It will be a battle between the North and South this weekend when the Crusaders face the Blues in the finals of the Super Rugby Pacific this weekend.
This week’s final between the Blues and the Crusaders will be an interesting one not just for the teams or the fans but also the coaches.
Leon MacDonald and Scott Robertson are not just coaches of the respective finalists but will also clash this weekend as former team mates.
Blues coach Leon MacDonald has labelled the final against the Crusaders the perfect showdown to wrap up a historic campaign for the resurgent Auckland side.
MacDonald’s Blues needed every ounce of luck and effort to hold out a surging Brumbies finish in Saturday night’s second semifinal at Eden Park, surviving two second-half yellow cards and a potential game-winning dropped goal attempt at the death to cling to a 20-19 victory.
It was their franchise-record 15th consecutive win in 2022 and sets up their first major final since 2003’s victory over the Crusaders in Auckland.
A night earlier the Crusaders had put in an heroic defensive effort to strangle the Chiefs 20-7 in the first semifinal, despite the visitors having a mountain of opportunities to mount their own comeback.
The Crusaders will take on the Blues at Eden Park at 7.05pm this Saturday.
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