Richard Loe: Cool Crusaders shine in opener

Michael Hobbs of the Blues in action. Photo / Dean Purcell

You'd have to say that the best game of the opening round of Super Rugby was the Crusaders win over the Blues. This was nothing like first-day jitters or mistake-ridden early season rugby - this was two good sides going for it; their attack as good as their defence.

In the end, the Crusaders won it simply because they were more experienced and operated a touch more coolly and as a unit. You couldn't point the finger at any one player or incident as causing the loss - though I fancy some will blame Rene Ranger for Robbie Fruean's try.

It wasn't really his fault, he just didn't get there for the tackle and that wasn't down to any lack of defensive ability; it was just a mis-read and I suspect a bit of miscommunication. Easily fixed.

Some will also blame Piri Weepu for missing that dropkick right at the end of the game. All right, Weepu is not fit and there must be a big question mark over any professional rugby player not fit to play when the professional rugby season begins.

Weepu hadn't been on the field long enough to get puffed, so fitness wasn't the problem - but you have to wonder how much time he has spent practising dropkicks at the death in training. My suspicion is ... not much. Everyone used to talk about Zinzan Brooke's uncanny ability to drop goals but I can tell you that Zinnie was always out there, practising them.

Weepu has also not had much game time pre-season to work on things like that - and you have to wonder about the wisdom of letting him just wander into the season. I heard Pat Lam talking about how different players come back in different ways and at different stages but Weepu is carrying more around the guts than I have done for the past few years.

A professional rugby player needs to get out there and play and play all the time, if he can. To me, you need a different approach when you are playing a team like the Crusaders. I guess we'll never know whether playing more would have made any difference to that drop goal attempt at the death, so let's say the jury is out on Piri right now.

The Crusaders' loose forward trio did so well that you can see they can easily afford to have Richie McCaw missing right now. George Whitelock, Matt Todd and Kieran Read outplayed their opposites.

The clash of the young first fives was good too. Michael Hobbs did well, I thought, and maybe Tyler Bleyendaal had the edge as he is perhaps a more rounded player with the ball in hand. That said, Hobbs had the tougher job as his scrum was going backwards more.

The Chiefs-Highlanders game wasn't quite as classy and you can't help but think the Chiefs' season will be affected by those injuries to Ben Afeaki, Lelia Masaga, Brendon Leonard and maybe Toby Smith.

It will have been disappointing for new coach Dave Rennie and might be a big test of their depth.

I didn't expect as good a game as the Crusaders-Blues because of the Highlanders' injury list before this match - but I think it was the Chiefs' injuries that swung matters.

Up 19-9, they really lost their way then. The Highlanders won because they were so much more determined and more numerous at the breakdowns. The Chiefs didn't control that area and paid the price.

We saw this last year as well with Jamie Joseph's coaching - they didn't have the skills but they sure had the desire.