Northern Edition

Select Edition

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

'There was some upset guys afterwards': Crusaders won't dwell on 'seven genuine try opportunities' missed

(Photo by Kai Schwoerer/Getty Images)

For the first time since Scott Robertson took over as head coach in 2017, the Crusaders won’t be contesting a Super Rugby final.

ADVERTISEMENT

Having topped the log in Super Rugby Aotearoa and disposed of the Chiefs in that competition’s grand final, the Crusaders won’t feature in the Trans-Tasman equivalent after failing to nab the requisite winning margin against the Rebels on Saturday evening.

Despite winning all five of their matches against Australian opposition, their points differential sits seven points of the second-placed Highlanders, leaving them third on the overall table.

Video Spacer

RugbyPass brings you the schoolboy highlights of All Blacks sensation Caleb Clarke.

Video Spacer

RugbyPass brings you the schoolboy highlights of All Blacks sensation Caleb Clarke.

It’s a cruel way for their season to end, having won their last seven matches.

“We had a really clear vision of leaving our mark on two trophies this year, and six in five years,” Robertson said following the Crusaders’ 52-26 win over the Rebels. “But we got five in five years and it’s been a hell of a run.”

The Crusader entered the game knowing they needed to score a bonus point against the lowly Rebels whilst also besting their Australian opposition by 33 points in order to book a place in the final.

The 26-point win still pushed the Crusaders into second place on the Trans-Tasman rankings after the match but the Blues’ win over the Western Force ultimately ended the Cantabrians’ season.

What will sting especially for Robertson is that his charges had ample opportunities over the past two weeks to secure the points needed to top the log.

ADVERTISEMENT

The Western Force scored a try with the last play of the game in Christchurch last weekend which robbed the home side of their winning bonus point, while there were also a handful of opportunities that went begging against the Rebels.

“We just didn’t take the opportunities that we created ourselves,” said Robertson. “Plenty of opportunities, seven genuine try opportunities that we didn’t take in the game to get the job done.

“We’re really proud but also probably disappointed, over the last five weeks there was some big moments. Probably the biggest one was the last play against the Force, we probably would have had a home final in reflection, if you look at the board if we could have been better there.

“There was some upset guys afterwards, but you’ve just got to pat them on the back, you don’t want to dwell too much.”

ADVERTISEMENT

Regardless of how the 2021 season has finished, it’s been an exceptional run for the Crusaders since Robertson took over.

In 2017, the Crusaders travelled to Johannesburg and best the Lions in their backyard before doing the same in Christchurch a year later. It was a similar story in 2019 with the Crusaders scoring a 19-3 win over the Jaguares.

Last year, the Crusaders topped the log in Super Rugby Aotearoa, handing them their fourth title in as many years.

The nature of the Trans-Tasman competition, where points weren’t carried over from the local Aotearoa and AU competitions, meant that it was always going to be a roll of a dice to determine who out of the relatively evenly-matched New Zealand sides would compete in the final.

Ironically, neither of the Aotearoa finalists will take the field in the final this weekend – underlying how peculiar the Trans-Tasman competition really is.

It’s expected that a more standard format will be adopted next year – and regardless of who wins this year’s final, the Crusaders will almost certainly enter the 2022 competition as clear favourites.

ADVERTISEMENT

LIVE

{{item.title}}

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

R
RedWarrior 1 hour ago
Three-way race to be number one in World Rugby men's rankings

IF SA and NZ win then its 1,2,3 SA/NZ/IRL Otherwise as you were. This is largely irrelevant beyond bragging rights.


As I have pointed out elsewhere the practical use of the Rankings is to determine the seedings bands for the RWC draw. The draw takes place early 2026 and hopefully the rankings will be taken from then.


Important to be in the top 6, the top 12. (and likely the top 4).

This is because there are now 6 groups in the RWC 2027.

If you are in top 6 you are in Seeding Band 1. That means none of the other top 6 will be in your group.

Seeding Band 2 are teams from 7-12, who will have a top 6 team but no other 7-12 team.

After England's defeat by NZ there is clear water between NZ in 3rd, France in 4th and England in 5th. England are desperate for top4, ill come back and explain why later.

Lets look at Seeding Band 1 and 6th place. If you make 6th, no top 6 team is in your group, you are top dog. If you win your group, you won't be facing a top 6 team in your 1/8th final, you will be facing a weaker team. If you fail to make 6th place you WILL have a top 6 team in your group and if you don't win your group you WILL (probably) meet a top 6 in the 1/8 final. That's massive.


Its Argentina holding 6th now. Assuming England hold 5th, then its a 4 horse race for 6th. Argentina, Scotland, Italy and ...Australia. (ranked 6,7,8,9)

Australia play the Lions in NH summer 2025 they are running out of time to get up to 6th for their own RWC. They MUST make a move now. They must beat Wales and they really must beat Scotland to gain points and take points off them. Could they surprise England or Ireland? England may be the better bet but Schmidt knows Ireland so well having masterminded their downfall in France.

Another one to watch is Italy V Argentina. Italy are ambitious and they will want to start pushing the likes of Argentina. If they win this they are still in the hunt. Well worth a watch either way.


Top4: I think the top 6 will be seeded, all the way through from the draw. If thats the case then the top 4 will be seeded to avoid each other until the semi. Good for more certainty around ticket sales etc. That's a possible reason why England want in there. You're not in there you are hitting a top 4 team in a QF. That's an extra 50:50 match you can do without and avoid by being top 4.


Lets look at what Seeding bands might look like with todays rankings:


Seeding Band 1

IRE/SA/NZ/FRA/ENG/ARG

Seeding Band 2

SCO/ITA/AUS/FIJ/WAL/GEO


Sample Aussie strongest pool opponent and 1/8th final opponent if in top 6

Strongest pool opponent: FIJI

1/8 final opponent GEORGIA

Prognosis: advance to 1/4 and potentially beyond


Sample Aussie strongest pool opponent and 1/8th final opponent if NOT in top 6

Strongest pool opponent: SOUTH AFRICA

1/8 final opponent NEW ZEALAND

Prognosis: You know the prognosis


I am pretty sure this is not lost on Joe Schmidt?


Keep in mind when enjoying the matches.

1 Go to comments
LONG READ
LONG READ England need to face a few home truths if they are to relearn that winning habit England need to face a few home truths if they are to relearn that winning habit
Search