The Crusaders had a hunch, a pre-match comment confirmed their suspicions, and a pivotal encounter unfolded exactly as they expected.
In a showdown featuring three coaches joining forces at the All Blacks later this year, Scott Robertson and Scott Hansen outduelled Leon MacDonald in the Crusaders’ comprehensive victory over theBlues on Saturday night.
MacDonald’s side barely threatened throughout the 15-3 defeat in Christchurch, held without a try for only the third time in franchise history.
Rather than trying to puncture the defensive line, the Blues attempted to turn around their opponents through tactical kicking, but that plan served instead to increase the Crusaders’ control.
If it appeared as though the hosts knew what was coming, there was a reason for that. As Richie Mo’unga explained after the game, the Crusaders coaches — with a small assist from Blues wing Caleb Clarke — had spent the week preparing their charges to face a barrage of boot to ball.
“It’s something we previewed as a team and as a backline,” Mo’unga said. “Caleb came out and said a few things through the media that they had tricks up their sleeves around our defence.
“That kind of confirmed what we were thinking around their kicking strategy and trying to put the ball in behind us. So we were cued up ready — and big ups to [coaches] James Marshall and Scott Hansen and Tamati Ellison to cue us up for that.”
Beauden Barrett and the Blues kicked too often against the Crusaders. Photo / Getty
When Hansen was last month confirmed to be following Robertson to the All Blacks, he was billed by Crusaders boss Colin Mansbridge as a “one-of-a-kind rugby strategist”.
The Crusaders’ strategy on Saturday certainly foiled the coach soon taking charge of the All Blacks’ attack, as MacDonald watched Beauden Barrett spearhead a kick-heavy approach to little effect.
It was a departure from the tactics the Blues had employed for much of the campaign. They led the competition in line breaks coming into this round, and a dynamic backline made 10 during their 34-28 loss to the Crusaders in March.
On Saturday night, they were restricted to two while kicking in play on 33 occasions, compared to 22 in the first meeting of last year’s finalists.
“We did feel in control for most parts of the game without the ball,” Mo’unga said. “The week’s prep was really awesome and really thorough because of the respect that we have for this team.
“They have huge threats across the park, and when you get things wrong or you’re a little inaccurate, this team can make you pay. So it was really satisfying.”
Mo’unga would have been justified in drawing additional satisfaction from his performance.
Despite the Crusaders being limited to two tries through a combination of handling errors and the Blues’ own imperious defence, Mo’unga varied the attack well and made a number of tacklers miss while taking the ball to the line.
One man who didn’t miss was Dalton Papali’i, the Blue skipper sent off in the 43rd minute for a nasty shot to Mo’unga’s head. But the first-five held no ill will towards his All Blacks teammate, who apologised onfield before exiting an intensely physical game.
“We’re good mates,” Mo’unga said. “Even when it happened, that’s footy. Nothing personal; he just went a bit high. I have big respect for him and for the Blues.
“Usually I’m as far away as possible from the contact but the game was what it was — it was teed up to be that because of the rivalry between the teams and the history.”
That history now reads 17 Crusaders wins in the last 18 meetings between the teams, with the Blues’ drought-breaking win in Christchurch last season followed a few months later by Robertson break-dancing on the Eden Park turf.
As the Crusaders continue their quest for a seventh title in as many years, Mo’unga believes clashes like Saturday will go some way to preparing his side for the playoffs — before the coaching staff takes care of the rest.
“Come finals footy when it’s a bit wetter, you only have a few moments so you have to really execute,” he said.
“This game was huge for us. We wanted to be obsessed in every part of the game and our actions.”
