Vern Cotter’s Blues will have what their coach has described as a welcome bye week to regroup after a disastrous start to their Super Rugby Pacific title defence — winning only one of their first six matches.
Their latest defeat, after positive signs in the narrow loss to the Chiefs in Hamilton last weekend, was to the Crusaders, a 42-19 thrashing at Eden Park which highlighted flaws throughout their game.
Most pressing will be the need to find a way to retain possession. The Crusaders brought quick line speed on defence but, too often, the Blues were guilty of throwing it away via a loose pass or catch or breakdown error.
"We couldn't construct, we couldn't build," Cotter said afterwards.
Down 20-7 at halftime, the odds were against the Blues recovering. The fact they were missing forwards such as Ricky Riccitelli and Patrick Tuipulotu made their task all the more difficult.
"We were chasing… at halftime, we just basically said just do simple things… but it was a game where we didn't have control of it, and we needed to get control of it,” Cotter said. “So that's just really simple stuff.
"I thought we seemed a little lethargic in and around reacting. We weren't reacting as quickly as we could have been. We scored early and probably too easily.”
Flanker Dalton Papali’i was on the scoreboard early with a converted try but, from then on, it was all Crusaders, their continuity game and ability to finish chances leaps ahead of their struggling opponents in what was the Crusaders' first away win under coach Rob Penney.
Last year, the Crusaders won only four matches in total. This year they’ve won four out of five and are second on the table with real momentum behind them. The Blues, meanwhile, are 10th of 11 teams.
The Blues romped to the title last season via their dominant pack but last night there was an inexperience and fragility about their forwards due to an injury toll which has already ruled out lock Sam Darry for the season. Riccitelli, fellow hooker Kurt Eklund, Tuipulotu and experienced playmaker Beauden Barrett were also badly missed.
For Penney, the vibe is very different this year, a mercifully light injury toll and growing depth making his job a lot easier, and this victory, after two promising performances against Australian sides at home, bodes well for a genuine title run.
"All you're ever after as a coach is for the boys to express themselves and feel as though they getting something out of the game and and loving their time in the jersey," said Penney.
"What made it hard last year was we were searching for things to try to get it to turn, but it was just not happening."
Crusaders captain David Havili said: "There's just a lot of rugby knowledge in that backline, you've got James O'Connor who's been to multiple World Cups and played around the world.
"And then you put him with Will Jordan. Then you got guys like Sevu Reece with finishing power, and you just want to give him one-on-ones. Certainly, the prep that goes in during the week is really, really thorough."
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