The Super 15 final between the Waratahs and the Crusaders was a game we will look back on and remember, reckons ODT Online rugby writer Jeff Cheshire, who offers his thoughts on the match.
The early stages of a big game
It can take a while to settle into a big game. Nerves are high, everything is tense and everyone is trying that little bit harder. The important thing is just to get through those opening stages relatively unscathed. In doing this, you ensure you remain in the game. You do not put yourself at a disadvantage by the time you have settled down. Unfortunately for the Crusaders, the final did not go this way. By the time they really got into the game they were down 14-0. They fought hard to come back into it, but it was their flyer that got the Waratahs over the line in the end.
Defensive line speed
The Waratahs' defensive line speed was fantastic early on. They pushed up fast and in a line, closing down the Crusaders' space. It was easy to look at it from the perspective of the Crusaders not being able to threaten on attack. But they were just not getting the opportunity to. The Waratahs were all over them defensively and they were smothering the Crusaders so they could not get the ball to their dangerous outside backs.
Under this pressure, the Crusaders made mistakes and turned the ball over. The flipside of this is that the Waratahs were probably getting offside at times. But you ride your luck in a game like this and while they were getting away with it, they had to keep pushing the envelope.
Waratahs clinical at breakdown
This was the other thing that was evident in the Waratahs fast start. Once they had the ball, their forwards were providing great ball protection, which has been a feature of their play this year.
At every ruck there were always three or four players over the ball quickly. This meant that the Crusaders could not get the ball back and that the Waratahs were recycling it at pace. The pace was such that the Crusaders were not getting a chance to get their defensive line set and tackles were being missed. It was inevitable really. It was also forcing the Crusaders into infringing to try to slow down the Waratahs' ruck ball, which resulted in a handful of early penalties. The direct result of this was a 14-0 scoreline.
Crusaders' fightback
You never count out the Crusaders and they showed what a champion team they are. With the Waratahs playing the game the way they were, they were always going to slow down. It began to happen after the 20 minute mark, to the point where the Crusaders got the better of the middle stages of the game. The Waratahs were not as clinical at the breakdown and therefore were not getting the same quick, clean ball. This meant that the Crusaders defence could set and tackles were no longer being missed. At the same time, the defence was not coming up as fast and the Crusaders had more room to work with. They began to threaten when they got it wide, with Nemani Nadolo and Israel Dagg both looking dangerous. In the end it was not enough. But they came so close and did so well from the situation they were faced with.
A game worthy of a final
Often finals can be all hype and little action. This was not the case here. Both teams had patches of great rugby, bringing the sort of intensity that no other teams in Super Rugby could match. They were the two form teams heading into the game and rightly, the Waratahs were the winners after being the top qualifier. The collisions were at times brutal. There was some good skill on show and a couple of brilliant tries scored. The intensity and endeavour of both teams was evident and neither gave up under pressure in the final ten minutes. It was fitting that it was such a close finish and will be one of those finals you look back on and remember.
