Scott Robertson and the Crusaders ignore code war antics in Melbourne

If there’s a code war going on, the Crusaders and the Storm know nothing about it with the two powerhouse clubs again coming together in Melbourne.

Storm NRL captain Christian Welch presented the Crusaders players with their game jerseys on Friday before they took on the Melbourne Rebels in their Super Rugby Pacific clash.

The Rebels had a 12-point lead at halftime at AAMI Park but the defending champion Crusaders roared home to post a 43-27 victory.

Tensions between rugby union and rugby league have been exploded lately following the signing of NRL wunderkind Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii by Rugby Australia.

RA have reportedly next set their sights on Brisbane powerhouse Payne Haas.

However the return to the league of All Black Roger Tuivasa-Sheck prompted NRL boss Peter V’landys to declare RA should change its name to “Rugby Boomerang” because he said players always come back.

Despite the verbal sparring the long-time love-in between the Crusaders and Storm continued, with coach Scott Robertson spending time this week with Melbourne mentor Craig Bellamy and football boss Frank Ponissi.

Last year Robertson revealed they’d based a season campaign on the Storm, using the NRL club as a “theme” for a year.

He said the theme was called “Purple Reign”, feeling that the two entities shared the same trademarks, standards and behaviours.

In 2017 they drew inspiration from Muhammed Ali’s underdog victory in the ‘Rumble in the Jungle’.

As well as regular meetings and lunches over the years they have also traded players during pre-season training, with Bellamy jokingly proposing they swap Crusaders playmaker Richie Mo’unga for Storm larrikin Cameron Munster.

“Yes I saw Bellyache (Bellamy) and went to their training,” said Robertson, who was recently been named to take over the All Blacks job after this year’s World Cup.

“We’ve got a great relationship … Cam Munster was there slinging a few one liners at me after I got the job so we’ve got some good banter and a really good connection between the two clubs.

“It was good to connect with them and Christian Welch presented our jerseys to us and it was a nice touch.”

It may however have made for an awkward time at home for Welch, particularly after the result, with the Storm skipper sharing a flat with Rebels captain Brad Wilkin.