Crusaders, seeing is disbelieving
1. First to last for Crusaders
Do not book yourself an eye test. Yes, the seven-time defending champion Crusaders are officially in 12th and last spot on the ladder, the only winless team in the competition.
As if the 26-6 loss to the Blues at Eden Park for Rob Penney’s beleaguered outfit wasn’t bad enough, just a few hours later on Saturday night they had the salt rubbed into an already nasty wound when the Force broke their duck and stunned the Reds 40-31 in Perth to jump above the redand-blacks on the table.
And the prospect of 0-6 looms so, so large, with the Crusaders welcoming the Chiefs to town on Good Friday. Then comes a bye − surely they won’t lose that one.
2. Warning: slippery when wet
Listen to any Kane Williamson interview and he’s bound to include a phrase around the importance of “adapting to conditions”.
Clearly no-one from another code was channelling their inner Black Caps great, when a highly anticipated contest at Eden Park turned into an ugly wet-weather encounter punctuated by handling errors, scrum resets and some generally bad option-taking. The Blues should not be that buoyed by what they were dishing up, either, in a game where they butchered plenty of chances.
3. Is D-Mac everything to the Chiefs?
Coach Clayton McMillan labelled it coincidental, but for a second time when Damian McKenzie has left the park this season, his side have fallen to pieces.
When the talismanic first-five was given a seat for the final 15 minutes of Saturday’s game against the Highlanders in Hamilton, the hosts were cruising, up 28-7. They then had to cling on to hold out a valiant visiting side, coming away 28-21 victors.
4. Hurricanes showcase depth
The Canes show rolls on, with the unbeaten table-toppers treating their Palmerston North punters to a pummelling of the Rebels on Friday night.
Notwithstanding the five points bagged, the best thing about this one for coach Clark Laidlaw was that he had made 13 changes to his starting lineup, and he was still served up a feast of fine footy.
5. Is golden point worth it?
Is there anything wrong with a draw in a regular-season match?
The Fijian Drua were back to winning ways, but only just, requiring golden-point extra time to get themselves home against a Waratahs side that had valiantly fought back from 26-10 down at halftime in Lautoka.
The game has to end some time. Shouldn’t teams just have to be good enough to win in regulation time and save the golden-point drama for the playoffs?