The truth about two rugby over the weekend was confirmed with two thrilling but contrasting four-point victories on both sides of the world.
The first one to play Australia early Saturday morning was that the British and Irish Lions series with Wallabies would have to review pre-tour predictions if you thought visitors would come down and clean Wallabies 3-0.
Second? The Crusades were the greatest rugby outfit on the planet, one of the most complete sports organizations of the century, and the consistent domination of Super Rugby.
Crusades numbers speak for itself: Saturday night’s 16-12 victory over the Chiefs won 2000 and the 13th overall title. The board’s decision not to plunder Rob Penny at the end of 2024 proved to be a masterstroke, but few four-point wins were as dominant as they recorded in the final playoff match at Apollo Project Stadium.
Many critics were fooled last week by falling the Chiefs’ victory – the minor premier, after all, broke through the ladder after the regular season – but the slip-up against the Blues two weeks ago could have been a terminal result as they were unable to go to Christchurch in the postseason and won.
The 32-0 final record is currently being told to you.
But back in Dublin, the Lions were beaten 28-24 by Argentina in an absorption contest at Aviva Stadium.
This is clearly not the team on the 19th of July with the Wallabies in Brisbane. In fact, it’s far from it. However, the four-point defeat highlighted the challenges Lions coach Andy Farrell brought together players from four different countries.
The Lions have definitely gotten better, and the teams fighting the Western army this weekend are barely recognisable from their losses to Pumas. However, there should still be enough quality to allow players to sink the Pumas side, scattered around the world, and there were similarly limited preparations.
The comprehensive victory of the Lions in Dublin would have caused a stir in Wallabee camp. A four-point loss will add to the belief that no matter how many public expectations manager Joe Schmidt attempts to ease the series’ victory will not surpass them.
It is not yet known which style the 3 Test showdown is playing. Also, the conditions may vary between the three Australian locations compared to the three locations in Christchurch, but the game Crusaders used to grind the chief to the ground was a test match standard.
Dominate with set pieces. He chases and matches, kicks high and accurately. And nail your penalty goals when they are being offered. The Crusades suffocated the chief especially in the second half, and despite surpassing two tries by one, the wafer’s thin second half margin, extended to 72 minutes, seemed unintimidated.
The Super Rugby Pacific Grand Final could have been lacking in entertainment compared to the fast, open and exhilarating regular season, but when the ultimate prize was offered, it was a lesson in how to win a high pressure game. The Wallabies and Lions fight the Tom Richards trophy in three Tests, but the message from Christchurch should still be true.
And a year after finishing ninth, the Crusades are back to the top in the Southern Hemisphere at least at the corner of the Pacific Ocean. Michael Jackson’s show may also be closed, but Scott Robertson’s record in Christchurch is a 61-year-old dance towards the drums of his own beats, 12 months after he was very close to leaving the stage left.
Are they the best club team in the world? That question remains unanswered for now, but the Club World Cup, which appears to have conditional approval, could resolve it in 2028.
It’s still three seasons away, but as it’s the title strike rate, it’s difficult to see how the Crusades can’t grasp at the dying stage of that tournament, given green light.
No other rugby franchises or clubs can boast of their incredible accomplishments since the turn of the century. That’s the truth about cold hard rugby.
It is also the fact that the Lions have also won one series since 1997 – as of 2013 in Australia.
Do they deserve to be a series favorite against the Wallabies? Definitely. However, their performance in Dublin was not near the performance of a team poised to wipe out the 3 Test series on the other side of the world.
Lions center Bandi Aki revealed that coach Andy Farrell set his team the challenge of winning all 10 games. That goal is already rising in smoke – the idea that the 3-0 series wins in Australia is the fait-accompli that comes with it.