News
Crusaders plan fitting farewell
May 25 2008
Winning the Super 14 title will be all the motivation the Crusaders need next week, says veteran full-back Leon MacDonald - but a fun-filled farewell for three of Christchurch's favourite sons also features high on the hit list.
The final against the Waratahs at AMI Stadium will mark the final game of the reign of Australia-bound coach Robbie Deans and will also be the swansong for loose forward Reuben Thorne and wing Caleb Ralph.
Deans, who started coaching the Crusaders in 2000, will cross the Tasman to take charge of the Wallabies from the start of next month, while fellow Canterbury and Crusaders stalwart Thorne and Ralph are off to play rugby in Japan and MacDonald is keen to ensure the trio are given the perfect send-off.
"Motivation itself is the chance to win the Super 14 title. It will be emotional. We probably won't talk about it during the week because we won't need to," he told Sky Sports.
"It means so much to everyone in the team. I know it will mean a lot to Robbie this game. We have our foot in the door now and it's really up to us to have a good week [preparing] and hit that game at full noise."
It will be the ninth final involving the Crusaders, the seventh under Deans, and Thorne, the former New Zealand captain, has been involved in every one of them in a career than has spanned over a decade and seen the franchise lift the trophy on six occasions.
His appearance off the bench in Saturday's 33-22 semi-final victory against the Hurricanes was his 128th, a record for the most appearances by a player in a single New Zealand franchise.
"When you are at this end of it [career] it seems like it has flown by," said Thorne.
"I know the end is coming soon but I'll look back on it and be pretty proud of the things we have achieved along the way."
But like MacDonald, who scored two tries in the semi-final, Thorne hopes his team-mates concentrate on the rugby side of things next weekend rather than the emotion.
"It's Robbie's last game, it's my last game, if I'm lucky enough to get out there, but apart from that it's a final and the guys will be excited about the opportunity to try and win another title," he said.
"Motivation comes easy when you are in this position."