Super Rugby analysis: Spring in Crusaders' step as Blues falter

Analysis: The Crusaders will arrive at Eden Park this Saturday full of confidence in their attacking game, writes Patrick McKendry.

There have been enough green shoots of recovery on view at the Crusaders over the past two weeks to suggest they will make life extremely difficult for the Blues in a crunch match for the defending champions at Eden Park this Saturday.

The Blues, with only one victory in five matches, are heading to where the Crusaders were last season – a deep hole after the highs of the previous season.

Clearly, the pressure of expectation does not sit well with Vern Cotter’s men, although they were a little unlucky to lose to the Chiefs in Hamilton at the weekend.

Chiefs first-five Damian McKenzie appeared to knock the ball on in the process of gathering it on the way to his converted try late in the first half and, had Xavi Taele’s sideline conversion of Rieko Ioane’s late try curled a little more to the left, the Blues would have been celebrating a famous win.

As it was, they earned a losing bonus point in what was their second defeat to the Chiefs in five weeks.

The reputation of Australian Super Rugby sides as being relative easy beats still lingers despite their rejuvenation this season in the wake of the Rebels’ extinction so it’s easy to view the Crusaders’ latest wins over the Force and Reds – both at home – with scepticism, but their attacking game appears to have been transformed this season.

Five tries for Macca Springer and three for Sevu Reece against the Force highlighted their lethal finishing but also the work of the inside backs and midfield of David Havili and Braydon Ennor, plus fullback Will Jordan.

Springer, only 21, is a special talent and was operating with full confidence that reflects well on the coaches. Afterwards, he said he'd never scored five tries in a game before.

During the second half on Saturday in his side’s 55-33 win, he appeared set to score every time he received the ball.

There was also a creativity and inventiveness in the Crusaders’ strike moves. Not all of them came off but might on other occasions and that points to a backline operating in close to full harmony — not something they could be accused of last year as they failed to find a suitable No.10. Taha Kemara may have missed four first-half conversions against the Force, but otherwise performed well and replacement James O'Connor was excellent off the bench.

The Crusaders — who have had a bye and therefore played only four matches to the Blues’ five — are second on the table to their upcoming opponents’ ninth.

Rob Penney’s men won only four games in total last year. They will arrive at Eden Park confident they have the game to trouble the Blues in every facet.

Speaking of confidence and leadership, credit must go to second-five Havili — the Crusaders’ captain this season.

Having won a penalty in front of the posts early in the second half, experienced All Blacks hooker Codie Taylor pointed to the posts in a clear gesture to take the points. Havili thought otherwise, and the Crusaders scored from the resulting lineout.

The now retired Sam Whitelock had an uncanny knack of making the right decisions when skipper at the Crusaders. It’s still relatively early days, but Havili appears to have similar instincts.

The Chiefs’ 32-31 victory was an important result for a side with the misfortune to draw the Fijian Drua on what appeared to be a horrendously humid and wet Lautoka the previous weekend.

McKenzie, halfback Cortez Ratima and the returning Shaun Stevenson all showed nice touches with the ball but the power and straight running of the Chiefs’ forwards, including Samipeni Finau, Simon Parker and Tupou Vaa’i also caught the eye.

The way their defence was caught a little narrow for the tries to Mark Telea and Rieko Ioane may concern coach Clayton McMillan but they still appear to be one of the most complete teams in this year’s competition.

Several things caught the eye in the Hurricanes’ 20-18 victory in Dunedin which the visitors’ deserved to win for the constant pressure they exerted at the breakdown.

The first was Hurricanes’ midfielder Ngane Punivai’s yellow card for the misfortune of knocking himself out when his head collided with Timoci Tavatavanawai’s shoulder in a high tackle – a case of adding insult to injury. Punivai did not return from a head injury assessment.

Another was Caleb Tangitau’s pure pace and creativity on the wing for the Highlanders following his move from the Blues where he was largely redundant . Yet another eye-catching moment, as the home side chased the game to the final whistle, was Peter Umaga-Jensen’s unpunished high tackle on Tangitau.

It was a clear penalty offence but it was missed by the three on-field match officials. According to rugby’s Byzantine laws — that punished Punivai for knocking himself out — the television match official could not rule on Umaga-Jensen’s foul play because it didn’t meet the yellow card threshold. A penalty would have given the Highlanders a chance to win the game.

A further point on an entertaining match under the roof was the form of Hurricanes’ openside flanker Du’Plessi Kirifi.

Say what you like about the Marvel "kids’ round" that dressed up the Kiwi sides in superhero kit (and I’m about to), but Kirifi’s was an inspirational performance befitting of the Hurricanes' tenuous Captain America costume.

Another observation with regards to the novelty jerseys: In the case of the Blues and Highlanders, is there anything sadder than losing a match while dressed up as Spiderman or the Hulk?