Blackadder feels the heat
Taking over a team that won seven titles in a 10-year period, Todd Blackadder has been unable to replicate Robbie Deans' feats.
Now, after a fourth successive failure in the Super Rugby play-offs, Blackadder admitted his role as Crusaders coach is likely to go under the microscope.
The All Black-laden Crusaders made the Super Rugby play-offs for the fourth year since Blackadder took over from Deans, but each time they have failed in either the semifinal or Final.
On Friday a motivated Chiefs team ended the Crusaders' dreams in an emotional encounter in Hamilton.
Before Blackadder came on board in 2009, the red and blacks had won seven titles and were by far the dominant team in the competition's history.
But he says questions will now be asked, and it's fair enough.
"For years we've had a championship winning team and we've failed to deliver the goods [in the last four years]," he told a media scrum.
"We have every reason to be under the blow torch and believe me, [we are] certainly not happy with where we're at, and it's bloody disappointing."
Todd Blackadder says it's hard to understand how the All Blacks in the side couldn't handle the pressure.
All Blacks and Crusaders skipper Richie McCaw isn't impressed about the recent trend either.
"You don't come just to make up the numbers at play-off time," he said.
"I think that's always been the attitude because of what the team's done before.
"When you get to finals footy, you're there to perform then and there."
For most other teams, reaching the post-season would be regarded as a success.
That's not the attitude of a Crusaders side who have done so for 14 of the last 15 seasons.
They were at full strength in Hamilton aside from the absence of injured No.8 Kieran Read.
"The feeling that the boys have got is that we all just didn't quite nail it," McCaw said.
"We weren't allowed to [by the Chiefs] admittedly, but it hurts."
Blackadder rued a drop in standards from his All Blacks-laden side after finding momentum late in the season, including a thrashing of the Bulls in the play-offs qualifying match last week.
"It hurts when you lose and your team doesn't perform as well as you prepared them to play," Blackadder said.
"That's sport and life, you've got to accept it. The Chiefs certainly deserved their victory."
Sources: Newstalk ZB & NZ Newswire
