It’s time for a change at the Crusaders

I was more than a little nervous when Shag got the top job.But,have I been pleasantly surprised with the results.Unfortunately,he will only be judged on whether NZ can successfully defend their title ( which history will tell you is all but impossible).

Sack the coach now. Canterbury has no pride anymore. Pathetic effort, no imagination. Find another job

who cares about the wallabies. their future is ALL BLACK. what is dingo up to anyway? waste of a rugby mind at the moment. get back on the bandwagon dingo and show some balls. another super title awaits.

Bleat Ouch!!! That sounds like a blitzkrieg rather than an armageddon. Go get your free ticket to anger management class cos the valium tabs certainly aren't working.

B The answer to your question is because the Chiefs contain a large number of players from different provinces who return to their province for ITM comp. The Crusaders have had the bulk of their SR team playing for Canterbury in the ITM comp. The players in and out applies to all provinces but its a bonus, if the bulk of your ITM squad is made up of SR players. Absolutely agree that the Crusaders have had some rotten luck these past 5yrs but that's the whole point of this topic - it is times of adversity when the team needs to stand up, fight back and be counted. Unfortunately, the SR side are struggling to stand up at the mo'.....except when it comes to the ITM.

I would guess we have been fur the majority of the pro era

I dunno, the game would have been played in Canberra and the Chiefs didn't exactly flog the Brumbies. I remember the last time the Crusaders played a final in Canberra...

The Crusaders forwards weren't good enough to win the matches. If they were as dominant as you're making out, the Blues in particular wouldn't have had enough ball to play with. Owen Franks is hardly setting the world on fire (even in the test arena) and Sam Whitelock doesn't exactly look like the best #5 in the world in Super Rugby. We'll see how hard they play knowing they need a win.

Matthew - why pick on Georgia? they alrady have two NZers there. For 'experts' interested in international coaching would be aware of the NZRU support for Georgia; NZRU is assisting in their rugby coaching development program - currently New Zealanders Milton Haig and Chris Gibbes are coaches of Georgia's national side (appointed 2011). The aim is for them to develop local coaching to a standard where a local can be appointed national coach before the 2019 RWC Georgia president George Nijaradze :"Georgia now has a very close relationship with New Zealand and we are very grateful to the New Zealand Rugby Union for their continued support."

One and a half Super Rugby games, He's now being written off after one and a half Super Rugby games... wow. Richie has been getting this rubbish ever since the 2007 rwc and every time he has shown the doubters his worth. Besides, lets be honest, Super Rugby form is not an indicator of test form, if that was the case then Ma'a Nonu, Israel Dagg, Tony Woodcock, Aaron Smith and Andrew Hore wouldn't have gotten test caps last year. Speaking of last year, after only twenty odd minutes of Super Rugby Richie started the Bledisloe cup match and found his form pretty quickly. Apparently he's also the fittest person in the team year in and year out, fitter than Brad Thorn and he lasted until he was 36 almost 37. That's saying something. Cane and the rest will overtake him at some point in the All Blacks. Not yet though.

Old Bugger bro, so why haven't the Mooloo won the ITM Cup & the Chiefs won 2 super rugby comps. Bro its just everyone respects the Crusaders and go hard against them. Plus they have players in and out DC, McCaw, Whitelock etc etc etc. They had earthquakes in that 5 years just gone. Had to play on the road and just lost final away. People forget those sorts of things.

Wal I think with the players roster TB has/had with the Crusaders these last 5yrs, then folks are starting to lose patience with being perenial SF losers in the SR comp. The irony is, Canterbury have won the ITM premier comp these past 6 yrs so why does TB struggle to get that same commitment from an SR side that has changed very little from the ITM side?? Admittedly, you can't compare the 2 comps but if the players are the same - why isn't the commitment the same?? This is why fans begin to question and start looking at what's different between each set-up. Seems to everyone that the main difference, at this time, is the coach.

Alot of death riding of a team that haven't missed the finals for a decade, sure they haven't one a title for 5 years but then only the Bulls, Chiefs, and Reds have since then. The team the eventual winner knocked out 4 of 5 occasions, the Crusaders. Ewen McKenzie got promoted after twice losing Qtr finals. Heynke Meyer could coach a fully springbok loaded Bulls team to a championship. Also need to bear in mind that in the years wither side of winning that championship the Crusaders Lost 11 All Blacks, any other team would have gone right to the bottom of the pile losing that much talent.

CS Initially, Dingo didn't get the AB's job cos it really was the wrong time for him. When he considered he was ready he lost the support of the NZRU and according to RM's biography, support of the senior AB players. In other words, he got big-headed in his interview and stuffed it up totally. The premise by all posties above is predicated on the simple fact that NZRU supports coaches who are coaching in NZ similar to their approach with players. You play in NZ, you get chosen as an AB if you are good enough. Same with their coaches. It's the only carrot that the NZRU have to retain these people - stay and you could become AB coach if you prove your worth. On that basis, Rennie seems to be the only shining light at present. However, I agree that this is all presuming that Shag calls it quits after 2015 RWC. If Shag enjoys success in 2015 and decides to stay, then it is a fait accompli...and the worst possible scenario for NZRU if more coaching brains leave NZ for appointments overseas. But whos to say that someone whispers to Shag to go out on top just like Ted. As for all those coaches who are overseas, they knew NZRU's position before they accepted their contracts. They need to return to NZ and take their chances with applying for an SR franchise head coach position - just like JK did. Also, I personally don't think Dingo would seriously consider putting his name forward for a challenge if Shag retires. On balance, Dingo will have had very little, if any, coaching duties especially SR coaching by end 2015 and even if by some miracle act of being asked to replace TB next year, that single season could be a season too late for Dingo, to ressurect his international coaching career. Lastly, let's get some perspective on Shag's time with Wales. Wales weren't exactly a collosal team in the international arena even when they previously won with Ted as head coach. Shag was probably 4yrs into his international coaching career as an assistant to Ted before inheriting a fairly mediocre welsh team for the 2003 RWC. He returned to NZ to continue as assistant to Ted and you have to give him credit - he's learnt from one of the best and is now applying his own strategy on how he wants his team to perform. Not many coaches will introduce 21international debutantes in 2yrs and get the results that he has achieved. He is really demonstrating the lessons he has learned as an assistant and the strength of his conviction to go down the path he chose these last 2years - because the results have just been mind-boggling. Unbelievable, if we hadn't actually witnessed it.

I agree. The problem is partly in the recruitment and that the mix of players (between AB's and likely superrugby only players) is not quite right. However, this is where a coach gets tested, where the only thing you are judged is whether you cn turn things around. A poster earlier said that the Chiefs are winning the recruitment war in NZ and that is so true. I dont know whether it is the admin or the coaches but someone is doing an excellent job of picking up talent and getting them to gel and perform for the Chiefs. The Crusaders used to be the best at doing that, not now. However there is no shame in that, although they need to try and get bettera t it, but there are cycles in sport (fight against it to the utmost however the cycles of sporting fortunes do turn).

I am rooting for Robbie Deans, I understand that is an extraordinary coach who could never quite materialize in the Wallabies, and to the demanding is the Australian public. It would be great to see him lead the global Rugby again. My vote is for Robbie D. Regards Fernando_Argentina

The Crusaders pack still dominates most teams. And they still have a huge number of All Blacks. IMO it's the coach without question.

You're right, he was just the one who left his All Black first five on the bench, who just happens to be the best goal kicker in NZ.

Any of us here could have taken that 2004 Brumbies side to the final and won it. ;)

I believe he was little more than a puppet, the Brumbies coached themselves. That brumbies squads success had nothing to do with nucifora's coaching ability.