Rugby: Chiefs ready for Crusaders Super 15 clash

Chiefs coach Dave Rennie is ready for the Super 15 clash against the Crusaders. Photo / Getty Images

Week three seems too early to ascribe any encounter with blockbuster status but there's no reason to think the Chiefs and Crusaders will fail to justify that billing in their Super 15 clash.

The two sides' battles have become one of the inevitabilities of recent Super Rugby seasons - fiercely fought, featuring a pair of competition favourites, decided by few tries and even smaller margins.

And while Saturday's clash has certainly arrived early in the calendar, the progress already made by each team suggests a similar affair awaits in Hamilton.

"They were a hell of a lot better last week than they were the week before," coach Dave Rennie said of the Crusaders' gains after their loss to the Rebels. "I imagine they'll step up again, and we're certainly focused on the fact we need to be better than we have been the last two weeks."

But Rennie had no doubt his side could make the requisite improvements, buoyed by that championship quality of picking up wins while playing short of full potential. First the Blues, then the Brumbies - the Chiefs have been in the wars but any wounds sustained have only made them stronger."

We were sitting in the coaches box [against the Brumbies] and thinking that if we could win that arm wrestle it would be huge for us," Rennie said. "We had a chat to the leaders and it was really well controlled. The team was really calm and they knew what they needed to do."

The Chiefs are also well aware of what will be needed on Saturday. The set piece, an area of weakness against the Brumbies, will again be tested, with the Crusaders more than content to capitalise on any deficiency and suck the life out of the game.

That's not to say Todd Blackadder's side lack weapons elsewhere, though. Give the Crusaders enough possession and pay the price out wide, making ball security a big focus for the Chiefs.

"They're physical games, all the Kiwi games," Rennie said. "We need to be looking after our ball better than we have been in the last few weeks and build some pressure of our own."

The return of Sonny Bill Williams and Sam Cane will aid in that goal, after the All Black duo were late scratches last week. There could very well be changes elsewhere - the Chiefs, even when winning, have history of shuffling the pack - and Rennie knew no player would lack the desire to be involved.

"We're definitely up for it," he said. "We love playing the Crusaders, especially in Hamilton. We've got a lot of respect for them - obviously you only have to look at their playing roster and coaching group to understand they're a high quality side.

"It brings the best out of both sides, theses games. Traditionally in Hamilton they've been arm wrestles, not a lot of tries, but a huge amount of intensity. I think it'll be similar."