The main message Crusaders coach Scott Robertson pushed ahead of his team’s final round-robin match against the Hurricanes last night was the need to maintain high standards.
He said it during the week and again before kick-off at Sky Stadium.
His displeasure, then, as he saw his side fall from a 19-8 half-time lead to lose 27-26, will be significant.
It doesn’t matter in the big scheme of things; the defending champions retained second place and have qualified for a home quarter-final – they play the Fijian Drua in Christchurch on Friday night (and potentially a home semifinal) but the way in which their pack apparently decided to take the rest of the night off at halftime will lead to some lively discussions at the team’s Rugby Park headquarters over the next few days.
The Chiefs, meanwhile, did maintain their standards in comprehensively beating the Force 43-19 in Perth early this morning NZT.
Head coach Clayton McMillan rested a whole host of players but still they got the job done against a team with everything to play for.
Most of his All Blacks, including Brodie Retallick, Luke Jacobson, Samisoni Taukei’aho and Damian McKenzie remained in Hamilton and will be well rested for their quarter-final against the Reds at Waikato Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
The Blues, mistake-ridden and patchy again against the Highlanders at Eden Park, will host the Waratahs, who suffered a shock defeat to Moana Pasifika, at Eden Park on Friday.
They're timing their run, maintains Blues coach Leon MacDonald, but they also appear to be running out of time.
The Hurricanes, who rode their momentum and luck to edge out the Crusaders in what was a more comprehensive victory than the scoreline suggests, face a trip to Canberra to play the Brumbies and probably represent the biggest upset threat.
Their biggest challenge will be defending the Brumbies’ notorious lineout drive – they struggled in the first half there against the Crusaders, but it was difficult to remember the visitors having a lineout in the Hurricanes’ territory in the second half so they have shown they can find a way and in Ardie Savea and Dane Coles they have two inspirational figures to rally behind.
There is little doubt that the Chiefs remain the favourites to add to their titles of 2012 and 2013.
They beat the Crusaders home and away this season, losing only one match – a shock reverse to the Reds in New Plymouth.
They are well coached, have one of the deepest squads in the competition, and will have an extremely vocal support behind them if they face the Crusaders in the grand final.
The Crusaders are gunning for their seventh title in seven years under Robertson but their four defeats this year – the most they have recorded in a single season under the future All Blacks head coach – signal vulnerability.
It is clearly a mental issue as they were on a differently level physically in the opening 40 minutes, with the withdrawal of veteran lock Sam Whitelock at halftime a big loss in terms of leadership.
Another issue is the way in which several of their players, including the sinbinned Codie Taylor and wing Leicester Fainga'anuku, were so easily wound up by Coles in his final home game.
And while the addition of Scott Barrett at blindside flanker added height and heft to their lineout and scrum, the way he was beaten down the blindside off the latter set piece by Brayden Iose may have raised Robertson's eyebrows and also Ian Foster's; the All Blacks coach signalling he sees a place there for Barrett at the World Cup.
However, the momentum theory in sports remains debatable and this defeat will have minimal effect on the Crusaders' confidence.
They know they face three sudden death matches to claim the championship and this is where they are most effective under Robertson. Plus, they have never lost a playoff match at home.
It may be that the flop in Wellington is just what they require to focus on those standards Robertson was talking about.
The Chiefs remain the favourites but it’s too early to count the Crusaders out yet.
Quarter-finals:
Friday, June 9, 7.05pm: Blues v Waratahs, Eden Park
Saturday, June 10, 4.35pm: Chiefs v Reds, Waikato Stadium
7.05pm: Crusaders v Fijian Drua, Orangetheory Stadium
9.35pm: Brumbies v Hurricanes, GIO Stadium
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