Beating the odds was always the goal, says Crusaders coach Scott Robertson
"We create opportunities to create history." That was Crusaders’ coach Scott Robertson’s take on his side’s monumental effort in overcoming the travel blues‚ the altitude and a hitherto unbeaten Lions team at home this season. His side became the first team to win a Super Rugby final having travelled to a different continent when they beat the Lions 25-17 at Ellis Park. It was as if the Lions were blinded by the spotlight of such an august occasion. They committed far too many errors and as the shadows lengthened the ghastly realisation set in that it was not going to be the fairytale send off they had hoped to give their coach Johan Ackermann. Poor handling‚ albeit in the face of some suffocating Crusaders defence‚ a wonky line-out and imprecision at ruck time cost the Lions. The composition of the Crusaders’ backrow proved telling. In Kieran Read‚ Jordan Taufua and Matt Todd the Crusaders were staffed by men who excelled in their respective disciplines. Although Ruan Ackermann mad...
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