. 27 years of Super Rugby have provided 28 home fixtures for the Crusaders and the men in red and black have emerged victorious in each of those games. That record will again be on the line this weekend when a familiar rival ventures south for a mouth-watering semi-final.
The Crusaders finished their quarter-final with just 13 men on the pitch, not due to ill-discipline, but injury. While some withdrawals were claimed to be precautionary with the game all but decided, there is concern the reigning champions will have to reach even further into the well in order to make up the numbers for their remaining playoff games.
The Blues are not without injury concerns of their own, Patrick Tuipolotu has been ruled out with a broken arm and Caleb Clarke was absent in their quarter-final with a quad issue.
The Crusaders though are testing their depth to a different level, 11 members of their squad are unavailable to them with the potential for that number to increase once the weekend's toll has been fully assessed. That number includes six All Blacks.
Former gold medalist with the All Black Sevens, Karl Te Nana joined Sky's The Breakdown panel this week and agreed with former All Black Mils Muliaina that this Blues team possesses the ability to punish teams in ways last season's side couldn't.
"The Blues at the moment, they're finding ways to score and they're quite explosive," he said. "Very different from last season. I think the Blues have got that X-factor that they can strike from anywhere."
While Beauden Barrett faced criticism over his from early in the season, the backline for the Blues has developed chemistry throughout the season and no one can deny the threat that right winger Mark Telea poses, having scored 12 tries this season - equalling a Blues record.
Adding to the challenge for the Crusaders will be the Blues' new kicking tactics, which include the long-range boot of Zarn Sullivan. The expected Christchurch conditions could well make for a kick-heavy night and while the Crusaders are used to getting the upper hand in the kicking duels, they'll be without one of their top options.
"It was minus two (degrees) when we left this morning," Jeff Wilson told The Breakdown panel. "It's going to be the same (on Friday).
"It's going to be more and more difficult to play any of that expansive rugby and shifting the ball. They're going to need to have their kicking game on point and that's the big challenge I see for Will Jordan playing fullback for the Crusaders because Zarn Sullivan is going to do that for the Blues.
"With no David Havili to help with that load, I think that will be significant in this matchup."
The Crusaders lept into the lead in their quarter-final matchup with the Fijian Drua, scoring twice in the opening five minutes. Coming out of the gates strong has been a feature of the team's winning run and Wilson expects the opening minutes to have a strong influence on the outcome of the match come Friday.
"The critical part for me will be the first 20 minutes of this game, if you step up, you stand up and you make a statement early that there's nowhere you can dominate us, then the Blues will go a long way to winning it."
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Latest Comments
Trump is most definitely random.
In this context though we are talking about the tone of recent event’s on this websites articles, which came well before Trump was made a fool and retaliated. Surely you read the part were I said it’s unfortunate given that they’re trying to find new sponsorship right now?
Well year I couldn’t comment on that, haven’t watched league up their in yonks, but I’ll say the Prem sides I’ve seen in CC certainly match you’re description of them. Pro rugby here only had the summer window, so I’d imagine that helps a lot in terms of scoring though, as do South Africa’s hard grounds? The rugby is the rugby anyway, I was more interested in the broadcast quality perspective. France’s is unique right? Prem on BT used to have some pretty dour sideline analysis, but that was half due the look, being two guys standing on the side of the pitch at night in your winter talking about the game. SRP does that now but is full on ott.
Go to commentsRight. But are they actually doing anything to ever base themselves in the islands with a mostly Pi born roster?
Or are they just content to be a 6th NZ team, filling their squad with Kiwis and Aussies (and an Englishman), spreading the talent even thinner than it already is, and make excuses every season why it’s not possible to play in the islands, let alone be based there? No, because most of their squad would rather stay home than do that.
If the Drua can manage all these things, why can’t this ‘island’ side?
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