News

Crusaders need to raise their game

May 26 2008

The Crusaders have admitted that they will need to raise their game if they wish to add another Super Rugby title to their collection when they face the Waratahs in Christchurch on Saturday.

The Waratahs' revival from a dismal season last year, which saw them end 13th, to a spot in this year final has hugely impressed the Crusaders according to assistant coach Mark Hammett.

The table topping six-time champions will have no margin for error and will have to produce a complete performance to beat their Australian visitors at AMI Stadium.

"They're like most Aussie teams, to be frank - they don't give up. They're pretty persistent, pretty resilient, so it's going to be a hell of a game," Hammett told the AAP.

"They've obviously been bloody solid. They came off a hard year last year but they were also in a building year last year and early on they probably took a bit to get going.

"But obviously they had a plan all year. They base their game around a very strong set-piece plus a kicking game.

"And when I say set-piece, I'm not just talking about the actual winning of the ball, but their methodology.

"In terms of what they do and where they go post-launch, they are very strong.

"We're very respectful of them. We always have been. We see them as an intelligent team. We suspect they'll mix it up. They always come in with a few surprises and we hope to show a few ourselves."

Hammett however was confident in his team's ability to reproduce the form that has seen them stand head and shoulders above the rest for most of the competition, warning the Waratahs that the former champions had not been at full throttle in the build up to the play-offs before making easy work of the Hurricanes last Saturday.

"To get to where we got to and be top qualifier with two or three rounds left has obviously shown that we've worked damn hard and been mentally tough for most of the campaign," he said.

"Then we did have two weeks where we just dropped off a wee bit. Perhaps we got into too much thinking that skill and technique would win it, versus having the attitude to do it.

"It was a matter of just getting back on the horse and getting those top two inches right and we got that right last week and showed what a devastating team we can be when we get that part of it right.

"We're like any team in that if we don't get the attitude right that, you can battle along.

"But finals time is a great time of the year because everyone's attitude is right, so it's just a matter of who handles the pressure best now.

"We've played some of the best footy we've played all year against the Hurricanes, but we know we'll have to bring that and more to get a win over the 'Tahs this weekend.

"In finals, everything's out the window really. Form goes out the window, points go out the window and it's a one-off and whoever wants it the most will get it."