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Blues coach Leon MacDonald didn’t feel there was much of a difference between his team and the Crusaders on Sunday, despite losing 43-27 at Eden Park.
The loss was the Blues’ first of the season and took a toll on the suggestion that they are now equal to the Crusaders in Super Rugby Aotearoa.
However, MacDonald said after the game that he felt his team competed with the Crusaders in most areas.
“It was four attempts each,” MacDonald said.
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“I definitely don’t blame the referee, but a couple of those penalties I’m looking at, thinking they were really tough.
Hannah Peters / Getty Images
Leon MacDonald didn’t feel like there was too much between the Blues and Crusaders at Eden Park on Sunday.
“The scrums had good parity, we played well around the tackle breakdown area, we were able to create space, there is a lot to be happy and excited about. But we have to be better than we were, because ultimately the scoreboard reflects a dominant victory for them.
“So there’s enough for us to get along, to feel optimistic about how we’re tracking and how we’re playing and if they hit us in a lot of those areas, I’d feel different, but I don’t think they were.”
Now that the Crusaders have faced every other team in Super Rugby Aotearoa this season and beaten every one of them, they are clearly setting the benchmark this season.
It already appears that the other four teams are fighting for a chance to play against them in the final.
Despite this loss, MacDonald believes his team is not a million miles away from the Crusaders.
“I definitely don’t,” he said.
Hannah Peters / Getty Images
The Leicester Faingaâ ???? Anuku of the Crusaders beats two defenders of the Blues.
“I think most of the statistics would be pretty much the same. Discipline was not, they were better than us.
“We have been very good with discipline so far and that is the first game we have on the wrong side of accounting around discipline and that is disappointing for us.
“But overall, there were a lot of areas in the game where we felt like we were competing well.”
Although both teams scored tries, it was Richie Mo’unga’s boot that made the difference, as he shot five penalties and four conversions.
“Obviously, discipline is key to any of these games,” MacDonald said.
“We talk a lot about controlling the game and you usually do it when you have the ball in your hand and you go forward and get those calls.
“They beat us fighting a bit on defense at times, they were able to shoot penalties and accumulate points every time they entered our field.
“That was obviously disappointing, we were able to match them in attempts, but in the end our discipline was the difference.”
The Blues were down 17-8 at halftime and at that point MacDonald felt his team wasn’t playing as well as they could have.
“There were some chances in that first half,” he said.
“We had that scrum moment where we would go back and forth with penalties and there was a real test period.
“We had them under the bomb and we ended up being penalized. That was a great moment for us and there were a couple of moments that didn’t go well for us.
“Going into the halftime break, we talked about how we really hadn’t played much rugby and we wanted to play a lot more in the second half.
“I thought when we came out they probably started better, getting some penalties and kicking points. We rolled the bench and when we got to play, it was probably too late.”
