Super Rugby: Crusaders Coming into Form After Slow Start

By
at Internationaled.org

Published: April 9, 2015

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The Crusaders are well-known for their slow starts. Every year, they sputter along for the first month of Super Rugby, before igniting and embarking on a run that ends in making the playoffs. Yet it seems that every year, we all still question them after some ordinary performances in the first few weeks.

Indeed, even with all the doubters out in full force, the Crusaders have a record of four wins and three losses. This week, they sneaked into the last wild-card playoff spot.

It was on the back of a commanding display against the Sharks in Durban that the Crusaders announced to the competition that they are still a force to be reckoned with. The Sharks, who going into the weekend were on top of the South African Conference, lost 52-10 to a Crusaders team that looked threatening every time they had the ball.

Admittedly, the Sharks played half the game with only 14 men. But even with their opponents at their full complement, the Crusaders were too good and at one stage were the dominant team despite having three men in the bin at one time. New Zealand teams are normally happy if they can get a win in South Africa—such is the challenge of touring. That the Crusaders beat such a quality team so comprehensively in the Republic is ominous.



A few weeks ago, such a result seemed unlikely. The first three weeks saw the Crusaders go down to the Rebels, take a thrashing from the Chiefs and claim a sketchy win over the Highlanders.

Only after their bye week in Round 4 have they really looked anything like a playoff team. Even then, it was hard to read too much into their wins at home against the Cheetahs and Lions—the two bottom South African teams, both of whom never travel well.

Their win over the Sharks was the first indication that this team is the real deal.

They have their top players back and are playing a more direct, confident game. When Crusaders teams combine ...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Rugby Union

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