Crusaders’ defence on Reds’ alert

Crusaders’ coach Todd Blackadder says his side must execute the defensive performance of the season to overcome Queensland in Saturday’s Super Rugby final.

Blackadder was delighted with the Crusaders’ tackling effort against the Stormers in last week’s semi-final at Newlands, but warns the visitors need to find another level against the Reds at another daunting away venue.

Queensland pipped the Crusaders 17-16 at Suncorp Stadium on May 29 in one of the matches of the year, and it’s fitting the epic clash will appropriately be repeated on Saturday night at the same ground.

In that victory, the Reds managed to find some rare weaknesses in the Crusaders’ defence, and Blackadder said the game plan for the final is simple – defend.

The Crusaders’ coach is particularly concerned about Reds’ dynamic duo, halfback Will Genia and five-eighth Quade Cooper.

“Defensively, we have to be on top of our game,” he said.

“I thought we lifted a gear and took it to a new level and we’re going to have to be even better again.

“The Reds pose different threats (to the South Africans). They’ve got Genia running round the sides of the rucks with the forwards and they can roll out the back to Cooper.

“When they get on the front foot, they have a lot of threats. We have to be defensively sound.”

Although the Reds are capable of carrying out a conservative game plan, Blackadder doubts counterpart Ewen McKenzie will deviate from the counter-attacking blueprint which overwhelmed the Blues last Saturday.

“They’ll keep playing to their strengths, a counter-attacking, continuity game,” he said.

“They’ve got great launch power.”

Blackadder confirms Cooper, who carved through the Blues in the Reds’ semi-final win last week, is the danger man.

“Quade’s just been in unbelievable form. He’s taking on defensive lines and breaking them,” he said.

“He’s been absolutely sensational.”

Meanwhile, there was nothing sinister in Crusaders’ strike weapon Sean Maitland sitting out training on Wednesday. It was purely precautionary as the competition’s joint leading try-scorer continues his comeback from a foot injury.

Halfback Andy Ellis will also be included in the starting line-up on Thursday, pending a fitness test on his injured shoulder, while reserve lock Luke Romano finally arrived in Brisbane on Tuesday night after his departure from South Africa was delayed when he contracted chickenpox.

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