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Ex-Wallaby tips Crusaders to move into playoff spot for ‘less than 24 hours’
By Finn Morton
Wallabies legend Tim Horan believes the Crusaders will move into the top eight for “less than 24 hours” during a blockbuster final regular season round in Super Rugby Pacific.
The defending champions have only won three matches from 13 starts this season and currently sit in 10th place, but with eight teams moving on to the playoffs, they’re still a chance to progress.
On the back of a statement two-point win over the table-topping Blues last time out, the decorated franchise will surge into the top eight with a win over Moana Pasifika at Christchurch's Apollo Projects Stadium on Friday night.
But, whether or not they stay there will depend on other results. The Fijian Drua can lock up a spot with a win in Lautoka on Saturday, and the Western Force may have it all to play against the Brumbies in the final match of the round.
Two-time Rugby World Cup-winning Wallaby Tim Horan, who tipped the Crusaders to come “sixth or seventh” on Stan Sport before the season, doesn’t see the world-renowned rugby side playing finals footy this season.
“A lot of people are criticising having a top eight and should it go to a top six? What a top eight does, it has conversations right to the end of round 15 which we’re doing now,” Horan said on Stan Sport’s Rugby Heaven.
“I think the Crusaders will win on Friday and then they’ll be in the top eight for about less than 24 hours, until of course the Fijian Drua play the Rebels at lunchtime on Saturday.
“Fergus Burke was out for a long time and when he came back, he was brilliant... they’re going to lose him to Saracens at the end of the season.
“I see the Crusaders getting in but only for about less than 24 hours.”
With coach Rob Penney leading the way, the Crusaders have welcomed back some key players this month and the team has played some improved rugby on the back of that. All Black Codie Taylor has been superb, and Fergus Burke has also impressed.
In their two most recent outings, the Crusaders went toe-to-toe with the high-flying Brumbies in Canberra which is no easy feat and backed that up with a comeback win over the Blues.
They’ve almost started to look like the Crusaders of old.
But it may very well be too late.
Their hopeful charge towards the top eight might pull up just short, with another former Wallaby in Cameron Shepherd doubling down on the belief the Crusaders’ season will go no further than round 15.
“They’re still written off, they won’t make it,” Shepherd insisted.
“You’re forgetting that if the Crusaders maybe don’t win or even if they do but Fiji loses, there is still a possibility for the Western Force to sneak into that top eight.
“What’s really, really cool about it is the Crusaders are the first game on the weekend and then the Force are going to be the last one.
“(It’s) going to keep everyone on the edge of their seats for the whole weekend.”
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Which country do you think was instrumental in developing rugby in Argentina which then spun off into the rest of Latin South America? South Africa was touring Argentine in the 50's with their Junior Bok side on three months development tours. And they didn't do it to cultivare players for the Boks. Regarding Africa you are not taking into account that South Africa itself is an emerging nation. The rugby union has prioritised the development of rugby in South African rural communities with outstanding success.
It has taken 15 years to build the participation of rugby both in playing and watching. For South Africa on its own to build a viable international rugby competition in africa will take generations - not decades. New Zealanders seem to resent the fact that SA has doubled the income of the URC since their inclusion. If New Zealand Rugby hadn't insisted on have a disproportionate slice of the pie in Super Rugby, SA might not have fled the coop.
Go to commentsDon't think you've watched enough. I'll take him over anything I's seen so far. But let's see how the future pans out. I'm quietly confident we have a row of 10's lined uo who would each start in many really good teams.
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