Gregor Paul: Blackadder managed to both impress and disappoint

Todd Blackadder. Photo / Getty Images.

Todd Blackadder will finish up with the Crusaders at the end of the next campaign, signing off on a coaching tenure that somehow managed to both impress and disappoint.

What happens in 2016 will have an effect on how his reign is ultimately judged but even winning the title won't change the prevailing view that he'll walk away renowned as a good rather than excellent coach. The distinction matters in Christchurch, a city that became used to winning titles in the first decade of Super Rugby.

Between 1996 and 2008, the Crusaders were crowned Super Rugby champions seven times. Since Blackadder took over in 2009, they haven't added to their total. They have been beaten finalists twice and beaten semifinalists four other times.

But no title. Plenty of other franchises would love to have emulated the achievements of the Crusaders since 2009, but Blackadder hasn't been coaching other franchises. He's been coaching the Crusaders where the expectations and benchmarks are higher.

He's taken them so close without being able to clear that last hurdle. In 2011, the demands of having to play away from home every week - AMI Stadium had been destroyed in the earthquakes - caught up with the Crusaders in the final against the Reds.

They had been on the road for months and having already travelled to London and South Africa, they had to return to the Republic to play the semifinal in Cape Town before going to Brisbane for the final. It was one game too far.

In 2014, they were robbed of victory by a poor refereeing call in the last minute when Craig Joubert said Richie McCaw was offside. He wasn't and a few days after Bernard Foley nailed the winning penalty for the Waratahs, Joubert rang the Crusaders to apologise.

Blackadder has had a good coaching reign but, without that elusive title, it can't be considered a great one. Without a title in seven years, after seven in 11 years, it feels like they have gone backwards. That they have lost the art of winning the crunch games.
In Blackadder's defence, the competition has grown and changed to the point where it's probably not fair to look at the previous achievements when the competition had 12 and 14 teams and expect the same success.

Blackadder was also a victim of changing policies and attitudes at New Zealand Rugby. He had to manage two campaigns without Daniel Carter, who was on sabbatical, and one without McCaw for the same reason.

Super Rugby start dates have become negotiable for leading All Blacks and, because the Crusaders provide a major contingent, they have had to juggle and integrate their assets more than most in the last five years.

Regardless of what happens next year, the job will be highly sought after. Kieran Keane, currently assistant with the Chiefs, will no doubt be keen and Crusaders assistant Tabai Matson is an obvious contender. So too, perhaps, former Hurricanes assistant Mark Hammett.