Crusaders banish the blues but hard yakka needed for playoffs

Colin Slade of the Crusaders is tackled by Jamison Gibson-Park of the Blues. Photo / Getty Images

We hear the Crusaders are back, that they've turned the corner.

Well, are they?

Only a few matches ago we heard the rising red and black clamour after they drubbed the toothless Sharks 52-10 in Durban.

Back home, though, they wilted to twin defeats against the Highlanders and Chiefs.

Now the hubbub has started again after what - victory against the Blues who staggered out of the sheds and tried to find their bearings for the opening quarter and then lost a man to the bin soon after the interval.

On their home ground the Crusaders beat a team who have been out of sorts for most of the competition, rested two of their best players, Jerome Kaino and Charles Piutau, and were without an injured Patrick Tuipulotu.

Everyone except the Brumbies has cleaned their studs on the Blues.

It was the Crusaders' turn on Saturday night at AMI Stadium in Christchurch.

They had six All Blacks in their pack, four in the backline and three more in their reserves in a grouping which demanded a return to the winners' rostrum.

The Blues had a few senior All Blacks and a smattering of part-time test men who have been dealing with the cumulative weight of defeat and erratic form which piggybacked them to Christchurch.

Their lineout imploded, they missed tackles and they looked out of sorts. Then they uncorked a superb set-piece try to Francis Saili which made you wonder where that had been all season and later, with Jamieson Gibson-Park in the bin, conjured up some fine continuity for impressive flanker Brendan O'Connor to plunge over.

Discount the opening 12 minutes when the Crusaders had two converted tries and seemed to be the only team on the field, and the match was a scoreboard dead-heat.

Nemani Nadolo was a massive menace throughout, the go-to creator for the Crusaders, who tagged three of their four touchdowns from his impact.

Around that the Crusaders got more traction when they kept the ball instead of hoofing it downfield but still look a little uncertain about their attacking methods and transition.

We'll get some better evidence about their progress when they play the Hurricanes this week at the Cake Tin in Wellington.

The Crusaders will have to wait for a concussion assessment on Richie McCaw, who was more prominent in this match as he mixed 12 tackles and two breakdown pilfers with three missed tackles and three penalty concessions.

Out in midfield, Daniel Carter was solid in defence and won several turnovers as most of the attacking moves and all of the goal-kicking duties bypassed him.

It was another useful tune-up for him, though, another small step in building the assurance which has been so disrupted by injury.

His midfield battles on Saturday with Ma'a Nonu and Conrad Smith will test his progression and that of the Crusaders, who need a great deal of consistent improvement if they are to work their way into the playoffs.