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'Don't read anything into this': Ex-All Black unconcerned by Crusaders loss to Waratahs

(Photo by Pete Dovgan/Speed Media/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Former All Blacks wing Jeff Wilson says he doesn’t read anything into the shock Super Rugby Pacific win by the Waratahs over the Crusaders in Sydney on Saturday.

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The Waratahs stunned the competition by registering a 24-21 upset victory over Scott Robertson’s serial champions in front of a packed and boisterous crowd at Leichardt Oval to deliver Australia with its second win over Kiwi opposition this season.

Ranked seventh on the table heading into that match, four places below the Crusaders, the Waratahs were widely expected to fall victim to the might of the visitors, who are chasing their sixth title in as many years.

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Aotearoa Rugby Pod | Episode 11

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However, Darren Coleman’s men managed to pull off one of the upsets of the year to put themselves within four points of a top four spot.

The feat was all the more remarkable given how the Waratahs fared last year, when they went winless throughout Super Rugby AU and Super Rugby Trans-Tasman in what was their worst seasons ever.

Speaking on The Breakdown, Wilson was impressed by how much the Waratahs have improved between last year’s campaign and this season, but made note that little should be made of the result from the perspective of the Crusaders.

The former 60-test international said that while the win was immense for the Waratahs, the absence of star Crusaders first-five Richie Mo’unga – who was sidelined due to All Blacks rest protocols – had an undoubted impact on how the game transpired.

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“This team was struggling last year. They were young, inexperienced – they’ve got some players into their environment who have made a huge difference,” Wilson said of the Waratahs on The Breakdown.

“Michael Hooper, in that environment, has led them from the front. He is a world-class leader and player, but two words: Richie Mo’unga, was not playing in this game for the Crusaders.

“He is their talisman, he is their best player. He has been multiple time Super Rugby Player of the Year, so when you take a key player, a key piece of your puzzle out of it, your first-five, you don’t win this competition without a world-class first-five.

“It is proven over time in history, so I don’t read anything into this result, other than the fact that they’ve now lost control of their destiny, particularly about controlling playing at home in the playoffs.

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“For me, Scott Robertson’s got some things that he’ll want to deal with, but in the end, his best player, his most influential player, was not playing because he was on rest duties. It was time for him to have a week off.”

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By comparison, All Blacks great Sir John Kirwan said the result was reflective of the culture the Waratahs have developed since Coleman’s arrival ahead of this season.

The 1987 World Cup-winning wing added that the Crusaders have been guilty of starting matches unusually sluggishly, which he attributed as a key factor in their defeat.

“The Crusaders are starting slow. They’re traditionally really good starters, they put pressure on at the start of the game. They’ve been starting slow all year, but I also think the Waratahs have been building,” Kirwan told The Breakdown.

“When you listen to them after the game and you listen to them talk, they’re saying ‘we’re building a family’, you can see the culture starting to turn around, and I think they played out of themselves.”

All Blacks centurion Mils Muliaina agreed with Kirwan’s assessment of the Crusaders, noting that they, and the other four New Zealand teams, were “flat-footed” compared to their Australian counterparts.

As such, Muliaina suggested that’s why three Australian teams – the Waratahs, Brumbies and Rebels – all picked up victories in the latest round.

“They had the perfect start, 17-odd points up,” Muliaina said of the Waratahs in their match against the Crusaders.

“You’ve got some good, young talent, some real superstars that can sort of make breaks from anywhere, then it was really that factor of what they’re building, the fact they’re building that culture to absolutely bring it home.

“I’m with you, JK, the Crusaders are starting slow, but I think all of the New Zealand teams just looked like they’re a little bit flat-footed.

“They’re not as excited as what we have seen from the past, and it’s almost as if they Australian teams have come out and are really motivated, they’re refreshed, and they can’t wait to get into us.”

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J
JW 11 minutes ago
'Passionate reunion of France and New Zealand shows Fabien Galthie is wrong to rest his stars'

Where? I remember saying "unders"? The LNR was formed by the FFR, if I said that in a way that meant the 'pro' side of the game didn't have an equal representation/say as the 'amateur' side (FFR remit) that was not my intent.


But also, as it is the governing body, it also has more responsibility. As long as WR looks at FFR as the running body for rugby in France, that 'power' will remain. If the LNR refuses to govern their clubs use of players to enable a request by FFR (from WR) to ensure it's players are able to compete in International rugby takes place they will simply remove their participation. If the players complain to the France's body, either of their health and safety concerns (through playing too many 'minutes' etc) or that they are not allowed to be part in matches of national interest, my understanding is action can be taken against the LNR like it could be any other body/business. I see where you're coming from now re EPCR and the shake up they gave it, yes, that wasn't meant to be a separate statement to say that FFR can threaten them with EPCR expulsion by itself, simply that it would be a strong repercussion for those teams to be removed (no one would want them after the above).


You keep bringing up these other things I cannot understand why. Again, do you think if the LNR were not acting responsibly they would be able to get away with whatever they want (the attitude of these posters saying "they pay the players")? You may deem what theyre doing currently as being irresponsible but most do not. Countries like New Zealand have not even complained about it because they've never had it different, never got things like windfall TV contracts from France, so they can't complain because theyre not missing out on anything. Sure, if the French kept doing things like withholding million dollar game payments, or causing millions of dollars of devaluation in rights, they these things I'm outlining would be taking place. That's not the case currently however, no one here really cares what the French do. It's upto them to sort themselves out if they're not happy. Now, that said, if they did make it obvious to World Rugby that they were never going to send the French side away (like they possibly did stating their intent to exclude 20 targeted players) in July, well then they would simply be given XV fixtures against tier 2 sides during that window and the FFR would need to do things like the 50/50 revenue split to get big teams visiting in Nov.

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