Crockett heartbreak
RUTHLESS: NO LAST HURRAH FOR CRUSADERS AND ALL BLACKS STALWART
Champions’ coach said it was the hardest decision he has made.
Crusaders showed there’s no room for sentiment in their drive for a ninth Super Rugby crown against the Lions as they left out retiring great Wyatt Crockett (below) for what would have been his last game.
The defending champions are overwhelming favourites to win tomorrow’s final in Christchurch after clocking up a 14-match winning streak and going unbeaten in 20 play-off matches on home soil.
But despite their impressive record, none other than All Blacks coach Steve Hansen has warned the South Africans have “every chance” of pulling off an upset.
He likened the buildup to the 2007 World Cup quarterfinals, when New Zealand were red-hot favourites to beat France “and we got smacked quite badly”.
“When you look at a contest like this one, you say to yourself who’s going to dominate the scrums and you can’t really say. Who’s going to dominate the lineouts and you can’t really say.”
The Crusaders, however, know how to win this trophy while the Lions have become perennial bridesmaids, losing the past two
finals and still seeking their first title. Crusaders coach Scott Robertson took a hard-nosed approach yesterday when naming his side to face one of the most feared forward packs in the competition.
He tested his pack without Crockett in last week’s semifinal and opted to stay with Joe Moody starting at loosehead with Tim Perry on the bench.
It brings an end to Crockett’s illustrious career with the 35-yearold prop, who played 202 games for the Crusaders and 71 Tests for the All Blacks, having announced this was his final season.
“It was the hardest decision I’ve had to make as a coach – I’ll be honest with you,” Robertson said.
“He is a great man, a great Crusader, the highest-capped player who has given more to this team than anyone else, so we really thank him.”
The only change to the side that whipped the Hurricanes last week sees Heiden Bedwell-Curtis replace injured flanker Jordan Taufua, with Wallabies back-rower Pete Samu on the bench.
Robertson also preferred the youth of David Havili at fullback to the experience of Israel Dagg.
The Crusaders have devoted plenty of time to working on how to quell their opponents’ pack, particularly when they get their rolling maul moving.
“When a team has a big strength, as they do in that area, you have to put some time into it,” said flanker Matt Todd, one of seven All Blacks in the Crusaders pack.
“It’s a real momentum-changer for them. Not just with tries but also getting them field position.” –
You have to be completely biased to give the Lions any sort of chance in tomorrow’s Super Rugby final against the awesome Crusaders in Christchurch.
According to all reports, the Crusaders simply have to pitch up to capture their ninth title, while the Lions have everything counting against them, from intercontinental travel to being rank outsiders.
The argument is simple, if the Lions couldn’t beat the Crusaders at Ellis Park in last year’s final, how on earth could they do it Down Under?
But the key could be the resolve in the Lions outfit, according to former Lions coach Johan Ackermann.
They simply don’t want to quit and if they keep pushing and fighting without the scoreboard running away from them could be the key, said Ackermann this week.
“What makes the Crusaders so good is their experience, they start with a front row like Joe Moody, Owen Franks and Codey Taylor, all All Blacks.
“And then (Sam) Whitelock who is very experienced and Kieran Read, while the other Barrett brother (Scott) has already played for the All Blacks. In the context of age he is young but he is experienced.”
Ackermann continued: “And then you sit with their backs who have just played Test rugby, guys like their flyhalf (Richie Mo’Unga), centre Jack Goodhue, and George Bridge is very good.
“So they are a well-balanced side, but what the Sharks experienced (in the quarterfinals) is that their set phases are very sound. They have the self-belief that they can counter any situation and they pounce on any mistake. They are the team with the best hit-ratio in the 22,” he said.
The Lions are probably better suited to take on the Crusaders up front than any other team with hooker Malcolm Marx and his raw power rated as the best in the world in his position with the assistance of flank Cyle Brink and the fitness of a player like Kwagga Smith could just push the Crusaders out of their comfort zone.
“But I do believe some teams have exposed some weak points in their armoury and I believe the Lions are a team that could exploit that,” said Ackermann.
The fact that the Lions had to travel through 10 time zones would also not exactly count in their favour, but that’s why their bench could probably hold the biggest key.
But only if the Lions don’t lose sight on the scoreboard.