Senio aiming to avoid the heavy traffic

Kevin Senio admires the Crusaders' professionalism. Ross Land / Getty Images

If Kevin Senio had peered into his crystal ball when he headed south late last year, he might have envisaged running out for the Super 14 final tomorrow night.

After all, he was joining the most successful rugby operation in New Zealand. He made the move from Bay of Plenty because he felt his rugby would benefit. It was a tough call to leave the region, but when Robbie Deans came calling, the appeal was understandable.

Senio might not have made the starting XV had Andy Ellis not damaged his knee in last weekend's semifinal. He's been kept on his toes through the campaign, starting eight of the 14 games leading to the final.

But the experience has given him an insight into how Crusaders Inc goes about things as they chase their sixth Super rugby crown tomorrow night.

"Just seeing what makes them tick, observing how the machine runs and getting to know the players," he said yesterday. "I've definitely learned what it means to be a professional. Just watching these guys do it week in week out and how to perform at that intensity, at that level, consistently."

The simplest way to sum up Senio's reading of what makes the Crusaders special is camaraderie.

"It takes a little while to get to know different people when you go to a new environment. That's what I had to do when I went to the Bay [from Auckland].

"There's something pretty special down here because they're very successful.

"They're just a good group of down-to-earth guys. The area down here is just like the Bay: not as big as Auckland so you've got the opportunity to rock round to one of the boys' houses in five minutes, not sit in the traffic," he quipped.

Senio made his test debut last year, a few minutes against the Wallabies at Eden Park as the Tri-Nations title was wrapped up. He wants more but it's a tough field, including the seasoned Byron Kelleher and rapid riser Piri Weepu, with whom Senio will square off tomorrow night.

Senio needed his mouth stitched up during the semifinal win over the Bulls. He was taking his food out of a straw the next day. "It's not as bad as it looks. Nothing too major, just something for the boys to laugh at."

The season-long battle with Ellis has been good for Senio's rugby and he's rapt with what coach Robbie Deans has brought to his game.

"He's an awesome coach. I knew what Andy was capable of but [it was a case of] being confident in your own ability and be yourself."

None of the Senio family will be at Jade Stadium tomorrow night, but he's had plenty of texts, and his brother, Blues halfback John Senio, has been chipping him as well "telling me not to make a fool of myself".

This will be the biggest game of his career and he's ready for the challenge. "The physical preparation has all been done. It's really the mental stuff now. This week is about being clear on the details and doing the small things right."

And Senio will be hoping, with the first All Black squad of the year being named on Sunday, that doing those small things right will lead to bigger things.