Crusaders address bugbear of sluggish starts

You have to wonder how ugly it might get for the team that cops the Crusaders when they put it together for the best part of 80 minutes.

Because despite scoring just seven first half points in their past two games, the reigning champions emerged from the sheds and reduced the Brumbies and Highlanders to road kill in rampant bonus point wins.

The slow starts have been addressed, and it comes with a warning for the Lions ahead of tonight’s rematch of last year’s final at Christchurch Stadium.

‘‘Obviously, we can’t always rely on the back end of our game. We’ll definitely look to fix that this week, start with a roar and finish with one, too.’’ Crusaders utility Braydon Ennor said.

In addition to addressing the lopsided (18-6) penalty count from their 43-17 win against the Highlanders in round nine, beginning games strongly has been a talking point among the team since returning from their bye week.

Just why they scored 72 points in the second half of their most recent wins, yet only managed a lone try against the Highlanders in the first half of the games, could not be pinned on one factor.

‘‘We’ve had a couple of desperate teams we’ve played against, obviously the Brumbies and the Highlanders were incredibly physical and we couldn’t get the ball back off them,’’ coach Scott Robertson said.

‘‘Really, a little bit about our discipline and our ability tactically and how could we hold the ball, and if they do hold the ball for a long time, how could we get it back off them? Is it a mindset thing, or is it a structural thing? We’ve covered both.’’

Seeking their 25th straight win on home soil, one short of their record (26 between 2004-2007), the Crusaders have also done their homework on the Lions’ love affair for set piece dominance.

Observing them do a demolition job on the Chiefs’ scrum last week on their way to a crucial win in Hamilton had put the red and blacks on alert, Robertson admitted.

The Crusaders will again be without tighthead prop Owen Franks (shoulder), while the runners-up of the previous three seasons will be without hooker Malcolm Marx (Springboks rest).

With the Sharks coming to Christchurch next Friday, before the Crusaders head to South Africa to play the Bulls and Stormers, hooker Codie Taylor knows what lurks around the corner.

‘‘They scrum a lot different to New Zealand teams. We like to focus on technique and stuff, they’re strong men who can put you in all sorts of angles and, if you don’t get it right, you will be going backwards pretty quick.’’

In addition to ticking off the final All Blacks break for Matt Todd, Scott Barrett and Jack Goodhue this week, the competition front-runners are set to field the only member of their squad who hasn’t yet had a run this season.

Uncapped utility Ngane Punivai has been named on the bench and will cover both wing and the midfield.