Crusaders must get off to a flyer
The seven-time champion Crusaders may have been pipped at the post last year, but coach Todd Blackadder has earmarked a faster start as one of the key areas to improve this year.
Notoriously slow starters, the Crusaders have always relied on a late run towards the play-offs.
Last year they lost their first two games and three of the first five, then lost only two other league matches. In 2013 they lost their first two games and four of the first seven, then lost only one other league match. And in 2012 the Christchurch-based franchise lost two of the first three games and three of the first six – then lost only two more league matches.
Blackadder said there is no ""magic bullet" that will help them win another title.
"We are aware that we need to address the slow starts to the season, we can't always claw our way back," Blackadder said in an interview on the allblacks.com website.
"This year will be exciting as towards the close of the regular season we often get good momentum and not having June Tests will be great in that regard."
Asked if there will be any new tricks in store, Blackadder said the Crusaders do have "a couple of things up our sleeve".
"If we don't evolve, we will just fall back in the pack," he said.
"All of our competitors are constantly evolving and improving so we need to keep striving and moving forward."
The coach said there is "lots of energy" in the team and in many respects it is almost like they had never left.
"There has been no drop off, they have come back stronger, and despite the infancy of the season the basics are being executed very well."
The Crusaders have lost a host of senior players – Corey Flynn (to Toulouse), the Whitelock brother George (to the Wild Knights in Japan) and Adam Whitelock (Bayonne), Tyler Bleyendaal (Munster), Rey Lee-Lo (Hurricanes) and Zac Guildford (Clermont).
However, Blackadder is happy that they still have a strong core.
"There is no doubt in George [Whitelock] and Corey [Flynn] we had two guys who were important to the legacy of the Crusaders, and yes, we've lost a lot of experience.
"But we've got a lot of good new guys and we've got to move forward.
"I'm really happy with the strength of our roster this year and they look really refreshed."
Blackadder played 25 matches for the All Blacks (12 Tests), captaining his country on 14 occasions.
The only man in history to lead a team to three consecutive Super Rugby titles, the Rangiora born 43-year-old has been coaching the Crusaders since 2009 – over this time the red and blacks have reached the play-offs six years in a row and contested two finals.
Source: allblacks.com
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