McCaw out for eight weeks
Massive blow for All Blacks captain and Crusaders, writes Matt Markham.
The Crusaders will have to rejuvenate their Super Rugby season without the services of Richie McCaw.
The All Blacks captain has been sidelined for up to eight weeks after breaking a thumb in the Crusaders 35-24 loss to the Blues, at Eden Park, on Friday night.
It’s a massive blow for McCaw who has been below his best form in both of the Crusaders’ matches so far this season and comes on the back of him missing most of last year’s campaign while on a sabbatical.
Although a minor injury in the bigger scheme of things, questions will no doubt be asked as to whether the 33-year-old is coming to the end of his playing career.
The loss will hit the Crusaders camp hard as they fight to get their season back on track after consecutive losses, but assistant coach, Tabai Matson said they were lucky to be able to call on someone like Matt Todd to step up and fill the void in the No 7 jersey. ‘‘It’s a massive loss for us,’’ Matson said. ‘‘Obviously, to know you aren’t going to have the experience of a guy like Richie out there on the paddock is concerning, but we are still very lucky in the fact he will be a part of the environment and be on hand to help out and give his thoughts when they are needed.’’
Outside of McCaw, Matson said the remainder of the Crusaders squad came through the bruising encounter with the Blues relatively unscathed.
Some players will be on lighter duties during the early stages of this week as the side prepares to tackle the Stormers at AMI Stadium, at Addington, on Saturday.
‘‘We have the usual bumps and bruises and a couple of guys will have to take it easy, but other than that we came through the game pretty well.’’
Matson gave the impression of a frustrated rugby coach when spoken to last night as he and fellow coaches, Todd Blackadder, Aaron Mauger and Dave Hewett try and decipher exactly what is going wrong.
‘‘The thing that makes it so frustrating is that we have worked so hard in the offseason to try and take away the chance of being in this position. But I don’t think we need to push the panic button just yet.’’