Leon MacDonald signed off as Blues head coach after five years following the side's semifinal exit to the Crusaders last night. Photo / Photosport
Leon MacDonald signed off as Blues head coach after five years following the side's semifinal exit to the Crusaders last night. Photo / Photosport
The Blues have some way to go before they can be considered a “great team” after being schooled in rugby’s “dark arts” by a ruthless Crusaders outfit in their Super Rugby Pacific semifinal.
That was the message from an emotional Leon MacDonald, who on Friday night signed off as Blueshead coach with a 52-15 defeat against an injury-depleted Crusaders in Christchurch.
MacDonald leaves the Blues after five years in charge to join Scott Robertson at the All Blacks next season, but admitted his team’s humiliating exit from the competition - their second courtesy of the Crusaders in as many campaigns following last year’s final loss - was one of the lowest points of his tenure.
“It’s a big lesson tonight. They brought the intensity that you would expect. That’s why they’ve been unbeaten here for probably 30 games now,” MacDonald said.
“You can speak about it a lot, and we do, but you’ve got to come here and do the basics... you’ve got to be class. They were and we weren’t.”
Crusaders replacement Fergus Burke celebrates his try against the Blues. Photo / Photosport
Despite some patchy form throughout the season, the Blues were confident of a knockout upset against the six-time champions.
“We had high hopes and for it to end like this isn’t ideal, but sport can be brutal at times - the highs are high and the lows are brutally low,” MacDonald said.
“You put your heart and soul into these big games. You’re thinking about them months out, and when all doesn’t go the way you hoped, it’s always frustrating.”
The Blues were stunned by the Crusaders’ blistering start - leading 18-0 after 25 minutes - and outmuscled in all areas of the game.
“It probably took us 65 minutes until we really started cranking into our work in that contact area and that’s so frustrating. It hurts for the boys because they’re a better team than what they showed.”
The visitors - who have now lost 18 of their last 19 encounters against the red and blacks - also lost the mental battle, MacDonald admitted.
“It’s about understanding that step up from round-robin play. When you go up against the Crusaders they’ll test you and you’ve got to have your mindset tough. It’s the dark arts of the game that they’re so good at and for us to not be able to step up when it was our opportunity to do, that is probably the thing that hurts the most,” he said.
The loss of former Crusaders veteran Luke Romano, who was instrumental in the Blues’ run to the title decider last season, was a big blow.
“He was just amazing... the mindset was very different to what a lot of our guys had heard before. He had learned that from guys like Richie McCaw and it was passed through their DNA,” MacDonald explained.
“That’s what some of our guys haven’t had, that sort of history of big-game players, who’ve been there and done that and [are] passing it through.”
Blues captain Dalton Papalii lauded the Crusaders' physicality in Christchurch. Photo / Photosport
Blues captain Dalton Papalii was at a loss to explain the limp performance against a Crusaders side missing eight All Blacks.
“I don’t really have the words. Respect to the Crusaders. They’ve been dominant for so many years in the playoffs and they just seem to lift that extra couple of per cent around the field in their collisions, their physicality,” Papalii said.
He’s seen enough progress in his time at the helm to be positive about the Blues’ future, MacDonald said.
“We’re not a great team, we aren’t nailing the big moments, big games and that’s obviously frustrating.
“But there’s something about this group that can turn into a very good team and I just hope they stick tight and whoever takes the helm next is able just to keep cranking them forward.”
