RugbyRebels

Just confirmed that they'll be coaching together in the English Premiership next year.

What are the opinions of those who follow Super rugby more than I?
I've always regarded Cru as the best, and like many, have been a little surprised when I look at their recent table placings, when I'd assumed they'd have generally been higher. It looks like they inherited a great team, and squandered them.

The impression I've had is that Blackadder is a promising coach who was promoted too far too fast, and still needs to learn his trade properly; but one to keep an eye on for the future. How accurate is that? any other thoughts? What sort of rugby can we expect them to bring to us?

Based on what I've seen of SR, Blackadder is a good forwards coach but not much of a head coach. Given how toothless the Crusaders attack has been, I'm not even sure if Matson was turning up to work most of the time.

By NZ standards the Crusaders are pretty functional. They are perhaps more heavily coached than the others, or at least play a bit more set piece to set piece and a bit more territorial. He doesn't seem to have produced or sought out the game breaking stardust that some have, but at the same time Mo'unga seems a good spot at 10.

The Crusaders' strengths under him have generally been the traditional strengths of that team, but I'm not really sure if he's been able to fully maximise the resources at his disposal. The sides he's coached have had some glaring weaknesses, namely in the midfield, where you'd think they'd have no trouble either luring in or uncovering a great midfield back, specifically at 13 - something that I wouldn't be too surprised if the incoming coach, Scott Robertson, would be doing pronto (I think the Blues are actually vulnerable to this at the moment, as they will have an oversupply of them next season and something's going to have to give).

The team has generally been there or thereabouts, and the two finals appearances under him definitely have some extenuating circumstances to the Crusaders losses.