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The jaw-dropping Crusaders stat that favours Robertson's All Black ambitions

Leicester-bound Jordan Taufua celebrates winning the Super Rugby final. (Photo by Phil Walter/Getty Images)

As New Zealand grows ever closer to finding out who will be the next All Blacks coach, broadcaster Scotty Stevenson revealed a stat last week that lays heavily in favour of hopeful Scott Robertson. 

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Amazingly, Robertson’s current team the Crusaders have not conceded a try from a lineout drive in three years, spanning 54 games. The former All Black has led the Crusaders to three consecutive Super Rugby titles, and a stat like this puts him in pole position to take over from Steve Hansen, particularly if set piece coach Jason Ryan follows him. 

That is a hugely impressive stat, which many people on social media agree with. Some have queried how many penalties the champions give away in their own half, which may skew the stat, but Stevenson pointed out that the Crusaders actually gave away the most penalties per match last season. 

This equally begs the question how many times the team from Canterbury gave away a penalty when their opponents came close to scoring. Even taking this into consideration, this stat is nonetheless a testament to the job that Robertson and Ryan have done with their side. 

Former England flyhalf and columnist Stuart Barnes also raised the point that this is because they “Play in a competition that doesn’t focus on the catch and drive.”

This is a valid point, and a reminder of the eternal stylistic differences between northern and southern hemisphere rugby. It is simply unthinkable for even the strongest sides in Europe to replicate a stat comparable to the Crusaders, in what is a forward-orientated brand of rugby. 

However, it has also been noted that any team facing South African opposition will have to contend with the driving maul. And while there may be a different emphasis in Super Rugby to Europe, this is a breathtaking example of how great a force the Crusaders have been over the past three years. 

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NB 46 minutes ago
'Passionate reunion of France and New Zealand shows Fabien Galthie is wrong to rest his stars'

Nice bit if revisioniusm but that's all it is JW.


For your further education, I found the following breakdown of one prominent club's finances in the Top 14 [Clermont].


For Clermont (budget of €29.5 million for 2021-2022) :

- 20% from ticket sales

- 17% from the LNR (includes TV Rights, compensation from producing french internationals and other minor stuff)

- 5% from public collectivities (so you're looking at funds from the city of Clermont, the department of Puy-De-Dôme and the region Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes)

- 4% from merchandising and events

- 3% from miscellaneous

- 51 % from sponsorships and partnerships. They've got 550 different partners. The main ones are CGI, Groupama, Limagrain/Jacquet, Omerin, Paprec, Renault and of course Michelin (not surprising since they're actually the founders of the club).


As you can see nothing comes from the FFR at all. The LNR is a separate entitiy to FFR and their aims frequently do not accord.


It is also why the European breakaway plotted by LNR and PR back in 2013 had nothing to do with the governing bodies of either England or France - and it most certainly did not have their blessing https://www.espn.co.uk/rugby/story/_/id/15331030/jean-pierre-lux-anglo-french-cup-detrimental-european-rugby


And from the horse's mouth [ex AB skipper Sean Fitapatrick] about the comp between Top 14 and Super Rugby:


"The Top 14 in France is probably the best rugby competition in the world at the moment, purely for the week-in, week-out.”


“I think the quality of players. They are bigger, they are faster, they are stronger. Which then carries on into the international game.”

Take it from someone who knows JW😅

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