Rugby: Fans lose hope in busted Crusaders

Injured Crusaders captain Richie McCaw can only watch as his side draws with the Force. Photo / Getty Images

Crusaders fans are already looking to next year after their team's miserable start to the Super 14 season.

After five rounds of the competition, the defending champions are 11th on the table having won just once - against the Chiefs back in the opening week.

The Christchurch-based franchise went through some major changes in the off-season, losing coach Robbie Deans to the Wallabies and All Black first five-eighth Dan Carter to a French sabbatical, but many pundits still expected them to at least challenge for the top four.

Losing captain Richie McCaw and several other players to injury has not helped their cause. However, after giving up a big lead in their draw with the Force on Saturday, and failing to put a point past the Highlanders the previous week, even their staunch legion of fans have kissed goodbye any hopes of an eighth Super rugby title this year.

A current nzherald.co.nz poll shows 84 per cent of respondents believe the Crusaders should start rebuilding for next year, with many fans echoing this statement on internet discussion forums.

"They are not mighty anymore," said 'Girl from London' on the Super 14 website's forum page.

"Injuries do make a difference but I thought their bench was much deeper and more able than what I've seen lately. Perhaps they've been relying on their reputation and the invincibility that comes with it for too long," she said.

'Orckon' added:"The crusaders have to rebuild after Robbie and I think it will take some time to get all their ducks in a row."

Some fans on New Zealand sports discussion website pandasport.co.nz have gone a step further, suggesting the Crusaders coaching trio of Todd Blackadder, Mark Hammett and Daryl Gibson should be shown the door.

"No playoffs this year, first person to go has to be the coach," wrote 'Thrillhouse'.

'Dimebag' said the Crusaders administration made a huge mistake in selecting such an inexperienced coaching staff and suggested arrogance played a part in their appointment.

"Sure, they lost a heap of players, but wouldn't that be more of a reason to go with an experienced coach," he asked.

"What happens if the Crusaders finish 10th? Will they have the balls to change coach?"

The media have also been lamenting the demise of Super rugby's greatest side, with today's sports pages devoting plenty of space to Blackadder's problems.

Herald rugby writer Wyne Gray said the Crusaders of yesteryear would have strolled past the Force, not fall to pieces in the final quarter.

"Their benevolent concession of two converted tries was more reminiscent of their 1996 debut year in Super rugby than the consistent venom they have shown in subsequent seasons," he said.

"The exit of eight All Blacks from last year's squad and five more, including skipper Richie McCaw, on injury watch from the bleachers, has scoured away the Crusaders' experienced core and left them vulnerable."

Meanwhile, despite some dodgy refereeing decisions against the Crusaders on Saturday, Richard Knowler of The Press said the home side only had themselves to blame.

"Their biggest enemy at AMI Stadium was in red and black and they could not have been more effective if they had dusted off a blunderbuss themselves, uncurled their trigger fingers and blown a hole in each foot," he wrote.

"This Super 14 match was there for the taking and that is what makes the final result all the more excruciating."

It doesn't get any easier for the Crusaders this weekend, travelling to Sydney to take on the second-placed Waratahs before home matches against the Stormers and the No 1 ranked Bulls.

But if Blackadder and co don't find a way to get some wins on the board, those Pandasport fans may just get their wish.

- NZ HERALD STAFF