KEY POINTS:
History and the Robbie Deans factor weigh heavily in the Crusaders' favour but have been flicked aside by Hurricanes coach Colin Cooper ahead of tomorrow night's Super 14 rugby semifinal in Christchurch.
With the Crusaders bolting away with the minor premiership, Canterbury's favourite son, Deans, has seemingly been destined all season for his farewell to take place in the final.
A semifinal exit would be an anti-climax before Deans begins his four-year term as Australian coach.
However, a pragmatic Cooper doubts that will have instilled any extra fire in the Crusaders players, believing external influences play little role in rugby at the elite level.
"He (Deans) will tell you it doesn't mean anything and I tend to think it's really Crusader against Hurricane," Cooper said.
"It's not about All Blacks, it's not about Robbie Deans, it's not about Colin Cooper. It's about winning that game.
"We've just got to have attitude and want more than they do."
Cooper, who was the Crusaders' assistant to Deans before shifting to Wellington in 2003, also isn't distracted by the red and blacks' compelling playoff record.
They have contested eight Super rugby finals and won six titles and this is their seventh consecutive year in the playoffs.
"You can't worry about the past. It doesn't matter if you've got the best scrum or scored the most tries in the competition," Cooper said.
"It's how about how we perform now, it's about our confidence, getting that little detail right to make sure our game plan works."
The Hurricanes have reached the semifinals three times under Cooper for one win but he believed they were now headstrong enough to handle the intensity.
"Maturity and leadership, we've got some really good leaders in this group now," he said.
"The team's been together since 2004, that whole core's now come through. I'm pretty confident they'll be there mentally."
- NZPA
