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Tom Christie: The 'shackles were off' for Crusaders in streak-snapping Chiefs win
By Ned Lester
The Crusaders have claimed an overdue win over the Chiefs in a Good Friday contest in Christchurch, snapping the team’s record losing streak to start the season.
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The Crusaders have now improved to 1-6, a long way off what has become their expected success rate but a crucial step closer to a playoff birth.
The team had initially named halfback Mitchell Drummond as their fourth captain of the season, but Drummond was removed from the lineup ahead of the contest and flanker Tom Christie stepped in to lead his side.
“It’s amazing, the boys, they fronted tonight,” Christie told Sky Sport NZ after the win.
“I think one through 23 really lifted from what we’ve had in the past and it just shows, a little bit of adversity, we stuck internal; there’s a long way to go yet, we can acknowledge that but it was a step in the right direction.
When queried on what inspired the performance, Christie said the narratives around the team’s season had played into a nothing-to-lose mentality.
“I think there was just a sense of freedom. Obviously, there’s been a little bit in the media if you chose to read it and it was kind of like the shackles were off. It takes a little bit of pressure off, we just wanted to come out here and play Crusaders rugby and I think we showed that. We showed that when we get it right, we’re a dangerous team.
“There’s immense care. I think everyone knows the process and everyone would give their all for this jersey, this jersey’s a special thing, there’s a lot of history in it and everyone really cares about it and it shows when we put those kinds of efforts in.”
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Hooker George Bell said there was “definitely” a sense of relief that came with the result.
“Just super proud of the boys tonight, that’s an unreal effort against a top Chiefs side,” he said on the broadcast. “We gave it our all tonight and got the result, so hopefully it starts it all off and we keep the ball rolling from here.
“It’s an unreal feeling to just get that first win, it’s what we needed. Now, to have a week off, lets us refresh and start again.”
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Tom Christie showed when Scott Barrett is not available he should be the captain. Great game, by Tom. As it was by Cullen Grace, Corey Kellow, but especially Cullen. They showed the true spirit of Crusaders rugby , ( as the whole team did ), which is whenever lots of people say you are finished , you rise again. Canterbury rugby is the same and for decades before that, Alex Wyllie, Don Hayes, Todd Blackadder , Reuben Thorne etc all exemplified that.
Confirmed conclusively that 1. the Chiefs are a one man band 2. DMac is THE vital cog for Robertsons success with the ABs.
Crusaders finally played some good rugby as a team while the Chiefs may have been caught off guard. Its just one game in a season. So for Joe Public, DMac goes from, don’t want him anywhere near the ABs, to the vital cog? OK.
They may be a 1 man band but the biggest takeaway was that MacMillan is both a poor selector and a poor tactician - much in the mould of Gatland and Foster.
Maybe. I think the Crusaders were going to click at some time and the selections of their team made a difference (along with the “nothing to lose” mentality mentioned). Hotham brought energy and an eye for varied options, Strange brought clarity to a lineout that has been struggling and they finally passed the ball to Aumua (who combined well with McCloud) to keep the Chiefs backline honest and to create space around his plays where McNicholl thrived. Christie had his best game, Fihaki keeps improving and Bell’s rough edges seemed to be getting more polished. I think they also have been relying on reputations that have not flourished this year - Havili and Heinz in particular. Robertson will have BB, DMac, Love, Cameron in the 1st five “pool” and design a game plan to fit the resources - as he does.
Can’t argue