Crusaders coach expects ABs available for Lions
Scott Robertson knows Crusaders fans are crying out for another Super Rugby title.
It’s been almost 10 years since the most successful Super Rugby franchise hoisted their seventh trophy and, if the drought doesn’t end soon, Crusaders fans are in danger of knowing how Bledisloe Cup starved Aussies feel.
Many fans are probably still hurting from the last-minute loss to the Waratahs in the 2014 final, or the loss to the Reds in the 2011 final.
But first year coach Robertson knows what hurt feels like, and he plans to use his experience from his Crusaders playing days now that he’s in charge of the team.
‘‘My first year [1996] in the Crusaders we were last and it hurt a lot,’’ he said. ‘‘But to then win four titles and understand where we’d come from as the same group of guys and how hard we worked, I felt both sides.
‘‘My playing and coaching career, I sort of want to draw on that. As a coach, I’ve also had success so I understand what the environment is required to win it.’’
The Crusaders started preseason training last week and were in Sumner on Friday to test their fitness with some gruelling hill repetitions.
Robertson, who guided Canterbury to a third NPC title in October before taking up his post at the Crusaders, said the two weeks before the Christmas break were about laying a foundation for next season.
The bulk of the 38-strong squad is in Christchurch, although Robertson isn’t expecting his All Blacks to join in full-time until January 29.
‘‘It will be integrated, some are going to come back a little bit earlier and train with us once or twice during the week.
‘‘We will get them all together a couple of weeks before the season starts,’’ Robertson said.
Former Wallaby and Queensland Reds winger Digby Ioane will join the team when his season with Japanese club Honda Heat ends, most likely in mid to late January.
In addition to the All Blacks joining the pre-season late, after an All Blacks’ ‘‘wellbeing camp’’, they will assemble two weeks before the first test against the British and Irish Lions, which will be played in Auckland on June 24.
Former Crusaders coach Todd Blackadder was often left frustrated by his All Blacks coming and going during the Super Rugby season, but if Robertson feels the same, he wasn’t saying it.
‘‘It is what it is with the All Blacks,’’ Robertson said.
‘‘We’ve got a number of All Blacks and I wouldn’t change that. You’ve just got to manage them and embrace that.
‘‘I can’t change that. It’s the employer, they take precedence. It’s my job that I get the transition right, making sure the boys play well when they’ve got our jersey on and when they’ve got the All Black jersey on.
‘‘I think it’s the language you use around it and the expectations you put alongside it. We want to create as many All Blacks as we can.’’
While it will be a ‘‘case by case basis’’, Robertson is expecting to have most of his All Blacks available for his team’s match against the British and Irish Lions in Christchurch on June 10.
The Crusaders will play preseason matches against the Highlanders in Darfield, on March 4, and Hurricanes in Waverley, on February 17.
They will also play in the inaugural Brisbane Tens tournament on February 11-12, but aren’t expected to have their All Blacks available.
That means fullback Israel Dagg, who has featured heavily in promoting the tournament, isn’t guaranteed to play.
‘‘It’s a case by case who can play for us. It will depend on instructions from upstairs,’’ Robertson said.
Captain Kieran Read will miss the start of next season while he recovers from minor wrist surgery in the off-season.
But Robertson said the depth in his Crusaders squad is as good as it’s been for a long time, particularly in the midfield.
Signing former Chiefs centre Seta Tamanivalu bulked up the midfield, although Robertson said the All Blacks also want to see him play on the wing.
‘‘If you’re an All Black, you’ve got to play two positions,"Robertson said. ‘‘Jack [Goodhue] has played on the wing as well.
‘‘We’ve got a great balance, we’ve got power centres now, we’ve got distributing secondfives, we’ve got a first-five [Richie Mo’unga] who can set them up and be a threat himself.’’
The Crusaders break up for the Christmas break on December 23 and will reform in Christchurch on January 9.