News

Deans making the wrongs right

May 20 2008

The Crusaders will host the Wellington-based Hurricanes in the first semi-final in Christchurch on Saturday, but the competition favourites are searching for answers following a 26-14 loss to the Highlanders over the weekend.

While the Crusaders took the field already knowing they were guaranteed a home semi-final, the Highlanders, who until last Saturday had only won two games, were only battling for South Island bragging rights.

The upset came after Robbie Deans' men pulled off unconvincing tight wins over the Reds, Sharks and Blues following their first defeat of the season, by the Chiefs.

After racing into an almost unassailable lead on the standings after nine weeks - which included 50-point victories over the defending champion Bulls and the Cheetahs - they lost two of their last five matches and their biggest winning margin in the last month was eight points.

Deans was understandably keen to put the shock defeat to the Highlanders behind him but was obviously referring to it when asked about the need for focus this week.

"If we don't have the urgency and the excitement, we'll come a distant second," Deans said.

"That's just the reality, but I'm sure it will be there. We're not going to spend any time looking back.

"We'll obviously take some messages out of it and hopefully take some meaning out of it."

Full-back Leon MacDonald was more blunt about the performance, suggesting the players were stung by their limp 12-point defeat.

"They (the Highlanders) had no tomorrow basically, and they came out and played like that.

"We thought we were ready for them but we just didn't match them intensity-wise and we were made to look silly."

Deans did not want to blame his senior players for the lacklustre final-round performance, even though All Blacks such as fly-half Daniel Carter, lock Ali Williams and flanker Richie McCaw played well below their lofty standards.

"Everyone has the opportunity to initiate," said Deans.

McCaw said that, as captain, he was required to speak, along with the coaches, to the team.

"Everyone knows it's not about saying things, it's about getting out there and doing it at training," said McCaw.

"There's no point talking about it all the time. That's what we perhaps found out last week. We all talked the right thing, we just didn't do it.''

Centre Casey Laulala and flanker Kieran Read are likely to return this week but Deans said a hardening of resolve would be more important than any change to personnel or tactics.

"We're doing our homework and we'll come up with some ideas that can serve us," said Deans.

"But at this time of year, it will come down to more than just an idea, it will come down to making it happen."

The Crusaders' injury list is also topped by their number eight, with Mose Tuiali'i still nursing a blow to his knee suffered against the Highlanders, although the indications are that he will be fit for selection.

Meanwhile, 11, 000 tickets remain for Saturday's semi-final in Christchurch. Tickets went on sale to the public on Tuesday. The stadium has a current capacity of 25, 600.