Tuesday, March 01, 2011

Crusaders will need to control their emotions

http://www.superxv.com/news/super15_rugby_news.asp?id=29112
Tuesday 1 March 2011

Crusaders coach Todd Blackadder says the Crusaders will need to rely on more than just emotion to beat the Waratahs in Nelson on Friday.

The Crusaders chose not to play their second round match against the Hurricanes because of the Christchurch earthquake tragedy and will play their next few matches in Nelson as AMI Stadium was damaged in the quake.

Blackadder knows that the match this weekend will be a hugely emotional affair in Nelson but has warned his players that they must maintain their focus.

"If we go in with too much emotion we will come second. We have to get our game plan right."
"We have to get our own house in order - we have to execute well," Blackadder told Radio Sport.
"The guys will want to go out and play for all the people that are hurting."
"But emotions only take you so far and we are up against a really good Waratahs side - they really took the Reds apart."

Blackadders believes that his players are in the right frame of mind to start playing again and feels that they now have a steely determination about them.

"The focus is coming together. I don't think that will be a problem ... that issue will be down the track.
"I think last week to call the game off and not to play as the right decision, their head space wasn't there," he said

Blackadder said that last week the focus needed to be on the player's families and their circumstances and that some of the players had lost their homes.
However one week on from the disaster the player have a desire to get back into the tournament.

The New Zealand conference is still very much open after the Hurricanes and Crusaders was called a draw on the points table although the Highlanders have taken control at the top.
"For a lot of the players it was a relief to get back to training and a sense of normality this week."
Blackadder said the coaching staff had been busy last weekend watching the second round of super rugby and said that they had analysed the Waratahs' 30-6 win over the Red.

"We prepared well as coaches. Yesterday we had a good meeting with players talking the tactics we need to win this game. "
"We have our focus back ... now we have to make sure we do our job."

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