Richard Loe: Andy Haden and his big Barry Crocker

Andy Haden. Photo / Sarah Ivey

I can remember some of us teasing Grizz Wyllie, Uncle Alex, re his pronunciation when he was coaching back in the late 80s.We'd joke that he would be announcing an All Black team in that gruff voice of his.He would say: "John Gallagher, fullback. John Kirwan, wing. Vai ...Vee ...Vi ... ah, hell,Terry Wright."

I don't think I ever heard him pronounce Vaiaga Tuigamala, you see, so we joked that even if Inga was playing,Grizz would read out Terry Wright's name. Once Grizz got his head around the fact that he could just say "Inga", the joke was over.

I mention this in the wake of Andy Haden's little controversy this week about the Crusaders' supposed quota of only three Polynesian players.

It's so far wrong, it's not even funny. Andy has always been a stirrer but this time he managed to piss people off - because even though he later said he was making the comment tongue-in-cheek, most people said he was being serious.

The reason I mention Alex's little struggle with Samoan is that maybe Polynesian rugby back then hadn't made quite the inroads into New Zealand rugby it has now. Or had it?

I go back to the great All Black teams of the late 80s and into the 90s-players like Steve McDowell, Michael Jones, John Schuster, Wayne Shelford, Joe Stanley and, a bit later, Olo Brown, Frank Bunce, Walter Little and others. You can't tell me those guys did anything but boost an All Black side.

It's all about planning, structure and ability - balancing a team to produce best results.

That's where Andy's got it wrong. Quota? Never heard of it. We're very amenable down here in Christchurch. We like to fit in with what people want. Why, we've even changed the name of our stadium three times in about three years to fit in with what some people want.

Seriously, if there is an unwritten rule in the Crusaders, it's not about ethnic stuff. It's been long said that there are two main criteria for Crusaders' players: 1) a good person and 2) a good rugby player. In that order.

But you don't have to take my word for it. I heard former All Black No 8 Ron Cribb talking about his time in the Crusaders and how it had made him a better player. He said he'd loved playing for North Harbour and players like Eric Rush, Little and Bunce were fantastic runners and entertainers-but, as a loose forward, he found it difficult to follow them when they cut loose. No one knew where they were going - which made it hard for Cribb to bring his talents to bear.

At the Crusaders, however,he said he was told exactly what was what. As a No 8, his job was to do (a), (b),and (c). The ball was going here for this move. It was going over there for that move.

He knew exactly what was expected of him. He knew pretty much exactly what all the other players were going to do. It was planning, organisation, detail and communication - all the things that have made the Crusaders the country's best franchise. I don't think he mentioned anyone's colour at any stage. Rugby became easy, he said. I don't think Andy's found it too easy this week.