Matera takes it up a level
If Pablo Matera Inc was listed on the New Zealand sharemarket, his share price would surely have surged after the Crusaders’ 37-26 win over the Brumbies on Friday night.
Blindside flanker Matera was one of the best performers of a dominant forward pack as the Crusaders shook off the lethargy that had plagued them in recent weeks to deliver a vicious right hook to the Brumbies’ pride in Canberra.
There can be no disputing the Brumbies are the best of the Australian teams, and they remain second on the log despite being locked on 43 points with the Crusaders, but had it not been for a late converted try to wing Tom Wright they would have been staring at a much uglier final scoreline.
Matera roamed GIO Stadium like an angry ogre who had just discovered a thug had vandalised his favourite motor; he made 14 ball carries and nine tackles, while fellow flanker Ethan Blackadder contributed a whopping 22 tackles.
Now, after 24 days on the road in Australia, which is understood to be the longest period the Crusaders have spent on any tour, they will play the Fijian Drua and Queensland Reds in Christchurch in their final regular season games before hosting a quarterfinal at Orangetheory Stadium.
While there are doubts about the fitness of All Blacks hooker Codie Taylor, who suffered rib damage in Canberra and was replaced by Ricky Jackson at halftime, the Crusaders should continue to have a large collection of test players, including Argentinean international Matera, to call on as they gather steam down the home straight.
‘‘What we are finding with Pablo is the tougher the contest, the better he goes,’’ Crusaders forwards coach Jason Ryan said.
‘‘And I think he has really started to find his game, to find his rhythm on the field. But the work he has done with our loose forwards, and the stuff off the field, he is probably one of our most diligent professionals I have come across.’’
The Brumbies, having secured 10 wins to the Crusaders’ nine, are ranked higher on the competition table, but face a much more difficult approach to the finals with games against the Blues and Waratahs in Canberra and Sydney.
But the Crusaders’ chances of overtaking the Blues seem remote. Having humiliated the Queensland Reds 53-26 at Eden Park on Saturday, the Auckland-based side cemented its place at the top of the log on 50 points.
What is crucial, now, for the Crusaders is that they don’t allow their focus to waver. While the majority of the All Blacks have completed their rest requirements, loosehead prop George Bower is likely to skip the match against the Drua on Friday evening.
The Crusaders wanted to make a fast start against the Brumbies, to ram home the point that they weren’t in any mood to surrender a winning streak that stretched back to 2009.
While the Brumbies struck first – midfielder Irae Simone scored a try in the opening minutes – the response from the Crusaders, especially the forwards, was often harsh and without mercy in the tackle and at the ruck.
Crusaders head coach Scott Robertson would have also welcomed the effort from captain Scott Barrett, following his return from suspension for a high tackle on Blues replacement prop Alex Hodgman last month.
Discipline, so close to the playoffs, has never been more vital. A big win over the Drua is expected. Steering clear of card trouble must also be part of the deal.
HIGHLANDERS
‘‘He is probably one of our most diligent professionals I have come across.’’
Jason Ryan
Crusaders forwards coach on loose forward Pablo Matera