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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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J
JW 4 hours ago
Why factory-fitted scrum-halves are pouring off the French production line

I don't see the point in listing 15 players, all that is going to do is skew the data based on the favour strat of the teams that rotate/share evenly their minutes.


Doing analysis on the top 12 and 14 first fives, and the top 12 and 14 scrum halves, would also be more relevant (though maybe difficult given the datas presentation?).


What I can see is that 3 of the top 5 are flyhalves

There is less kicking south of the border, and that automatically shifts the ‘central intelligence agency’ of the team out one spot, to first five-eighth.

What is the thought basis behind connecting these two points?


As far as the comparison with Super Rugby (thanks for the mention), I'm surprised a few aussie teams didn't favour the strength of their 9s (0 in top 5) but not surprised that the Canes and Saders used their 9's a lot with their predicaments. What is interesting in NZs case is what has caused a resurgence in half back authority, maybe it is the great man himself with the recent 9's like Ratima, Roigard, Jordi, Hotham (not sure about Pledger at the Landers) all have more than a few parts of Anton Dupont about them? As far as pure orchestration goes, in the French context, I can see Roigard and Canes trying to play more from 9 (well the coaches don't actually give that confidence but w/e).


I enjoyed the balance and relative effectiveness between Racings 2 players in that game. You can see the kick being used to good effect from 10 and maybe that is the teams/countries good understanding of how, when and where, to use each?


So maybe some direct comparisons would be more accurate?

Dupont (2 starts of 15) v Ntamack (7)

15 Tackles 41

26 Kicks 40

1 Line Breaks 1

33 Carries 38

184 Metres Carried 129

177 Touches 209


Graou (10)

33 Tackles

46 Kicks

6 Line Breaks

68 Carries

427 Metres Carried

749 Touches


Lucu (735min) v Jalibert (567min)

99 Tackles 26

99 Kicks 84

5 Line Breaks 8

51 Carries 68

198 Metres Carried 430

708 Touches 298


Ruru v Lafage

71 Tackles 36

91 Kicks 68

1 Line Breaks 0

63 Carries 43

102 Metres Carried 247

613 Touches 286


Serin v Garbisi (Enzo, both 10s a couple hundred minutes behind serin) (highest kicking team)

73 Tackles 37 (33)

124 Kicks 45 (46)

5 Line Breaks 0 (2)

62 Carries 38 (35)

191 Metres Carried 149 (154)

631 Touches 189 (203(


Ratima v McKenzie

94 Tackles 88

22 Kicks 162

3 Line Breaks 8

46 Carries 132

327 Metres Carried 744

848 Touches 650


Christie v Plummer

57 Tackles 71

21 Kicks 97

1 Line Breaks 5

31 Carries 88

109 Metres Carried 408

624 Touches 346


Tate v Lynagh

52 Tackles 74

48 Kicks 66

9 Line Breaks 3

67 Carries 63

371 Metres Carried 314

911 Touches 246


Gordon v Edmed

94 Tackles 37

68 Kicks 62

4 Line Breaks 3

56 Carries 68

407 Metres Carried 220

979 Touches 322


So as expected Aussie very much 9 oriented (might be more because of the personal) but still not quite as much as France. NZ typically 10 oriented in fairly balanced setups.

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