Crusaders in Brumbies’ den
About 15 years ago a Crusaders player needled a Canberra taxi driver by casually remarking that the layout of the Australian capital reminded him of an American movie called The Truman Show.
The comment wasn’t well received. The Truman Show, a tale based around a character who is unaware his life has been hijacked for reality TV, was set in an unspectacular urban landscape where each street looked eerily familiar to the next.
There was a time when you could have said Canberra’s town planning matched the Brumbies’ game plan, especially when former coach Eddie Jones, who had converted them into a powerhouse by the time his fouryear term ended in 2001, encouraged them to follow a pattern that was more functional than adventurous.
Plenty has changed as they prepare for their next Super Rugby clash in Canberra’s GIO tomorrow night. The Brumbies are now coached by Jones’s old playmaker Stephen Larkham and although they rely heavily on winning territory and launching attacks from lineout drives, they are still capable of burning opponents on the outside – as the Waratahs discovered when right wing Joe Tomane scored a hat-trick against them in Sydney last weekend.
The Crusaders and Brumbies have always regarded each other with respect and suspicion, a legacy of past scrapes. Crusaders coach Todd Blackadder was captain on that bitterly cold night in 2000 when Andrew Mehrtens kicked a late penalty to give his side a 20-19 victory in the final in Canberra, and although his side haven’t lost in the ACT since 2009 there will be some anxiety as they search for their seventh consecutive win.
The withdrawal of experienced midfielder Ryan Crotty with a hamstring injury has forced Blackadder to insert David Havili, who has recovered from a hip complaint, into second five-eighth for this upcoming match in GIO Stadium.
Jone Macilai starts on the right win in place of Johnny McNicholl who hurt his big toe in the 32-15 win over the Jaguares last weekend. Utility back Marty McKenzie has been added to the bench, also providing insurance with his goal kicking if Richie Mo’unga get the yips.
In a surprise move Blackadder has named Sam Whitelock on the bench, wanting to reward his second row of Luke Romano and Scott Barrett with another start together.
Unleashing All Black Whitelock in the second half should add some fire to the Crusaders’ effort down the straight; especially against a Brumbies pack that, even without the suspended flanker David Pocock, will be aggressive when contesting the breakdown ball through men such as Stephen Moore, Scott Fardy and Jarrad Butler.
‘‘The last 20 minutes of these games is critical, more so when you have an experienced guy like Sam coming off the bench – and Crocky [loosehead prop Wyatt Crockett] too,’’ Blackadder said. ‘‘These guys can often be the difference in these crunch games.’’
There seems to have been one message that has been blurted loud and clear at Crusaders training this week: Don’t give away needless penalties and allow the Brumbies to get easy field position to unleash their trademark lineout drives.
‘‘It’s mostly about attitude,’’ Crusaders captain Kieran Read said.
‘‘You have to disrupt it as soon as you can, and in terms of a rolling maul it is hard. Last week we put all our efforts into stopping it and didn’t quite get the number down the blindside (when Jaguares lock Fecundo Isa scored). He just popped out. Against the Brumbies if we can limit the number of times they get down there, it will probably aid us.’’