Super title is the Crusaders’ to lose
There’s no real need to complete the formalities. Good on the teams who’ve qualified for the Super Rugby playoffs. No doubt one or two of them will feel it’s a fine achievement. It might prove a wee financial bonus too. Even though seven of them are only playing for second place.
After all, who among them is remotely capable of going to AMI Stadium and rolling the Crusaders?
As it stands, the Rebels will get first crack, then the Hurricanes or Chiefs in a semifinal. On the other side of the draw it’s the Waratahs who are arguably the most likely team to emerge.
Most of us would agree the Highlanders are a fine side. In Ben and Aaron Smith they have two absolutely world-class players, while Liam Squire’s well on his way up to that echelon.
Around them you’ve got various All Blacks and proven Super Rugby performers, who all ripped in against the Crusaders on Friday. It was a good game in which the Highlanders enjoyed some periods of success and yet they walked away 45-22 losers.
The Chiefs (45-23) and Hurricanes (24-13) have already been beaten in Christchurch this year, while the Waratahs’ 31-29 defeat tends to be remembered for other reasons. But, looking past Joe Moody’s contact on Kurtley Beale and whether New Zealand teams get the benefit of any referee doubt, the Crusaders still came back from 29-0 down in that game.
In some ways the Waratahs game was the exception that proves just how hard the Crusaders are to beat at home. Tactically they got things badly wrong, in repeatedly kicking to Israel Folau. There was also an intercept try. Lesser teams would’ve folded but the Crusaders were able to take stock, halt the Waratahs’ moment and find a way to win.
Since then they’ve shown nothing to suggest they don’t have the gameplan, mentality or personnel to claim back-to-back Super Rugby titles. Particularly having secured themselves a home playoff run.
The Hurricanes, 42-24 victors over the Blues on Saturday, went to AMI Stadium and won 35-10 in 2016 but that was in the Todd Blackadder era. Since Scott Robertson assumed the head coach role, nights of that nature have disappeared.
As much as the people of Christchurch might covet a new stadium, they surely appreciate what a graveyard this temporary one has become for visiting teams.
The Crusaders are set to host the eighth-placed Rebels, who they beat 55-10 in Melbourne, in a quarterfinal. Then it will be the Hurricanes against the Chiefs, the Waratahs against the Jaguares and Lions against the Highlanders.
The Chiefs were 24-19 winners over the Brumbies in this round, while the Waratahs romped away to beat the Sunwolves 77-25. The Jaguares lost 43-34 to the Bulls, but had their playoff spot confirmed once the Stormers had a 27-16 win over the Sharks.
The Rebels suffered a 37-23 loss to the Reds.