Highlanders beat Crusaders in Christchurch

They should look outside the matey old boy network. There's not an ex-Crusader anywhere in an influential coach role in the whole Canterbury set up. I assume the theory is success begets success but sometimes it takes a fresh voice.

Yeah, the samey midfield hasn't worked and quality backline recruitment has been virtually non-existent, bar Nadolo (which in itself was a gamble on the face of it)

whew big call. I know some 12's arent the quickest around but surely theyre not that slow. Not a lot tells me Taufua has the skills of a top level back.

Next Crusaders coach will be Robbie Deans or Rob Penny.

Codie Taylor has zero chance at RWC selection in 2015, although he is certainly a good bet for 2019. Taylor needs to win a regular starting spot for the Crusaders and put some innings on the board- he is far too green. The hookers will be Dane Coles, Keven Mealamu, and either Hika Elliot or Nathan Harris. Harris is back practicing with the Chiefs after his EOYT injury, as is Elliot from suspension, and has been given the green light to play by doctors. None of the rest are in contention unless there is an injury crisis.

Mo'unga is not too small to play 10 as Cruden, McKenzie, and West have proven you do not need to be big to play 10, just brave. Midfield is complimentary- one must be a big power runner, the other a skilled distributor. Both must be good defenders. Emery could be a very good 13 but he needs to be paired with big hard running 12. Tree by works very well at 12 ( despite his lack of size) with Fekitoa at 13.

It's too early in the season to judge them mate.

Yep that is exactly my thinking. Selecting DC constitutes a risk as well. He's odds on to fall injured at the big event. Getting through tight defences is tougher than ever these days and Cruden is the best at it, but needs regular game time at 10 in the ABs with the regular backline. Last year chopping and changing the 10 and 3/4s didn't help but it was useful to Hansen to test the cover for this year, and I think with Slade, DC, Fekitoa, Crotty etc he got to do a bit of that.

Great article CanadianKiwi and couldn't agree with you more. I watched the Crusaders vs Sharks game at Twickers in 2011 when SBW played in the backline ......it was amazing , power , direct running with the offloading skills added. What a difference! Still struggle to remember the backline repeating that since. Players like Fonotia , Emery , Mo'unga are too small and need big match temperament which Damian McKenzie has in spades and that's why Rennie is such as shrewd coach.

As a Saders fan , well done to the Highlanders on a deserved win. It was frustrating to watch though as yet another game in another year of Super 15 rugby sees the Crusaders crab walk across the field from side to side on attack going nowhere. 10 plus phases , lots of passing between backs put going nowhere......sometimes backwards! . What happened to direct running of previous championship winning teams ? Did anyone notice the disaster at lineout time in the second half. I mean any chance Codie Taylor had of an All Black call up has now been obliterated. Two attacking lineouts inside Highlanders 22' , two f.......ups and chance to put the opposition away. Very poor and very disappointing. It's time for Blackadder to go (maybe Leon McDonald or Deans to replace) , poor off season recruitment in backline and same game plan now for a few seasons ...too predictable.

The Crusaders' Achilles Heel the past three seasons is they do not have a premier big, hard running, hard hitting center to compliment the distribution skills of Ryan Crotty in the midfield. Robbie Fruean has suffered frequent illness and injury in 2012, 2013, and 2015. Kieran Fonotia is not up to Super Rugby standards period. Tom Taylor is too similar to Crotty - both distributors and neither is a power runner. Rey Lee-Lo was terrible in 2014. Dan Carter no longer has a running game to play 12 and, even when he did, his skill set does not compliment Crotty's in the midfield- too similar. In 2016, they will need to recruit from outside the region and find a big power running 13.

Last line should read: Unless Carter can show he still has a running game and is more than just a goal kicker, Cruden should be selected.

So you did not watch any of the EOYT tests in 2014? Slade was outstanding against Australia in Bledisloe III and Wales. But don't let the facts get in your way.

McCaw was outstanding last season for the All Blacks after a fairly average 2013 by his standards. The Crusaders are resting McCaw because they have 3 other excellent loose forwards. McCaw will be at his usual great form by July. Carter is a whole different situation. He was World Player of the Year in 2012, injured and medocre in 2013 (while Cruden was world class at 10), and injured and terrible on the EOYT in 2014. That is TWO poor seasons in a row for Carter. I went into the 2015 season with the view of the coaches, and most AB fans, that Carter would be able to stay healthy with a full off-season of rest and full pre-season to get his body right. With Carter getting his body right, he would find the form he had in his prime (2004-2010). Carter has NOT! He has suffered two injuries in the first half of the Crusader's season. His form has been nothing special. The best you can say is he is a very reliable goal kicker as usual (as is Colin Slade). The ABs need more than a goal kicking 10 to win the RWC. If the All Blacks want to go to the RWC and play a conservative, forward-oriented game plan based on territory, then they will not beat France/ Ireland (QFs), South Africa/Australia (SF), England/Ireland in a row as all these teams can match the ABs in such a forward driven match (minus the Wallabies who will play a wide open, running game). Slade and Barrett will be selected for the RWC because they could start at 10 or 15 and Hansen wants to select only 4 wing/ fullbacks (Savea, B. Smith, Dagg, Jane/ Piutau/Osborne). This means it will be a straight up call between Cruden and Carter. Cruden is kicking in the low 70s% while Carter is n the low 80s%. However, Carter has no running game whatsoever any more, while Cruden is the best running 10 in world rugby. After two sabbaticals, the All Blacks owe Carter nothing. Cruden has signed on until 2017. Unless Carter can show he still has a running game and is more important Han a goal kick clear, Cruden should be selected.

Except Meesam is at the very minimum height/ weight ratio for a Test loose forward. Too late to switch him to hooker, this should have been done when he was in secondary schools, same as Kevin Mealamu did. Taufua is too small for All Blacks selection but a very good Super 15 player. I would love to see him switched to 12 at the Crusaders. If Sam Burgess can be moved from league to 12, certainly an interesting experienced blindside should be able to learn 12 quickly.

I think there is a big difference between s15 and RC. Slade always looks a yard short in the big time.

yep thats kind of how I see it. Cruden and Slade as 10, Barrett as super sub. I never want Barrett to start a key test at 10 again after Ellis. He's not an effective bacline director at the top test level. Slade is showing he has it all for sure so he and Cruden to fight it out. Between the 3 I think we 'get away' with covering the goalkicking with Slade on at the end but I think DC has done his chips. Has not played to his own standards consistently for years due to ongoing injuries.

Not a bad proposition now that hookers are no longer required to 'hook' in the scrum or even make a straight throw in every lineout.

"That travel and then playing a fully rested team counts for a few points" Can't say the same about the Tahs performance last night.

Hansen will play Carter in the RC to get a reading on his form. Playing for the AB's & test rugby is not Super 15. If he ain't up to scratch compared to Cruden, Barrett & Slade (who is quickly making himself a certainty for mine) then Hansen will have quite a call to make.