An unlikely source of motivation for the Crusaders- an old boy...

Robbie Deans comments on:

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/super-rugby/5192302/Robbie-Deans-doubts-Crusaders-for-title

have hopefully slipped through to the team. He cites the travel factor and the fact that no team has had to cross the Indian Ocean twice to win it (a scenario that is probably more likely with this format anyway) and the fact that players are returing from injury as the main reason to doubt them. He may be right but he fails to mention that the team have overcome bigger hurdles than that this season.

How about:
-No team managed to top their conference playing every single match away from home including having to opt for London to stay financially afloat.
-No team has had to put up with personal, friends and family enduring thousands of seismic bangs for the entire season, day and night, endlessly, yet for the same period needed to prepare, train and travel away to play under those conditions.

And at least those players are returning from injury- he sees that as a negative with no benefits in SBW, Maitland and Fotuali'i returning for these crucial 3 matches, yet sees the Reds, who have a surfeit of players out through injury 'in a better position'

Yes he may be right but his views are hardly balanced and that may be the reporting. In any case, I sure hope the Saders get a wiff of this from one of their own.

I've always said the most critical factor about winning these types of matches is all about the type of motivation a team needs to win THAT particular match and this might just help them do it.

Or perhaps its just because i'm not a Deans fan... does it show?

Taking emotion out of things,that of course applies to the Blues too.He is stating the obvious Home teams win Knock out stages in 3Ns/S15.
Apart from the fact the Crusaders have to beat the Sharks first which is no given.Get through it without any injuries the Blues have lost Anton Boric for example.
That both Reds and Stormers had a bye so are rested,minimal travel,as to injured players returning.They will not be match fit or in form always a risk.
Looked at it objectively ,and historically Deans is absoloutley right.
Arguments about the schedule which arguably could have cost the Crusaders 12 or 15 points. A Home Semi,and Final game[if they got there] do not matter.
The Reds have played and Beaten all 3 top contenders and finished top of the table.
If as I expect they win the S15 they deserve it,you only play those in front of you.

I expect them to win too but the history and the home favoritism is something the Saders only have defied before in Finals and the obstacles placed in front of them this year suggest this is a team that has already defied the odds. With all their away maches won with many key players out all year the real matches now begin.

If not for the earthquake it is quite possible the top of the table could have looked a lot different suggesting this Saders team is much better than the table shows. I had thought in the beginning of the year this was the best superxv team ever. I still hold that view.

On paper this team is also far stronger than the current Reds team which have many unjuries particularly outside Cooper. Mind you, I am not discounting the Stormers either.

Yes those players returning arent match fit but after tonught, which I fully expect a comfortable win, they will be. and they'll be fresh for the trip as will McCaw.

Can't really put the emotion aside for this one Alan, theres just a bit too much of it around at the moment. Don't be surprised if the Saders once again upset the apple cart thats all.

and now boric is out, possibly for the wc as well. Blues 7th lock out for injury this year. Crazy...

Oh yes and its the same robbie that suggested the tahs might topple the fragile blues saying the 2 Oz sides were the best of the 6 in the playoffs. For some reason Home (NSW have a horrific record over 100 or so years at Eden park) and injuries (tahs) don't seem to matter in this scenario.

Yeah robbie...well done.

http://www.foxsports.com.au/rugby/super-rugby/wallabies-coach-robbie-deans-believes-nsw-waratahs-have-a-great-chance-to-upset-the-blues-in-auckland/story-e6frf4qu-1226080906201?from=public_rss

pre match and saders looking relaxed but so do the sharks. Some great names in the lineup. Fast track surprisingly with no rain in two days.

I'll go for 15 points to the saders...

In a league where there is such huge travel to many away games, it is inevitable that home advantage will count more heavily than some other leagues, and it is a great testament to this Crusaders side that they have not let the lack of a home ground to play on stop them from making the play offs this year.

What is also key in knockout games, is experience of winning them, and the belief and composure to win them again, and that is something the Crusaders will have.

If they beat the Sharks, who traditionally have not travelled well, albeit they had some good away results earlier this season, they go to Cape Town to face the Stormers next week. Do not forget that they have won there already this season, and will go there with great confidence and battle hardened from this weeks game.

It will be a huge ask for them to win the whole thing, but if there is one team that have the tools to face down all the adversity they have face this year and win, it is the Crusaders.

Here's looking forward to a cracking game with the Sharks first up, which starts in about 10 minutes, so I am off to watch it.

saders ahead only just... funnily enough primarily due to the 2 returning players- maitland and sbw (fyi...Robbie).

However, despite a 13-5 lead its still anyones game.

Saders scrum as expjected is dominating though the lack of numbers and pressure from the sharks at the breakdown is proving a hard time for them.'

Couple of poor handling lapses have costed possible tries. lambies kicking not the best either.

2nd half. Anyones game...

For what it's worth, Deans is an employee of the ARU so he's almost honour-bound to do whatever he can to 'belittle' the opposition, including the Crusaders in order to give his teams any sort of psychological advantage (the merits of this are debatable)

Anyway my 2p on this game at 70mins...scrappy, scrappy, scrappy. The Crusaders have almost done enough without getting out of 2nd gear, which is surprising given the opposition. The Sharks must be suffering from serious travel fatigue as they are a class team. Too many errors from both teams and all it has taken for the Crusaders to literally pull away from the Sharks is a 15 min burst from SBW and Read

I think next week's finals will be utter crackers and an all-NZ final is not an impossibility either. The Blues have what it takes to beat the Reds and the Crusaders have already stormed the Stormers

I think you're finding offense because you want to.

Ball retention was rubbish. Saders will be very worried at the number of times they were pushed off the ball. Scrums were ok.

Thought Lawrence was a joke today. That scrum where he pinged the Sharks was ridiculous and it seemed he had it in for the Saders. No doubt the SA fans are claiming bias-part of me thinks it's justified. Stupid not to have an Aussie or NH ref and also stupid he's got the final regardless of the teams. Again should be neutral.

SBW was busy today and a nice gesture at the end giving the cheque but he can cut that diving out. Was not impressed, nor with slapping the pill out of Lambie's hands. Lambie looked really promising today hope he's in green soon.

Good to see Maitland back and he looked good. Lovely setup for the Saders' first try. Carter should have pinned them back a bit more I think especially as the breakdown was becoming a lottery. Not due to the ref rather both teams were way too loose.

Yes I hadnt thought of a NZ final till now. Dont think the Blues can take the Reds, especially with Boric now out but injuries on both sides make the depth of each squad important.

Good thing about saders is other than Dagg next week theyre pretty much full strength but hardest game all year for the Saders next week and good to see they came through last night- havnt seen any casualties yet.

Already having beaten the Stormers away makes this interesting and if they do manage to get up we either have a NZ final or a Reds Crusaders final in Brissy- Blues will not do the Reds injury count any favours even if they do go down so all in all, I think the stakes are a bit more level after this weekends games.

As a Canterbury,Crusaders,and All Blacks fan I would love to see the Crusaders
defy logic and go all the way and win it.
I think today they did just as much as they had to ,Win and get through with no injuries.
No disrespect to the Sharks,they are still a good team but few SA sides come to NZ and win Play Offs.
Next week ,Black adder has a dilemma,Start Captain Tackles or stay with Matt
Todd.
Todd has been a very adequate substitute,Tom Marshall has been more than that for Isreal Dagg and may well have earned himself a starting berth next year.
Personally I would start Todd,and use Richie of the bench.There have been comments about Brad Thorn recently in the press.Well from being a liability at line out time,in his final year he has won some ball.But more important he has become one of the best defensive line out jumpers in the S15.
Chris Jack has reinvented himself as a grunt lock this year and shown good form.He can`t even get a start but next year he may take over Thorn`s role.
I think they may have enough to beat the Stormers in Cape Town,then well who knows.
But it is still going against history,and to beat Stormers away for the second time is a big ask.

No sides actually won a play off in NZ so that helps.

Yeah the match itself was scrappy and the returning players luckily slotted straight back in to make a big difference. SBW and Guilford are to me big linebreakers of the type we havnt had in that crucial mid WC knockout match and it showed again tonight.

Maitland seems to have developed more strings than just a straight end of line finisher that hes been past few years- Steps and offloads well these days.

The difference travel stakes are unique this year in that for one the Saders are getting used to it and oddly they don't have that apprehension of the next quake when theyre away from home given the things happen literally every few minutes. They obviously worry about their friends and family but in terms of personal preparation being, training and sleeping away is probably better for them staying home.

Now that situation doesnt come along too often. Away is actually better!

SBW's dive was less of a hollywood effort than we saw from the French in 2007 and that earned McAllistair a yellow card.

Perhaps this is the "playing smart in knock out competitions" the English are always telling us we do badly.

Go on him for bringing professionalism and Thinking Clearly Under Pressure.

Yeah that was dumb from SBW. Looked like a fool. Laughed it off but it did look like a first reaction thing so he'll have to curb that one if he doesnt want to get pinged.

Can't just look at the bad things though Grey. SBW adds a dimension that other teams will have to specifically plan for even if theres things he needs to work on.

Cant take the showman out of the boy it seems.

There you go...

Unfazed is the word...

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/super-rugby/5195004/Crusaders-unfazed-by-Robbie-Deans-pessimism

I appreciate that Deans is now officially on the Oz payroll and also that historically travellers dont win playoff matches but if he wants to 'yak' why get into the back yard of the Crusaders and dismiss them given the circumstances they find themselves in.

I said it initially that it may be poor reporting as I dont think even Deans could be that stupid so benefit of the doubt must go to him.

But if that's his summary of the saders situation then its in poor taste, lacking in empathy and has no real point to it.

Frankly it leaves him looking like a chump.

Given his ultimate aim is to coach the AB's and given his and his family's strong Canterbury, Crusaders and AB links- his brother and he were AB's and his great grandfather was involved in the 1905 'Deans' pulled back over the line incident I find it strange that in his seemingly own fragile position he comes out with this.

In any case, after the weekend there are now 2 NZ teams left and one Oz and one SA team left.

Today we have 'launched' both to play one each and I now believe we will come back with at least one and maybe two wins. Both teams are now in the business of winning ugly and both showed that on the weekend.

The Blues went down to the Reds after a 24-0 surplus away last time and the saders last beat the Stormers in Cape town and are not having to deal with altitude.

And Richie is back.

Good enough for me.

Some potentially bad news about the future of Lancaster Park here. Rugby Park is in St Albans, North of the CBD (and further from the centre than Lancaster Park), Rugby League Park in Addington, South-West of the CBD and about the same distance out as Lancaster Park.

Yeah, bad news about Lancaster Park. It was looking better than ever after the upgrades and it's a real blow for the dedicated Chch fans.

What about QEII, kiwi? From memory there is already a grandstand there and plenty of room to expand around it. Only thing may be that it's still in the swamp zone close to New Brighton so NZRU will want to avoid that - and it's quite a way out from the city.

I saw a map the other day highlighting the former swamp / reclaimed areas. It looks as though they need to go north west - towards the airport to build on land which won't be affected by liquifaction. They'll still have to up-spec any designs for earthquake loads based on latest information.

Linebreaker wrote:Yeah, bad news about Lancaster Park. It was looking better than ever after the upgrades and it's a real blow for the dedicated Chch fans.

What about QEII, kiwi? From memory there is already a grandstand there and plenty of room to expand around it. Only thing may be that it's still in the swamp zone close to New Brighton so NZRU will want to avoid that - and it's quite a way out from the city.

I saw a map the other day highlighting the former swamp / reclaimed areas. It looks as though they need to go north west - towards the airport to build on land which won't be affected by liquifaction. They'll still have to up-spec any designs for earthquake loads based on latest information.

QEII is munted* LB. The leisure centre (1974 Commonwealth Games venue) there needs rebuilding, the stand is damaged, and the swamp has "moved" and recolonised some of the pitch. And Canterbury cricket had already largely given up on it as a venue pre-quakes because fans didn't like the "trek" out there. If you've still got a link to that map I'd like to see it.


*munted - official Christchurch slang for "really really broken"

It was a TV news item on ABC about a month ago, kiwi. It was repeated a few times during the day and I managed to freeze it to get a better look. I didn't realise that most of Fendalton (except for a skinny finger of land which looked like Papanui Rd) was all mostly reclaimed - now I know why that suburb nearby is called Marshland. Also, there was a huge area of lake-swamp in the west/southwest - which was totally filled in during the 1850s.

The map they showed on the TV item had areas marked in red - based on the 1856 Blackmap. The maps below are the closest I can find:

http://issuu.com/amandaanthony/docs/chch_1856_map

This one here I found hard to read

1856 Black Map

Cheers LB.

I read an article this morning saying that a Crusader who's travelled for every match this season already has over 80,000 air miles. The return trip to Cape Town will put them close to 6 figures!

Wow, that's Commitment with a capital C!

At least he's following a very successful team. I'd be baulking at paying $6.50 for train/bus tickets to the SFS to watch the Waratahs.

Awful commitment from me (I know) but I've already made that mistake once or twice. Their attitude needs to change! LOL