Mains backs Crusaders to take out unfair comp

If the Lions had progressed to next weekend’s Super Rugby final solely on their merits, former coach Laurie Mains admits he would be conflicted in his loyalties.

But Mains, who also coached the All Blacks to the 1995 World Cup final in South Africa, is fuming over the discrepancies that have helped the Johannesburg franchise into the title game against the Crusaders.

Namely, the inferior regular- season schedule that gifted them home advantage and the dodgy refereeing decisions that lifted them to a 44-29 semifinal win over the champion Hurricanes.

“If the competition had been a fair one, I would have split loyalties,” Mains told Radio Sport Breakfast. “But because of the way the competition was run, New Zealand teams are seriously disadvantaged and I want the Crusaders to win because of that.

“Just having two games against New Zealand teams at the end of it — and with both being at home — doesn’t even it up for me. [The Lions] needed to tour New Zealand and play our teams here — or some here and some back home — for it to be a fair reflection.

“They’ve had a pretty cruisy run . . . and it was much easier to get themselves up to a real high for these final two games. Had they been through what the Kiwi teams have been through for the last three or four months, they wouldn’t be in such good shape.”

Mains has strong ties with South Africa, having also toured with the 1976 All Blacks, as a midweek fullback. He was All Black coach at the 1995 World Cup but also guided the Lions to Super Rugby semifinals in 2000 and 2001.

Mains believes the Crusaders know how to cope with altitude.

“[They] have got a lot of very smart All Blacks in that team, who do know how altitude works and what you need to do, and they will have the team well briefed.

“Defensively, the Crusaders are strong enough to control the Lions up front and not let their forwards get too much go forward. Structurally, their defence is good enough to not let [the Lions] break out.”