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'It was that feeling of the Crusaders of old as I had my face behind a pillow'

Tamaiti Williams of the Crusaders. Photo by Joe Allison/Getty Images

As poor as the Crusaders’ results have been in 2024, their opponents have remained acutely aware of the championship DNA lurking in the background that could rear its head at any given moment.

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The Blues of all teams know never to underestimate the perennial champions, but it didn’t matter when the Auckanders travelled to Christchurch for their round 14 grudge match.

In a break from what had become tradition, the top-of-the-table Blues faced a Crusaders outfit fighting for a slither of playoffs hope, desperate to keep their uncharacteristically woeful season alive.

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The reigning champions stepped up and took the game to the visitors, ultimately earning their third win of the season and resigning the Blues to the all-too-familiar position of leaving the Christchurch stadium disappointed.

“The Crusaders were outstanding, I thought the Blues played really well as well,” Blues centurion James Parsons said on the Aotearoa Rugby Pod.

“If you look at it statistically, apart from the penalty count, they (the Blues) were operating at 93 per cent on defence, high at set piece, strong at the breakdown.

“I do think certain players with experience that came back, if you look at (Codie) Taylor, (Ethan) Blackadder with 12 carries, 24 tackles, 39 rucks; Cullen Grace had similar numbers, I think Fergus Burke is an out and out 10 with experience at this level. It came together and some of their best players stood up.

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“The Blues are the most successful team at defending their line. But, the Crusaders played on their terms, a lot of teams have just tried to wear the Blues down but if you watch Codie Taylor with his quick tap before halftime, that is the making or breaking of that game.

“If they take their time and go to the lineout, potentially the Blues can get in their system and maybe they infringe and take the three (points) or at least stop them.

“The fact that they played that off the cuff and determined how the Blues had to react was a big part in winning that game.

“I was suppose that try in the end, because it was pretty even in the second half, was the difference.”

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Taylor’s performance in the contest has been praised, as has his influence on the team since returning from his sabbatical and assuming the captaincy in Scott Barrett’s absence.

All three of the Crusaders’ wins this season have come against teams well above them in the standings – the Chiefs, Rebels and Blues – and all three wins have come at home.

Points Flow Chart

Crusaders win +2
Time in lead
23
Mins in lead
49
29%
% Of Game In Lead
61%
84%
Possession Last 10 min
16%
0
Points Last 10 min
5

For the Blues, discipline let them down, with 14 penalties giving the Crusaders the upper hand.

“A lot of (those penalties) came through technical issues at scrum time,” Parsons added. “Obviously, there were a few changes especially in and around the breakdown, with Dalton Papali’i not being there. Adrian Choat is a player who will challenge the breakdown a lot more, so I suppose that (risk) comes with that.

“But, 14 (penalties) when they’ve averaged around five or six all year, it shows you the punishment you get.

“You’ve got to give credit to the Crusaders for taking the opportunities. Also, 12 kicks in the first half and 18 in the second; they controlled terms, they controlled where they played and it was that feeling of the Crusaders of old as I had my face behind a pillow watching yet again another loss.

“I don’t think it’ll do any harm to the Blues, it’ll set them up for the finals. But, you’d have to think the Hurricanes are in the box seat to finish top of the table. You’d have to think they’ve got a better chance at getting a bonus point (against the Highlanders) than the Blues do against the Chiefs.”

Watch the exclusive reveal-all episode of Walk the Talk with Ardie Savea as he chats to Jim Hamilton about the RWC 2023 experience, life in Japan, playing for the All Blacks and what the future holds. Watch now for free on RugbyPass TV

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J
JW 1 hour ago
Where is the new breed of All Black 10?

Players like Prendergast and Finn Smith already have a few seasons at top club level under their belt and are now test players, at an age when NZ players make their debuts in SR.

That’s just a difference in standards. You’re confusing SR for being their local domestic comps, where it’s more accurately comparable to Champions Cup, apart from that teams are happy to throw games as it’s in a bit of a limbo in terms of importance atm.


All these kids have been playing for a comparable NPC team for years now. Sam is no where near ready for tests but he has a great temperament, much like Sextons, that makes it a good choice to speed up his development. He wasn’t even a comparable Super Rugby starter before playing for Ireland, so not a great comparison.


Fin would be much better example, but then England don’t have 3 world class Test tens in front of him (not that I’d put Beauden their but obviously in terms of young NZ players chances, he is). Would he otherwise have debuted at the same age as Fergus Burke (injury and leaving withstanding), around 24, a couple of years later? England also aren’t as pedantic to who they give jerseys to, in NZ a test jersey is very hard earned for the most part.


In general I think the effects are as you say, but the only difference is the money involved, as you yourself said, their paths are just as all over the show being loaned out playing for clubs etc. My solution to that, and what you perceive as the problem, would be to introduce university football that utilitizes the large investment they have into high performance sport.

88 Go to comments
J
Jennifer Ross 3 hours ago
One rule for Europe's copycats, another for the Springboks

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Regards.

28 Go to comments
J
Jennifer Ross 3 hours ago
One rule for Europe's copycats, another for the Springboks

The topic of recovery services and the efficacy of Wizard Hilton Cyber Tech warrants a closer examination. Recovery services are a critical component of any comprehensive cybersecurity strategy, as they provide the means to restore systems, data, and operations in the event of a breach or other disruptive incident. Wizard Hilton Cyber Tech is a leading provider in this space, offering a suite of advanced recovery solutions designed to ensure business continuity and mitigate the potentially devastating impacts of cyber attacks. At the core of their offerings is a robust, AI-driven platform that continuously monitors systems, detects anomalies, and triggers rapid, automated recovery procedures. This allows organizations to bounce back quickly, often with minimal downtime or data loss. Wizard Hilton’s approach also emphasizes the importance of comprehensive testing and simulation, putting recovery protocols through their paces to validate effectiveness and uncover potential weaknesses. Additionally, their team of seasoned cybersecurity experts provides hands-on guidance, tailoring solutions to the unique needs of each client. By combining cutting-edge technology with deep industry expertise, Wizard Hilton Cyber Tech has established itself as a trusted partner in the realm of recovery services, empowering organizations to safeguard their most valuable digital assets and ensure business resilience in the face of ever-evolving cyber threats. Contact: for assistance,

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28 Go to comments
J
JW 4 hours ago
Where is the new breed of All Black 10?

JJ and DMac shows how little attention you actually pay to the substance of the articles.

What do you mean by that? For lack of an answer from you I’d suggest yuo need to look at the game again and then read your article. Because although I’m not going to again but I did quickly review the videos and they all match correctly with my perception.

JTPL is shifting towards overseas players being JQP in future

No they’re not, thats a flatout lie Nick. You can find an article on here with their CEO where they want more out of their deals but it’s standard professional sports fair, nothing underhand like the NH does. I find that quite foul that you would share such a view.


I suppose the new World Club League thats starting would die for the best ABs even for just a year, and probably set them up even better. Mo’unga hadn’t done enough to earn a sabbatical though. This is where NZR needs to start questioning itself. You can’t blame the player if the NZR are not even interesting in offering you a contract. In situations where say NZR aren’t able to reach 70% of the offer I think a great starting point would be for them to be treated differently than someone who just left for money. NZR could say make that player immediately eligible if NZR decide to make a fair offer and they sign to return, with players putting in their overseas contracts a right to leave early if they resign back with NZR.


Even with Japans fading desire for sabbaticals I still think NZ can make it a good destination and have many reciprocal agreements with JRFU and the JRLO teams. The situation still very much favours NZ and Australia but it’s upto them to make the most of it or the JRFU won’t see any reason to be the ones always giving the favours.

88 Go to comments
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