After coming under early pressure in their final round robin match against the Blues, Crusaders forwards coach Jason Ryan has his pack ready for the game that matters most.
With All Blacks veteran Joe Moody forced out of action late in the season due to a foot injury that requiredsurgery, George Bower has taken over at loosehead prop. While Bower has experience playing both off the bench and starting, moving into the starting role permanently meant there was a period of adjustment.
"He just connects up with his locks," Ryan explained. "He's got Scott Barrett behind him, an experienced test player, so they have conversations during the week. I think we're pretty alright now; it takes a game or two to find your rhythm with changes but that's not an excuse for us now.
"Scrummaging is a little bit like a rowing eight – you need everyone working together at the same time – and a couple there against the Blues we weren't, we didn't really fire. But I challenge the boys on problem solving and working out what's going to happen next and making sure they've got solutions, and they responded well."
George Bower has had an impressive campaign with the Crusaders. Photo / Getty Images
Bower's rise has been a remarkable one, given he was relatively unknown when Ryan suggested the club sign him ahead of the 2019 season.
"I remember Razor [Crusaders coach Scott Robertson], I said pre-season that I wanted to bring George Bower in and he said 'who?'
"You just get around the good people with a thirst to be better and they just kick on.
"He's really made the most of his opportunity. It's pretty special for him now to go on and have high honours potentially, but if he fronts in games like this in finals, that's when the selectors will really be looking at it. We're really happy with how he's gone; he's really left his mark there."
On Saturday, Bower is expected to play a vital role when the Crusaders host the Chiefs for the Super Rugby Aotearoa final, welcoming what Ryan called the best scrum in the competition.
George Bower. Photo / Getty Images
It has been a strength for the Chiefs this season, an area they have shown they can exploit against their opposition.
The Crusaders come into the game after a bye week, while the Chiefs are backing up off a loss to the Blues, though they gave many of their regulars the week off to ensure their health for the final.
"It's a slow build," Ryan said of the team's preparation for the final.
"We've got to get that right and make sure we manage the boys on the grass and not overload them with information. We know they'll be up for it; we just have to get that right.
"Every final is different. We know there's a huge increase in pressure, and we love that; that's where this team wants to live, so we're looking forward to that. The Chiefs are on a high at the moment and there's a lot of hype around them, as there should be. They're playing some really good rugby. I don't know if it helps or not, but we're definitely experienced in big moments and we look forward to that."
