Ex-All Black highlights the Crusaders quality that’s ‘setting them apart’ in Super Rugby Pacific
Crusaders players celebrate a try and ex-All Blacks hooker James Parsons (inset).
Former Blues and All Blacks hooker James Parsons believes the Crusaders’ improved defence is “setting them apart” from other teams in Super Rugby Pacific.
The Christchurch-based outfit are the tournament’s defending champions and after clinching an emphatic 52-31 triumph in their qualifying final against the Blues last Saturday, they will now face the Chiefs in their semi-final in Hamilton on Friday.
That means that Rob Penney’s troops are currently on a four-match winning streak in Super Rugby Pacific after they also notched impressive victories the Blues, Chiefs and Hurricanes in recent weeks during the league phase of the competition.
Struggled during early rounds of Super Rugby Pacific
That is a far cry from their poor form during the tournament’s early rounds when the Crusaders lost five of their first nine matches.
That meant that they were languishing outside Super Rugby Pacific’s play-off positions during that period but they eventually got their act together and their return to form came at just the right time as they aim to defend their title.
The improvement in the Crusaders’ results coincided with their move to a new headquarters at the state-of-the-art 30,000-seat One New Zealand Stadium and last weekend’s triumph over the Blues means the men from Christchurch have now won 33 consecutive home play-off matches in the competition.
While Parsons acknowledged that the Crusaders’ improved form coincided with their move to their new indoor stadium, he feels their improvement on defence is the biggest contributing factor.
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‘Their defence has been the most impressive’
“The biggest thing is like I look back and I was like ‘When did their season turn around?’,” he told the Aotearoa Rugby Pod. “Obviously the roof’s one thing, but I actually think their defence has been the most impressive, that’s turned around the most.
“And the reason I say that is they lost to the Reds 31-26, then they lost to the (Western) Force 31-26.
“Since then, they’ve only conceded above 20 points against the Chiefs, which they still won the game 36-32, but they’ve conceded under 20 points. And that’s how you win competitions.
“And we’ve seen on the weekend, man, like the new rules, the style of play, the desire to attack at all costs, you know, the amount of quick throw-ins that are happening is huge.
“So their defence and their ability to stop you in the 22 is I think what’s setting them apart and puts them in a really, really strong position to win this comp.”