Richard Loe: Crusaders getting to the breakdown broke the spirit of the Hurricanes

My guess is the All Black selectors will be very happy with the Crusaders' 47-7 win over the Hurricanes on Friday night. Happy with the style, teamwork and organisation shown in such a decisive win.

The Crusaders implemented their game plan perfectly. They said it after the game - make sure the Hurricanes didn't get too much ball and, if they did, shut down their space and arrive in numbers at the breakdown. The Hurricanes took the ball into more than double the numbers of rucks and mauls the Crusaders did. But look at the turnovers. Tons of turnovers. They were caused by the Crusaders getting to the breakdown and forcing the issue. Watch the video - you'll see Hurricanes forwards hanging off the rucks and mauls or out in the backline. The Crusaders forwards were in there, doing what forwards are supposed to do.

You could see it with the two All Black No 8s - Mose Tuiali'i for the Crusaders and Rodney So'oailo for the Hurricanes.

Tuiali'i was in the thick of the hard stuff - driving, clearing out and looking for the ball. At the Crusaders he has learned that his job is not to be running wide and feeding the wingers - that's the centre's job. So'oailo tried hard but was outnumbered most of the time. Andrew Hore was the pick of the Hurricanes forwards but, even 20 minutes in, you could see him and Ross Kennedy getting frustrated because they couldn't build a platform.

It wasn't too far from the type of game the All Blacks played against France last year. We didn't see offloads the All Blacks made against the French - that wasn't the plan on Friday - but they tore into them at set pieces, the rucks and mauls, forced the turnovers and supported each other with the ball.

Reuben Thorne had another top game. He complements Richie McCaw perfectly. Jerry Collins worked hard but Jimmy Gopperth's try and a couple of breaks by Ma'a Nonu were about the only times the Hurricanes got on the front foot.

And here I think we have to pay tribute to a man I have heard getting none of the praise so far - Robbie Deans. He's the one to whom the Crusaders owe their organisation. Good in the set pieces and powerful in the rucks, as I say, they also kicked to good effect, always to regain possession.

Then there is that defence. When the Hurricanes had the ball they are met by a team - a team which chases, lines up correctly and tackles hard.

I heard some people praising the Crusaders' attack but really their win was based on that solid game plan, their defence, that effort in the rucks and mauls and terrific counter-attacking. How did Greg Somerville get there for the pass to Scott Hamilton for the try before halftime which put the nail in the Hurricanes' coffin?

But back to Robbie - it just shows what can be done with a coach if they are given a bit of time with a team. He was shown the door along with John Mitchell when at the All Blacks but I guess you'd say that last night shows there is nothing wrong with his selection and coaching ability.

And if you needed any further proof of the Crusaders' superiority, you just needed to look at Tana Umaga. The All Black captain is a fine player but he could do nothing - nothing - to stop what was occurring.

- HERALD ON SUNDAY