0 for 4 Crusaders? Surely not?

The Crusaders being the talk of the competition is nothing new.

But it’s been an age since they were the talk of Super Rugby Pacific for the reasons they’re currently making headlines.

Yes, losers of their first three games of the season, there have even been internet memes in the past week taking the mickey out of the awful start to their campaign.

You just know fans of the other franchises, fed up with the red and blacks’ utter dominance the past seven years, are going to bleed this well dry. Only breaking their duck will hush the haters.

1. Crusaders staring down unwanted history

Not even in 1996 did the Crusaders lose four straight games en route to bagging the wooden spoon.

Lose to the Hurricanes in Christchurch tonight and it will be a first for the proud franchise, winners of seven titles in as many years, and a record 14 (including two Super Rugby Aotearoa crowns).

And it’s not any old Hurricanes team coming to town, it’s the undefeated and table-topping Canes, fresh from beating the Blues in the capital.

And they will smell blood in the water, given the hosts’ injury ward is overflowing with broken players, including half a dozen

2. When home isn’t home

Imagine if a channel-surfing first-time rugby viewer stumbled upon the Moana Pasifika v Rebels game in Hamilton last week.

It was like a funeral. Or as if the clock had been wound back to the Covid-19 days. In a few words, it was grim.

But that was the reality when stadium availability meant the Tana Umaga-coached Moana Pasifika had to take their home game to the Chiefs’ home venue.

Thank goodness it was a one-off.

3. Highlanders rising

Let’s not get carried away with the Highlanders’ 2-1 start to the season, but it’s fair to say their rebuild is ahead of schedule.

And, a week after a late Tane Edmed missed kick handed them victory over the Waratahs, they’re overwhelming favourites to beat the underwhelming Brumbies in Dunedin tomorrow.

Having won just five times and missed the playoffs a year ago, that would have them sitting pretty ahead of derbies against the Chiefs (away) and Hurricanes (home).

While the Highlanders are playing an energised brand of rugby, the same can’t be said of their opponents.

Australia’s best team in recent years opened with a big win over the Rebels, but were blown off the park by the Chiefs in Melbourne, and barely beat an ordinary Force outfit at home last week.

4. Road woes

The Chiefs ought to be counting their lucky stars they don’t have to travel to Lautoka or Suva to face the Drua.

Nobody should need convincing that the

Drua are an entirely different proposition on home soil, where the ball can be wiped dry before a lineout and still be like a bar of soap by the time the hooker delivers a dart.

However, they are yet to prove they are a force to be reckoned with on the road, where they have won just once – against Moana Pasifika in round one last year – since the start of the 2023 season.

Their long list of losses away from home includes a 50-17 hammering by the Chiefs in Hamilton, where they are off to tomorrow night.

And Drua can forget about catching the Chiefs on the hop, not after they got tipped up by the Reds last week in a early-season reality check.

5. Lessons (not learnings)

Don’t bank on Blues coach Vern Cotter trotting out a 6-2 bench split again any time soon.

Burnt by his tactical decision after Zarn Sullivan and AJ Lam were early casualties to head knocks against the Hurricanes last week, he’s gone with the tried and true 5-3 split for their away fixture to the Waratahs.

Fair enough, too, as talk of an Australian revival builds a few weeks into the season.

That’s on the back of the Waratahs beating the Crusaders and the Reds knocking over the Chiefs, but more proof is needed before we can safely say the Aussies are back on track.