Justin Marshall's Chalkboard: Why Colin Slade is Crusaders' key

Colin Slade of the Crusaders is tackled by Jamison Gibson-Park of the Blues during the round 11 Super Rugby match between the Crusaders and the Blues. Photo / Getty Images.

Let's talk about Colin Slade, a guy who this new has added a new dimension to his attacking game and who will be the focal point for the Crusaders when they take on the Waratahs in the round's crunch match at Sydney tomorrow.

His speed, footwork and ability to break tackles have made him the Crusaders most potent linebreaking weapon this season. The Crusaders play him flat on attack and have him engaging defenders, which is where all the best first-fives like to operate.

For me it all starts with the way he is carrying the ball in two hands right to the line.

Some of you might say, "Well, doh," but it's really important. As a defender, when a player is running at you with the ball in two hands, you're aware he has all his options open to him: he can tuck and run, he can chip kick, he can throw long, short or subtle passes to runners off his shoulder. If an attacker has tucked the ball under one arm, you can be pretty sure he's got one thing on his mind and that is they're going to take you on with the run.

Slade has learned to create doubt through a good passing game and good footwork, but the biggest upskilling I've noticed this season, and it's the key to engaging defenders for that split-second longer, is he's making good decisions and he's making them right at the line.

I can demonstrate this with the chalkboard. You can see from set piece that he starts on an inside line, gets a 'push' and drifts to the defender's outside shoulder before straightening. If the defender leaves him too early, he has the speed to take the gap. If they hold, he'll hit the defender's outside shoulder and throw a short pass to his depth runner. Because of the angle he's hit the defender, they can't bounce off him to take that depth runner. He's created a gap with his increased physicality.

In the second drawing, from phase play, he makes a subtle change. Slade will start a bit straighter and won't drift as much to the outside. If he decides to run he'll attempt to beat his man with a left-foot step, otherwise he'll bring his runners into play. I haven't given them numbers in this drawing because they can be anyone - hookers, wings, and even props like Wyatt Crockett have benefited from Slade's vision at the line. The one number I've included in the phase play graphic is 12, because his role in this should be noticed. The onus is also on Dan Carter to run good engaging lines so the outside defender can't collapse in on Slade.

I've been thinking about whether Slade has become a suddenly better player this season or whether the game plan just suits his game more. While the latter might play a part, I think I can say without any doubt he's better and has evolved his game. I wonder also if it might be because he kept getting hurt.

Slade used to be on the end of some big, side-on hits, but now he gets more square-on to the defender. Whatever the reasons, he's in the form of his life and the Crusaders should continue to ride on that.