Crusaders the hunted as another season starts
In the fourth of a five-part series before the start of Super Rugby Aotearoa, Robert van Royen looks at the Crusaders.
‘‘The Mitre 10 Cup is over. This is a Crusaders pack.’’ That was the blunt message from Crusaders assistant coach Jason Ryan to a bunch of young forwards early in the team’s pre-season.
Forwards coach Ryan wasn’t pleased with the execution during a lineout drill and halted proceedings to spell out the skyhigh standards expected of the 11-times champions.
They’re a must if they are to continue their Super Rugby dominance and bag an unprecedented fifth straight title this year.
Indeed, they’re again the hunted. The team everyone wants to knock off the perch, the mob fans outside the Crusaders’ region have had a gutful of winning.
It’s why Crusaders head coach Scott Robertson knows he can’t rest on his laurels if the red and blacks are to remain on top.
‘‘Five years in. It doesn’t feel like that. I’m still young, I’ve still got my hair and, hopefully, I’ve still got my smile and a bit of humour,’’ Robertson said.
He sure did when he addressed media ahead of their season opener against the Highlanders in Dunedin tonight. There was the usual jokes and banter from the only person to win three straight Super Rugby titles as both a player and a coach, and there was the laser-focused side of him.
‘‘We talk about how we can evolve our game, how we can get people connected, how we can get them excited and inspired to go again, that’s my focus,’’ Robertson said.
‘‘I’ve done a lot of work on the leadership group in the off-season, done a lot of work about how we can be better with our game management and dealing with big moments. Those things excite you to get a result.’’
Unlike a year ago, when the Crusaders were dealing with the loss of more than 1000 caps as Kieran Read, Ryan Crotty, Owen Franks and Matt Todd moved on, the Christchurch-based side’s playing roster is settled heading into the 2021 season.
Only four new players – rookies Chay Fihaki, Isaiah Punivai, Tamaiti Williams and Fletcher Newell – were named in the initial 2021 squad, although former Highlander Josh McKay, Nathan Vella and former All Blacks and Blues utility Rene Ranger have joined as injury cover.
McKay is providing cover for All Black Braydon Ennor, who will miss the entire campaign
while he rehabilitates the knee he busted playing in the North v South match last September, while Vella is in because hooker Andrew Makalio recently underwent season-ending neck surgery.
Ranger is expected to be around for at least a month while wings George Bridge and Manasa Mataele are sidelined with chest injuries.
The loss of Ennor is significant, one the Crusaders are likely to attempt to overcome by utilising utility David Havili in the midfield, where he played predominantly in 2016.
Of course, the Crusaders showed as recently as last year they can overcome the loss of All Blacks, given captain Scott Barrett missed all of Super Rugby Aotearoa with a foot injury.
New All Black Cullen Grace also missed much of the competition, as did fellow loose forward Ethan Blackadder, yet they still had enough gunpowder to finish atop.
All up, the Crusaders are loaded with 17 players who have either been capped by the All Blacks or spent time in the environment.
That gives them depth in virtually every position, although the importance of pivot Richie Mo’unga staying healthy can’t be overstated, given Brett Cameron and Fergus Burke remain unproven at this level.
While the playing group is settled, the Crusaders have had two relatively late changes to the coaching group.
Assistant Mark Jones, having informed the team before Christmas he wouldn’t return from Wales for a second year, has been replaced by Tamati Ellison, while strength and conditioning coach Simon Thomas finished up with the team last week.
Off to the United States to join Major League Rugby side Austin Gilgronis, he’s handed over the programme to Gareth Duder, who he worked alongside during his four years with the Crusaders.