Crusaders’ Leicester Fainga’anuku runs rampant as Blues nosedive in Christchurch

ANALYSIS: The line-up of injured Crusaders looked like a team of bouncers enjoying a quiet moment before they went to the inner-city bars to begin the serious work of preventing urban warfare on Friday night.

Unshaven, some sporting moustaches, they stood behind the dead-ball line and watched their Crusaders team-mates complete their final warm-ups ahead of the Super Rugby Pacific semifinal against the Blues at Orangetheory Stadium in Christchurch.

They were a formidable looking bunch. The wounded ones, that is.

All Blacks Sam Whitelock, Ethan Blackadder, Fletcher Newell, Joe Moody and David Havili, to name just a few, were among those killing time until they took their seats. That’s just scratching the surface when it comes to naming the broken players in the Crusaders squad, but it’s still a hell of a list.

As the local fans shuffled through the gates at the stadium in Addington, they may have cast a glance at those men and asked themselves if the Crusaders were about to bite off more than they could chew.

Because the Blues, despite their form fluctuations, looked very good on paper and with centre Rieko Ioane celebrating his 100th game for the franchise there was plenty of incentive to win this.

The big prize, of course, was next week’s final. The Blues just had to land a knockout blow on the Crusaders’ chins. It had all the makings of a classic.

Then something strange happened. Crusaders coach Scott Robertson marched out into the middle of the area prior to kick-off and waved to the crowd, a rare event in New Zealand rugby games.

Robertson, who will replace Ian Foster as All Blacks coach next year (the latter was in the crowd, too), didn’t care whether it was unorthodox or not. He knew there was a good chance he wouldn’t be back in front of these people again.

Because if the Chiefs beat the Brumbies in Hamilton on Saturday night, the Crusaders’ work in Christchurch is done. And then Robertson’s Crusaders went out and tore apart the Blues, ragdolling them from the opening minute.

They charged to a 52-15 win, humiliating the bewildered Blues.

By halftime the Crusaders were ahead 32-3, with Braydon Ennor, Leicester Fainga’anuku, Will Jordan and Codie Taylor scoring tries and Richie Mo’unga banging over three conversions and a couple of penalties.

Then, eight minutes after the restart, Fainga’anuku blitzed the defence to score an audacious individual try.

If he isn’t named in the All Blacks squad for the Rugby Championship on Sunday, the country should join our teachers in their protest strikes.

The Blues supporters in the crowd must have looked at the flight timetables and asked if there was time to catch the red-eye when Fainga’anuku grabbed his second five-pointer soon after the restart.

Then again, they may have reconsidered after he was substituted in the 59th minute, when he earned a standing ovation from the crowd. Everyone knew it was most likely Fainga’anuku’s final outing in Christchurch for the Crusaders; next year he will be earning the big bucks in France.

The Blues’ faithful, meanwhile, were just keen to see the back of him.

The Crusaders, led by indefatigable captain Scott Barrett, were superior in every facet. Their low body position at the breakdowns was almost a thing of beauty, as they locked shoulders onto anything in a blue uniform, remaining on their feet to prevent raising the ire of referee Angus Gardner.

With Richie Mo’unga completely outplaying his opposite, Beauden Barrett, the Crusaders attack was more than just a catch-pass operation; it was inventive, direct, fast and physical.

To win this, the Blues needed the NZ Rugby’s million dollar men to stand up. They barely got to their knees against the enthusiastic Crusaders defensive wall, and their mistakes under pressure killed their attacking chances.

Wing Mark Telea, a man who can combine guile, acceleration and daring to beat most tacklers, had minimal impact. Ioane made a bust in the prelude to his side’s first try, scored by Beauden Barrett in the 58th minute, but it was not nearly enough.

The Blues had arrived far too late to the party. Robertson, meanwhile, left his coaching box several minutes before the fulltime whistle, as the crowd chanted “Razor’’.

It was left to the other lot to turn out the lights. That, in case you hadn’t guessed, was the Blues.