Crusaders on historic quest
TAB tips Kiwi champs to become first travelling side to capture Super Rugby crown on South African soil
The Crusaders have to do what no team has ever done before if they want to lift the Super Rugby trophy for an eighth time. Despite losing just one game in the regular season, the Crusaders must head to South Africa to face the Lions in Johannesburg in Sunday's final.
No team has ever travelled across the Indian Ocean and won a final.
On five occasions a team has made the trip from South Africa to Australia or New Zealand, and vice versa, and each time they have lost.
The Lions were the last team to make trip and head home with nothing, losing to the Hurricanes in last year's final.
In fact only one team has won a Super Rugby final outside their own country. Fourteen teams have travelled overseas for a final, with 13 losing.
The Crusaders are the only team to win the title outside their own country, claiming the 2000 title in Canberra with a 20-19 victory.
Now, some positive news for the Crusaders.
The TAB have listed the seven- time champions as $1.70 favourites to win on Sunday morning. The Lions are paying $2.15.
Heading straight to South Africa following a Saturday night is a big task but the Crusaders pulled it off the last two regular seasons.
After thrashing the Stormers in round nine this year, the Crusaders travelled to Bloemfontein where they eased by the Cheetahs 48-21 seven days later.
They went straight from Christchurch to Durban last season, beating the Sharks.
The Crusaders played Johannesburg twice last season.
They won the round robin game, 43-37 but losing the quarter-final 42-25. in