KEY POINTS:
There was some admirable commitment in the opening round and some real intensity in Christchurch, but the quality of execution was pretty much what you would expect for the first game of the season.
There were a lot of mistakes in all the games, and you have to
wonder if teams had endured pre-seasons that were as intense as they said they were.
Probably the most interesting thing I picked up on was that midway through the second half in Christchurch, the Crusaders were dominating territory but the Chiefs were in control of possession. There was also a stat I saw that said the Crusaders had missed 17 tackles to seven by the Chiefs.
On those numbers, you'd have to be thinking the Chiefs had their opportunities to win the game and when they scored through Masaga in the second half, I thought they would.
By that stage, the Chiefs had momentum and they had been industrious for most of the second half.
In the other games played over the weekend, the Highlanders and Force both caved in a wee bit at the corresponding stage when they were under pressure and I thought the Crusaders might do the same with a few of their players struggling with cramp.
But, very much like the Crusaders of previous seasons, they really dug in and showed their character. The way they defended in the final quarter will have given the Crusaders a lot of heart and confidence. It showed it's pretty much business as usual for the Crusaders in terms of attitude and application and that was precisely what new coach Todd Blackadder would have been hoping to see.
I was very surprised to see Leon MacDonald stood up by Masaga in the build up to that try. There was maybe a breakdown in communication between him and his young wingers but it was still unusual to see him beaten on the outside like that.
There were a few other players who will feel they have some work to do in the next few weeks, but there were also some players who showed encouraging early-season form.
Brendon Leonard won the battle of the halfbacks and I was impressed by how sharp he was after such a long lay off. He came out well on top for the way he took the game to the Crusaders and his ability to first spot the gap and then take it.
I think Andy Ellis needs to take a step back and communicate less with referees. A good halfback should communicate but with his forwards and first five rather than the referee.
Colin Slade will have known he was in a game that was a big step up from provincial football and that at Super 14, he will now know you have a lot less time on the ball.
He'll be feeling a little bit under pressure with Stephen Brett but competition for places is what every coach wants.
