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New Zealand's Prime Minister weighs in on Crusaders' poor start

Sevu Reece of the Crusaders looks dejected after the loss in the round four Super Rugby Pacific match between the Crusaders and Hurricanes at Apollo Projects Stadium, on March 15, 2024, in Christchurch, New Zealand. (Photo by Kai Schwoerer/Getty Images)

The Crusaders were expected to take a bit of a backwards step in 2024 after losing some major components of their recent dynastic run, but an 0-4 start wasn’t quite what fans had bargained for.

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The team’s apparent downfall has reshaped the competitive landscape of Super Rugby Pacific and even New Zealand’s Prime Minister Christoper Luxon has had his say on the turn of results.

Luxon was born in Christchurch but now resides in Auckland and represents his local electorate, Botany, there. He remains a Crusaders fan and after seven titles in as many years, is feeling confident his side will come right by the season’s end.

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“Don’t worry, they’ll come back,” Luxon told the AM Show.

“I think four games into it or whatever we are, second bottom on the ladder, but we’ve got plenty to play for, lots more to go and the Crusaders they win ugly, or they win nice, but they win so that’s what’s important.”

This weekend sees a battle between the PM’s hometown team and his new home team, the Blues, in a fixture that has continued to be one of the competition’s most impassioned rivalries despite the Crusaders winning 17 of the last 18 contests.

Luxon says he has never entertained switching allegiance despite now residing in the City of Sails.

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“I always support the Crusaders and even when I talk to the Blues players, they respect the fact that I have stuck with the team I have supported since I was a little boy,” Luxon explained.

“It probably costs me two or three thousand votes out of Botany each election but the bottom line is you’ve got to stand up for your values at all times and I stand up for the Crusaders.”

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The sentiment was clear, but one of the interviewers couldn’t help but query one of Luxon’s claims after the interview had finished.

“When were the Crusaders formed?” Lloyd Burr asked. “Because he said when he was a little boy and I’m sure the Crusaders weren’t… anyway moving on.”

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Indeed the Crusaders being founded in 1996 when the 52-year-old would have been 25 doesn’t quite fit the age bracket the Prime Minister had referenced, but Crusaders fans may opt to forgive the faux pas as merely a figure of speech.

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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.

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Ashley Carson 3 hours ago
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