Crusaders’ game to lose after winning 14 in row
The Highlanders may be finished, but two New Zealand teams remain to go headtohead in this weekend’s Super Rugby semifinals. Jeff Cheshire takes a look at tomorrow night’s match between the Crusaders and Hurricanes.
Form heading in . . .
This is surely the Crusaders’ game — and competition — to lose. The side is on a 14match winning streak and comes off a 4010 thrashing of the Sharks in last week’s quarterfinal. They last loss against the Highlanders in March. The week before the side had its only other loss of the season — to the Hurricanes in Wellington. That will be encouraging for the visitors, but March was a long time ago. While early on the Hurricanes’ full force was on show, it has become more of a stiff breeze as the season has worn on. The team scraped in with a onepoint win over the Chiefs last week, just its second win in the past six games.
Key matchup . . .
The first fiveeighth battle is always intriguing, but this one will be particularly pivotal. Beauden Barrett has been the best in the business in recent years, a dangerous runner with the ability to create for himself and others. Meanwhile, Richie Mo’unga has made big strides for the Crusaders and is another lethal attacker who is becoming increasingly adept at controlling a game.
What to watch for . . .
There is plenty of firepower in the Hurricanes’ backline and making use of that will be key. It also has plenty of strong ball running forwards and it will need them to provide goforward to break down a tough Crusaders defence. There is barely a weakness in the Crusaders lineup, though. In the forwards it has seven All Blacks starting, plus an eighth who has been in the national squad in Jordan Taufua. That is coupled with some classy backs, particularly in Mo’unga and Ryan Crotty. They will be clinical on attack and tough to break down on defence.
The other semi . . .
At 1.05am on Sunday the Lions host the Waratahs in the other semifinal. Having lost twice at home in the past two years — both to the Crusaders — the Lions will take some beating. The side beat the Waratahs 290 in Sydney last time they met and must enter as strong favourites to play next week’s final.
JOHANNESBURG: Lions coach Swys de Bruin has fired a broadside at New Zealand critics of the Super Rugby format, saying he was tired of their ‘‘moaning’’ about the system.
The Lions host a semifinal against the Sydneybased New South Wales Waratahs in Johannesburg on Sunday morning as they bid for a maiden championship after losing the titledecider in both of the past two seasons.
The Waratahs and Lions had earned home quarterfinals for winning the Australian and South African conferences but New Zealand media have complained the format is unfair, as both sides finished the regular season with inferior points records to the Hurricanes and Chiefs.
‘‘That’s their perception,’’ De Bruin told reporters.
‘‘All I can tell you is that we never moan about travelling four weeks [to New Zealand and Australia] or blaming that.
‘‘We travel four weeks and they travel two. It makes a hell of a difference. Look at our results week three and four overseas.’’ The Lions won only one of four matches in Australia and New Zealand this season.
Super Rugby’s division into a conference system has made the draw lopsided, and teams have called for a return to the round robin format where they played all sides at least once.
De Bruin said he also favoured the round robin system but the Lions would not complain either way.
‘‘I think it’s a case of they [should] just get on the with the job,’’ he said.
‘‘We’re a nomoan team. I’m almost feeling sorry that I said it now because it sounds like I’m moaning.
‘‘But sport is an interesting thing, it can’t always be the ref . . . or the competition format or injuries. You’ve got to play the hand that was dealt to you.
‘‘But honestly now every time I’ve read something from down there [in New Zealand] it’s just reading that, so I would like to read something else for a change.’’
Reigning champions the Crusaders host the other semifinal against the Hurricanes in Christchurch tonight.