AFTER 19 weekly rounds of matches that often failed to excite except for some between the New Zealand franchises, it’s now down to two teams in Johannesburg on Saturday, with host the Lions having the advantage.
One is that they’ll be playing before a sellout mainly home crowd of over 61,000 but from the physical aspect, not having to fly 16 hours to get to the venue is the most significant.
Last year, they had to fly to Wellington for their first final appearance in the competition since it began in 1996 and were easily defeated by the Hurricanes 20-3. They had their payback time last weekend, beating the Canes 44-29 in the semi-final.
The Bulls were the last South African team to win the title way back in 2010 against fellow South African franchise the Stormers, followed by an appearance by the Sharks in the 2012 final which they lost to the Chiefs. In fact the Bulls have been the only ones from South Africa to win the title so far.
So there’s so much to play for the Lions considering their rather rocky route in the competition, despite being led by some stars of South African rugby, including Springboks captains in Francois Pienaar, Bob Skinstad, Rassie Erasmus and now Warren Whiteley.
Coach Johan Ackermann has vowed to play their preferred expansive game which he credited as being a strong factor that led to their demolition of the Canes in the second-half last week.
But it is generally agreed that the Crusaders are a different brand of opposition, even compared to the other New Zealand franchises. They are known to be more composed, structured and disciplined and are not easily rattled even in the face of a fierce onslaught by the opposition. Tactically too they are ahead of others.
This was where the Canes got it wrong last week. After having it so easy to lead 22-3 early in the first half they capitulated while trying to continue with the free-flowing rugby they are known for.
If the Lions are looking for their first title, the Crusaders have their own reasons to want to win in Johannesburg to become the first in the competition to win despite having to travel across half the globe.
They’ve been champions a record seven times but the last was way back in 2008. In 2011, they lost the final away to the Reds in Brisbane and in 2014 lost again away to the Waratahs due to an error by referee Craig Joubert in awarding a late penalty which was converted.
They start with a frontrow of All Blacks who will be backed by four other All Blacks in the forwards. The only non-All Black in the starting pack is blindside flanker Jordan Taufua. In all there are nine All Blacks in the Crusaders’ matchday 23.
It is also from the forwards that coach Scott Robertson hopes his boys will limit the opportunities to the Lions backline.
This is Robertson’s first year in charge of the team, although he previously coached the Canterbury provincial side which provides the bulk of the Crusaders squad, and that he has taken them to the final speaks a lot of his coaching.
His predecessor Todd Blackadder, now with Bath, was in charge for seven seasons but although they were up there near the best of the lot most of the time, what Blackadder failed to do was to deliver the franchise the trophy.
If the critics are to be believed, from a wider perspective New Zealander rugby needs this win following the recent drawn series against the British and Lions.
A few commentators now say that the All Blacks are ripe for the picking and the Lions’ victory over the Canes was another step in the right direction against New Zealand’s rugby dominance.
The Crusaders and most of New Zealand would certainly disagree with this and for the Crusaders, an added incentive to win this final is to have one back after that quarter-final defeat to the same opposition in Johannesburg last year.