Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

Former Wallaby encourages fans to ‘enjoy’ Crusaders’ winless run

Scott Barrett reacts after Crusaders' loss to the Waratahs (Photo by Asanka Ratnayake/Getty Images)

Former Wallaby Cameron Shepherd has encouraged Super Rugby Pacific fans to “enjoy” the Crusaders’ winless start to the season with the defending champions ranked second-last on the ladder.

ADVERTISEMENT

For the first time since the inaugural Super Rugby season in 1996, the Crusaders have started a season with three defeats from as many starts.

The reigning competition champions started their season with a tough loss on the road away to New Zealand rivals the Chiefs before falling to the NSW Waratahs 37-24 in a stunning Super Round upset at Melbourne’s AAMI Park.

Video Spacer
Video Spacer

But their loss to the Fijian Drua in Round Three sees them anchored towards the bottom of the ladder with the Christchurch-based franchise equal on competition points with the Western Force.

While the Force currently sit in last place, the Crusaders are only one spot above them due to their slightly better points differential which still reads -27 after the opening three rounds.

“Poor performance (in Round One) and then you come out, you do a huge comeback against the Force and then win on the weekend against a Moana Pasifika team that was coming off a win,” Cameron Shepherd initially said of the Melbourne Rebels on Stan Sports’ Rugby Heaven.

“Great to see the Crusaders down the bottom. If the Western Force won on the weekend they would’ve been in 11th and the Crusaders would’ve been 12th.

ADVERTISEMENT

“But then you look at that logjam in the middle and I think Sera you’d agree, this weekend really is going to separate and we’re going to start seeing some real differences within the group.

“But at the moment, it sort of is anyone’s tournament.”

Related

With new coach Rob Penney at the helm, the Crusaders have had three different halfbacks start in the No. 9 jersey already this season and there has been some change at first-five as well.

The Crusaders no longer have the likes of Richie Mo’unga, Sam Whitelock or Leicester Fainga’anuku to call upon as they sail through practically uncharted waters this season.

ADVERTISEMENT

The last time the Crusaders started 0-3, one of Rugby Heaven’s pundits this week, Sera Naiqama, was only one. Host Michael Atkinson was about eight years of age.

“We might not get this chance again so we’ve got to enjoy it as much as we can,” Shepherd added with a smile.

But as they look to turn their season around, the Crusaders have their backs up against the ropes as they prepare to run through a Super Rugby gauntlet over the next few weeks.

The Crusaders will host the Hurricanes in Christchurch in Round Four before then facing the Blues in Auckland and the Chiefs back at home.

ADVERTISEMENT

O2 Inside Line: All In | Episode 5 | Making Waves

Confidence knocks and finding your people | Flo Williams | Rugby Rising Locker Room

Tackling reasons for drop-out in sport | Zainab Alema | Rugby Rising Locker Room

Krakow | Leg 3 | Day 2 | HSBC Challenger Series | Full Day Replay

Kubota Spears vs Tokyo Sungoliath | Japan Rugby League One 2024/25 | Full Match Replay

Jet Lag: The biggest challenge facing international sports? | The Report

Boks Office | Episode 39 | The Investec Champions Cup is back

Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry? | New Zealand & Australia | Sevens Wonders | Episode 5

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

2 Comments
C
Cheers 409 days ago

Never heard of Cameron Shepherd, But I do enjoy the absolute S&^tshow the Wallabies are.

Load More Comments

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

J
JW 3 hours ago
Reds vs Blues: Ex-All Black missed the mark, Lynagh’s Wallabies statement

Agree re Lynagh.


Disagree Beaver got it wrong. Blues made that look easy. It might be a brawn over brains picture though? More in the last point, but, and this may have changed by player selection, the Reds were very lucky this game. Tele’a should not have been red carded as Ryan landed on his shoulder, and both Tate and Jock (was it) should have been yellowed carded for their offenses in stopping tries. We also had a try dissallowed by going back 10 phases in play. We all should have learned after the RWC that that is against the rules. So straight away on this simple decisions alone the result changes to go in the Blues favour, away from home and playing fairly poorly. The sleeping giant if you will. I didn’t agree with the Blues take either tbh, but to flip it around and say it’s the Reds instead is completely inaccurate (though a good side no doubt you have to give them a chance).


And you’re also riding the wave of defense wins matches a bit much. Aside from Dre’s tackling on Rieko I didn’t see anything in that match other than a bit of tiny goal line defending. I think if you role on the tap for another second you see the ball put placed for the try (not that I jump to agree with Eklund purely because he was adamant), and in general those just get scored more often than not. They are doing something good though stopping line breaks even if it is the Blues (and who also got over the line half a dozen times), I did not expect to be greeted with that stat looking at the game.

8 Go to comments
A
Ashley Carson 4 hours ago
'Not real Lions': How the 1989 British and Irish tourists put Australia on the map

Life can unravel in an instant. For me, that moment came when deceitful cryptocurrency brokers vanished with £40,000 of my savings, a devastating blow that left me paralyzed by shame and despair. The aftermath was a fog of sleepless nights, self-doubt, and a crushing sense of betrayal. I questioned every choice, wondering how I’d fallen for such a scheme. Hope felt like a luxury I no longer deserved. Then, Tech Cyber Force Recovery emerged like a compass in a storm. Skeptical yet desperate, I reached out, half-expecting another dead end. What I found, however, was a team that radiated both expertise and empathy. From our first conversation, they treated my crisis not as a case file, but as a human tragedy. Their professionalism was matched only by their compassion, a rare combination in the often impersonal world of finance.

What happened next defied logic. Within 72 hours of sharing my story, they traced the labyrinth of blockchain transactions, outmaneuvering the scammers with surgical precision. When their email arrived, “Funds recovered, secure and intact,” I wept. It wasn’t just the money; it was the validation that justice could prevail. Tech Cyber Force Recovery didn’t just restore my finances, they resurrected my dignity. But their impact ran deeper. They demystified the recovery process, educating me without judgment. Their transparency became a lifeline, transforming my fear into understanding. Where I saw chaos, they saw patterns; where I felt powerless, they instilled agency. Today, I’m rebuilding not just my savings, but my trust in humanity. Tech Cyber Force Recovery taught me that vulnerability isn’t weakness, and that seeking help is an act of courage. To those still trapped in the aftermath of fraud: miracles exist. They wear no capes, but they wield algorithms and integrity like superheroes. To the extraordinary Tech Cyber Force Recovery team, your work is more than technical prowess. It’s alchemy, turning despair into resilience. You gave me more than my funds; you gave me my future. May your light guide countless others through their darkest nights. From the depths of my heart: Thank you.

Consult Tech Cyber Force Recovery for help.

MAIL.. Techcybersforcerecovery@cyberservices.com

3 Go to comments
TRENDING
TRENDING URC statement: Munster-Bulls error and 'entirely untrue' Piardi rumours URC statement: Munster-Bulls controversy and 'entirely untrue' Piardi
Search