Chris Rattue: Blues Super Rugby 'nonsense' doesn't deserve big crowds

Blues coach Leon MacDonald. Photo / Photosport.co.nz

COMMENT:

We are no strangers to disappointment, even despair, involving the football codes in Auckland.

Our teams are perennial also rans and it is now believed that humankind will get to Mars before a proper footy stadium is built in this city.

But it was still a head-spinning, heart breaking and morale sapping sight to witness the Super Rugby gap between the Crusaders and Blues on Friday night.

A gap is putting it nicely. It is a canyon.

There was despair about the crowd numbers at Eden Park but the fewer people who witness this nonsense from the Blues the better. Their games should start at 8pm, not 7pm, so young kids can't watch.

For starters, I still can't work out how the (alleged) mighty brains of New Zealand Rugby managed to bypass Crusaders coach Scott Robertson for the All Black coaching job.

Even with all of their Machiavellian tendencies, why would a sports corporation go to such lengths to snub a fresh coaching genius?

Blues captain Patrick Tuipulotu scores, during the Super Rugby match between the Blues and Crusaders, held at Eden Park, Auckland. Photo / Photosport.co.nz

All credit to the Christchurch-based giants. They are dead set amazing, and they have been for a long time.

I thought the Crusaders would win on Friday night. They are All Black-like in bouncing back from what are rare defeats, and the Blues are allergic to winning runs.

But never in a long rugby season of Sundays did I think the Crusaders would obliterate the Blues in every category. The 25–8 score didn't properly reflect their superiority. A score of 50–8 would have been more appropriate.

I'm still in shock to be honest. Total shock.

It is hard to remember being more depressed about the plight of the Blues or in awe of what the Crusaders have done over the years.

The Crusaders had lost six icons including All Black greats – and mainly forwards - going into 2020. They humiliated a Blues team, boasting an All Black front row, at scrum and lineout.

The visitors were so superior in speed and thought in the backs that even without the set piece mastery, they would have won easily. When the Blues had the ball, they were in quicksand.

The Crusaders were taunting the Blues by the end. Will Jordan was so offside when he scored what became a non-try – thanks to video replay - that he seemed to think it was worth the risk, just to experience the fun of dotting down.

I'm not sure how the relationship between Blues coaches Leon MacDonald and Tom Coventry works. Coventry has a fantastic reputation but MacDonald must have left Eden Park wondering why his pack was so inept at delivering mandatory ball. Coventry probably wondered if it was even worth supplying the backs.

The Crusaders left lasting memories: a brilliantly executed Jack Goodhue back-of-the-hand pass which turned a one-on-one situation into an overlap try, Richie Mo'unga's push-button acceleration through the Blues' defence, and that sweeping switch play at the end. That's just to name a few.

Their rookie loose forwards were magnificent. Scott Barrett is the best forward left in the New Zealand game.

The Blues' halves, goalkicking and general kicking are second rate, to pick on a few of the more obvious issues.

After Friday night, I've lost faith that even Beauden Barret can make much of a difference although if anyone can, he's the man.