Blues v Crusaders: No place to hide

The Auckland-based franchise will go into the clash with a near full-strength side, with only three question marks surrounding players' availibility following their tour to South Africa.

This is a normally tough matchup that is often decided by seven points or less, with several matches in Blues’ territory being within that range – although the 2003 and 2005 round-robin matches saw massacres. 

That 2003 result (39-5 to the Blues) represented the Crusaders’ biggest loss since the 51-16 drubbing in Canberra at the start of 2001.

The Crusaders' score was the lowest in Super 12 in 2003 and the only time a side completed a match with a solitary score. 

The 34-point margin was one of the most decisive of the year and ended the Crusaders’ hopes of matching the Blues’ competition-record 16-game unbeaten streak.

The 2003 Final was a replay of the 1998 fixture, when the Crusaders ended the Blues’ winning run and began a series of three wins for themselves.

In 2003 both teams went against predictions, with the Crusaders scoring more tries but missing four of five shots at goal and the Blues scoring two tries but succeeding through better kicking.

In 2004 the Blues took an unexpected win at Christchurch after Rupeni Caucaunibuca bagged a hat-trick and ended with Carlos Spencer completing a length-of-the-field try by running from the posts to the corner flag to touch down; he then converted it from the sideline amid a chorus of boos that were fully justified for the taunting, not for the fact it was Spencer who scored.

The 2005 contest became spiteful and featured the ordering-off of Ali Williams as well as a rash of post-match suspensions, while the Crusaders set new records against the Blues for highest score and biggest winning margin, which could have been much greater as the Blues ran in a couple of late tries.

The first 2012 match was decided in the final minute, when Israel Dagg deflected Piri Weepu’s dropped goal attempt just enough to push it wide of the uprights, but the second match was an absolute blowout.

Having just lost to the Rebels, the Crusaders gave the Blues a record hiding and scored four tries in each half on the way; the score fell a few points short of the highest the Blues have ever conceded but the margin was, by some distance, their biggest to any team.

The Blues then reversed positions in the first 2013 match, giving the Crusaders a five-tries-to-none hiding on Eden Park and proving value for every point.

That was followed later in the year by the Crusaders holding the Blues to a solitary penalty goal at Christchurch, thus matching the record of the 2004 Reds, the only other team to have held the Blues to a score of 3 in Super rugby. 

Daniel Carter scored 136 points against the Blues, the only player to have reached 100 against the Aucklanders, and Andrew Mehrtens, who scored over 100 points against Auckland in National Provincial Championship matches, scored 93 points in eight matches against the Blues.

Blues team doctor Stephen Kara conducted a post-tour medical check and the results were reassuring.

True to his blockbusting form, George Moala has returned to New Zealand with quadriceps haematoma whilst Piers Francis has a thumb injury. 

Both players’ availability for Saturday will be confirmed later during the week.

During the Force v Blues game, Ofa Tu’ungafasi left the field when game referee Jamie Nutbrown saw the prop go down from a bad tackle. 

He was immediately taken from the field for concussion assessment, not returning for the remainder of the match. 

Ofa has been progressing well in post-match treatment and should be given the all-clear for Blues v Crusaders. 

After twisting his ankle in training before the Force game, Sam Prattley has been rehabilitating the low-grade sprain and is set to return to play this weekend.

Two players have not been given the all-clear to return. 

Matt McGahan will be out for one more week after a hip flexor strain from kicking practice at captain’s run before the Force game and Tanerau Latimer sustained a knee injury and will undergo an MRI later in the week.

“Despite the travel and the time zone changes endured over the past week, the team are in good spirits,” said Doc. 

“They’ll be back to training mid-week after a short period of time off.”

@BluesRugbyTeam