With three straight wins in the bank we’re looking forward to playing the Sharks this weekend.
It’s going to be a heck of a challenge for the boys to beat the table-toppers at their Durban base but we’ll go into the match with a confident attitude.
The players showed real grit to beat the Stormers and Bulls at AMI Stadium in our last two games. Both were very hard matches against big, tough opposition. This weekend will be no different.
For that reason last weekend’s bye came at just the right time for us.
When we looked at the draw at the start of the season we thought the bye was a bit late for us – we generally like to get them out of the way early.
But with the injuries we’ve had and the tough battles the players have endured, the break has worked out well.
We are all getting used to the time difference and warm, muggy climate over here in Durban. But everyone’s in good heart and we’re settling into South Africa well.
Everyone is asking whether the Cheetahs harmed our chances by beating the Sharks so convincingly last weekend but I don’t think they have.
Rather, they could have shown us the way. People were asking the same thing after the Highlanders beat the Bulls before we played them.
The results just show that any team can be beaten in this competition. It’s very tight – you only have to look at the table to see that.
We feel we’re going pretty well now. Nothing has come easy for us so far this season and that might actually help us as we progress through. We’ve had to fight for every result and we hope that toughness can continue.
It’s terrible news to lose flanker George Whitelock to a knee injury. No one likes to get injured but the timing of his medial knee cartilage problem is really unfortunate.
To come over and have to fly straight back to Christchurch without playing a game is tough to take.
Jonathan Poff is on his way over as a replacement for George and we know Poffy will step up to the mark.
Of course it’s not all hard work over here. It’s great to get away on tour and get even closer as a unit. The team spirit is great and we all enjoyed celebrating Ross Filipo’s birthday last night. Also, keep an eye out for interesting facial hair among the players in our first match against the Sharks.
Todd Blackadder
Crusaders Head Coach