The winning culture of the Crusaders
Roar Rookie By seand_23, 6 May 2011 seand_23 is a Roar Rookie
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- Blues, Brumbies, Dan Carter, Richie McCaw, robbie deans, Rugby Union, Sonny Bill Williams, Super Rugby
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The winning culture. Very few teams in world sport have it and those that don’t are trying to build it. Manchester United, the Chicago Bulls of the 1990’s, the Queensland rugby league team of the past five years. They all bred winning cultures.
The Crusaders are Super Rugby’s comparison to these great teams. The incredible passion, drive, belief and team spirit within the club has made them the absolute best in their field.
From Christchurch in New Zealand, the Crusaders are the most successful Super Rugby franchise-by far. They boast five Super 12 titles (1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2005) and two Super 14 titles (2006, 2008). They have appeared in nine finals, the most of any side since the competition’s inception in 1996.
The Crusaders hold a 67% overall win rate while holding an 83% home win rate. In 2002, the Crusaders achieved a feat still unmatched: 13 straight victories to clean sweep the Super Rugby season.
The longevity of their success is most impressive and has been something that fellow Super Rugby champions like the Brumbies and the Blues have been unable to replicate.
The coaches of the Crusaders over the years have instilled their passion for the franchise and New Zealand rugby into the players.
Wayne Smith played provincial rugby for Canterbury and went on to represent New Zealand. Supercoach Robbie Deans spent 12 seasons playing for Canterbury and managed the side during Smith’s reign. Current coach Todd Blackadder captained the Crusaders and the All Blacks from 1996-2001.
These men bleed red and black. They once fought for the jersey. They have been part of the winning culture. They have carried it into the next era.
Blackadder has spoken of a desire to continue the Crusaders legacy and keep them at the pinnacle of world rugby. He said his old coach Deans ‘strived for excellence’, which rubbed off on everyone around him.
“If we were sitting there throwing ice into a glass, he was there throwing ice and trying to beat you”.
The Crusaders have never lacked belief. Three of their Super Rugby finals were won away from home after finishing last in their inaugural season. The team is known to play with flair, adopting a confident style of running rugby.
This season, the Crusaders have performed well without key players, including a 27-0 thumping of the Bulls without captain Richie McCaw and champion fly half Dan Carter.
The question will always be whether an opponent has the belief to beat the Crusaders.
There is no denying the Crusaders have had supreme talent at their disposal over the years. However, a strong team spirit is evident with a ‘nobody is irreplaceable’ mentality.
The team has remained consistently successful despite large changes in personnel. This has been built on a solid senior core of players, almost all of whom have graduated through to the All Blacks.
Veteran Rueben Thorne handed the captaincy to his understudy, Richie McCaw. Dan Carter was on the scene after Andrew Mehrtens retired. Explosive backs Sean Maitland and Sonny Bill Williams now take up the spots left by Caleb Ralph and Aaron Mauger.
Former winger Rico Gear said the Crusaders focussed on individual player input to achieve collective team goals, unlike his previous clubs. He believes other teams today are learning from the Crusaders’ setup.
The Crusaders are without a trophy for three years but their winning culture will mean that won’t be the case for much longer.
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The Crowd Says (14) | Page 1 of Comments
Have Your Say
- Explore:
- Blues, Brumbies, Dan Carter, Richie McCaw, robbie deans, Rugby Union, Sonny Bill Williams, Super Rugby
May 6th 2011 @ 8:59am
Sam said | May 6th 2011 @ 8:59am | Report comment
I used to think that the australian cricket team had a winning culture as well, but maybe that was just the best players in the key roles for an extended period of time.
May 6th 2011 @ 11:50am
Tenebroso said | May 6th 2011 @ 11:50am | Report comment
Let’s see how cultured they are against the Stormers. And let’s see if playing in front of 52,000 baying Saffers puts a spoke in SBW’s wheel. Personally, I think he’s had enough experience playing league in front of boisterous crowds to shut them out unless he makes an early mistake and then they’ll be merciless.
Here’s another personally – I’m picking the Saders to win.
PS – red and black are an eye-jarring colour combo. Can we please throw tradition out and give them a better strip?
May 6th 2011 @ 2:18pm
allblackfan said | May 6th 2011 @ 2:18pm | Report comment
No.
May 6th 2011 @ 4:25pm
Te_Hau_W said | May 6th 2011 @ 4:25pm | Report comment
Never.
May 8th 2011 @ 10:57am
Brad said | May 8th 2011 @ 10:57am | Report comment
They use grey & red as their away strip. IMHO – it looks anaemic & much worse than red & black. But, it didn’t seem to dilute thier performance in Capetown overnight!
May 6th 2011 @ 3:11pm
Eric said | May 6th 2011 @ 3:11pm | Report comment
I was hoping for something more revealing in the article after reading the headline, EXCEPT, for one point made by Rico Gear. That was, that they concentrated on individual development. I have just read a biography of a successful schools coach of rugby and cricket, and he really emphasised the same thing. Don’t try and temper brilliant individuals to fit into the team, but let them express their brilliance, because sooner or later the team will need a flash of brilliance to get them home.
Certainly Qld have that going with Quade Cooper. Contrast that with NSW, where Phil Waugh tears strips off any young player not following the script to the point where young players are frightened to have a go.
I also spoke with Robbie Deans once, and he told me that the Saders still play for the same amateur values. They never chase an outside player, and never stand in the way of someone who wants to go.
Tenebrose, red and black is fine, it is that stupid grey and pink and terribly cut shorts that look insipid!
May 7th 2011 @ 2:26am
mother teresa said | May 7th 2011 @ 2:26am | Report comment
ERIC,the crusaders never chase outside players?please elucidate.
are you suggesting their imports actually approach the crusaders?interesting
May 6th 2011 @ 3:51pm
mjpt said | May 6th 2011 @ 3:51pm | Report comment
nothing new here, the problem is IMPLEMENTATION of the system and allowing for culture that is already there. Examples being Hammett at Hurricanes and Joseph in Wellington before his current role at Highlanders. The FIT has to right be as well. Eric is right on Waugh, he is THE WORST player for team culture, its all about him, its status quo and it is why he is not overseas, he has has too good a gig here already where no-one challenges him, or is not allowed to. You have to hit rock bottom before there is a real pradigm shift starting from management to see significant change. Smith took control of Crusaders in 1997, Crusaders result in 1996?-dead last. From that they built an empire and made sure it was ALWAYS the team before the player. Highlanders are the only team that have similar characteristics to the Crusaders of 1996. Hurricanes and NSW have NEVER been bottom and can point to their plethora of rep players as evidence that their systems are working. That is a different argument, which I think is wrong, but thats another day. I doubt this Crusader vintage seand23, i just saw some cracks last week v force that had me wondering dagg, sbw were missing in last 20 and not good when the scores got close. Playing under pressure is not something theses guys see a lot of. The new conference system protects teams as well BLUEs have not played anyone decent in a while (last placed canes in NZ conf beat !st place QLD in Oz conf?? is a microcosm of this) Crusaders WILL be tested v Stormers. Good. They need it. Good article.
May 6th 2011 @ 3:54pm
Ralph said | May 6th 2011 @ 3:54pm | Report comment
Culture starts with the organisation, not the the team and is much more than encouraging players to take a risk.
Those who don’t have it are rarely able to understand what it is let alone create it.
May 7th 2011 @ 2:35am
mother teresa said | May 7th 2011 @ 2:35am | Report comment
ralph,yes clearly culture is made of many factors;not merely the coach,players,interaction etc.a
homogeneous and partisan environment(situational factors) are conducive to performance.
the crusaders are the only show in town
May 7th 2011 @ 7:36am
mjpt said | May 7th 2011 @ 7:36am | Report comment
agreed, my comments relate specifically to this season only. As a body of work long term, the Crusaders credentials are second to none.
May 7th 2011 @ 8:38pm
Sylvester Hyde said | May 7th 2011 @ 8:38pm | Report comment
The knack for turning young players and cast-offs into world-beaters is what impresses me. As well as a good recruitment policy, the Crusaders benefit from an excellent schools’ competition.
May 8th 2011 @ 4:37am
Damo said | May 8th 2011 @ 4:37am | Report comment
I am gleaning from above a few things
-first they hit rock bottom
-they restructured
- they encourage brilliance
- they are homogenous and partisan
- they are the only show in town
I can’t see much of these factors in a certain semi successful OZ franchise.
Great article good discussion
May 8th 2011 @ 5:58pm
seand_23 said | May 8th 2011 @ 5:58pm | Report comment
Thanks for the input guys, I’ve been really getting into the Super 14 this year despite being a supporter of the Brumbies. You look at the competition over the years and the Crusaders have always been thereabouts. I was interested in researching them and constructing an argument into why that is. I guess they proved all this last night with that great win!