Super Rugby Pacific
THE next chapter in one of Super Rugby’s most storied rivalries will be written in Saturday night’s 2022 title decider.
The sold-out sign was already up as the high-flying Blues got set to welcome long-time foes the Crusaders north to Eden Park.
It came 24 years on from the dramatic 1998 final, where a late try earned the Crusaders their maiden title.
A red and black man through and through until moving north three years ago, Blues coach Leon MacDonald expected the 2022 final to play out in similar fashion.
“It’s going to be a lot like that.
“There’s going to be drama on the weekend, no doubt about it. It’s two very good teams and there’s going to be something that splits them.
“Whether it’s a play like that or a moment, our job is to make sure when that moment happens that we’re the ones that grab it.”
MacDonald won multiple titles as a player with the great Crusaders teams of the late 90s and 2000s.
Alongside him in those sides was current Crusaders coach Scott Robertson, who also had MacDonald as an assistant coach during their 2017 championship run.
Robertson said he was looking forward to locking horns with his former team-mate.
“He’s a good personal friend, Leon.
“I understand the way his mind thinks. Smart man and a great rugby tactician.”
It was just one of the reasons Robertson wasn’t underestimating the team standing in the way of the Crusaders 11th Super Rugby title.
“The Blues have been exceptional all year. They’re on a hell of a run.
“The last time they lost at Eden Park ... it’s been a while. They’ve made the garden pretty special.
“For us it’s a hell of a week to go up there and a hell of a rivalry. Just what Super Rugby needs.”
Also not a bad opportunity for the All Blacks selectors, with several good matchups on show ahead of a big test series against Ireland.
Perhaps the best of them came at first five-eighth.
But Crusaders pivot Richie Mo’unga wasn’t seeing his duel with Blues star Beauden Barrett as a battle for the All Blacks No
10 jersey.
“I see both teams wanting to win and hold a championship at the end.
“He’s doing it in the Blue colours and I’m doing it in the red. We’re both representing our franchises to do whatever we can to win the game.
“Whatever happens after that
is up to the big man, Foz (All Blacks coach Ian Foster).”
You could be sure Leon MacDonald wasn’t focussed on oneon-one battles, either.
The Blues coach said the 15-match winning streak they carried into the final was built on collective strength, giving them belief they could beat a
Crusaders team who weren’t used to losing finals.
“We don’t expect to do anything we haven’t already done at some point this year.
“We’ve shown we can be very dogged on defence, show a lot of heart and be physical, and on attack when we get things right we’re hard to contain.
“We’ve been down (to Christchurch) this year and were able to beat them at home and we’ve got a big crowd behind us at home. That gives us confidence as well.”
Big crowd was right. Interest in the match had been huge, with 42,000 fans set to descend on a sold out Eden Park.